Brian E. Francis
Speaker • Author • Slam Poet
“ FAN-tastic!!! Francis utilizes memorable quotes from our favorite films to make common sense of some of our biggest challenges in the workplace and life. ”
David Gonzales, movie aficionado and (as Fezzik might add) lover of avocados
Hi, I'm Brian E. Francis. It's great to see you!
I am so excited you took the time to visit my webpage. If you have a love of words and leadership, you have come to the right place. My background as a 20-year C Suite executive and a nationally accomplished slam poet provides me with a unique perspective and way of delivering much needed and powerful leadership lessons. I hope you enjoy what you see. Thanks again for coming by.
Discover the Book
One of the most memorable movie lines of all time was uttered by Vizzini and Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride,
"You keep saying this word it does not mean what you think it means!"
What happens when you take this famous quote and extract the leadership-altering principle from it? You have a collection of bite-size yet unforgettable Leadership nuggets for the leader on the go.
In this essay I encourage leaders to understand that each of their employees are the drops that contribute to their organization’s ocean of success. Once leaders understand this basic principle they gain a greater appreciation for the need to acknowledge and recognize each individual employee for their unique contributions to the team. Leaders are reminded to remember each drop (employee) is essential to filling the ocean we call a team.
In this essay my father, Marshall Francis, teaches me that leaders have to live with the consequences of their decisions. He talked about the big difference between making recommendations and making decisions. My father was helping me transition from being the number two with all the answers and none of the responsibility. He taught me to honor the team and not be caught up in the trappings of being some know it all king.
In this essay I reintroduce the reader to the lost art of listening. I talk about the problem that some leaders have with interjecting their opinion or idea to early in the conversation and how this stifles a free flow of ideas. I share a secret for building their ability to listen to dissonant perspectives. I let the leaders know that the key to listen is to rearrange the letters to spell silent.
Too often, organizational visions read and sound like recycled corporate clichés, just a bunch of adjectives masquerading as nouns trying to sound like verbs—that unfocused, first-year MBA-speak that only resonates around marble tables in most bored* rooms, and lies meaningless in the hearts and hands of the frontline workers who show up every day to make your organization successful.
Brian E Francis ● This is the Way; I have Spoken
what people say
Book Reviews
... The analogy Brian draws from the quotes delivers bite-size, power-packed nuggets of insights and wisdom we ALL can learn from. I truly recommend this as a must-read to add to your leadership toolkit.
Candy Barone
Founder & CEO, You Empowered Strong
... Offering a distinctive viewpoint on entertainment and leadership, the book serves as a valuable teaching aid, providing a cinematic visualization like no other. Inconceivable is a leadership manual that is emotionally engaging and easy to read, providing invaluable insights for anyone in a leadership role. Bravo, Brian!
Carrie Angell Hurt
President/CEO, Better Business Bureau serving the Heart of Texas
... I’m familiar with most of the quotes in the book, but I had never thought about them as leadership lessons or prompts. And that’s the real power of this book. It helps you see the working world in a new way, and it gives you new insights into how to be a better leader. ...
PATRICK FORTNER
Executive Director of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. 23
Now imagine what the freedom to challenge the boss does for that individual; what that type of exchange does for your team. I can tell you what it does—it builds trust, engenders loyalty, stifles fear, and nurtures collaboration and innovation.