Why Listen: You want better tools for helping others “get it,” especially when the topic is complex, cross-functional, or emotionally charged.
Episode Description:
Analogies aren’t just clever turns of phrase—they’re tools for meaning-making, leadership, and connection. In this episode, we sit down with Carolyn Duckworth, Head of Sales (North America) at Kepner-Tregoe, to explore how analogies help generalists explain the unfamiliar, bridge perspectives, and lead with clarity. We unpack why generalists are often wired to use analogies well, the limits of this cognitive shortcut, and how to wield it more intentionally in our communication and problem-solving.
Whether you’re in sales, consulting, or navigating cross-disciplinary work, this conversation will sharpen how you use—and recognize—analogies in everyday decisions.
Key Highlights:
- Sense-making: How analogies help us explain the unfamiliar by borrowing understanding from elsewhere.
- Pattern transfer: Why generalists are especially skilled at drawing analogies across domains.
- Over-mapping risks: Where analogies break down and how misuse can obscure true understanding.
- Leadership through analogy: How great communicators use analogy as an invitation, not a conclusion.
- Practical use: Tips for using analogies deliberately and watching how they emotionally land with others.
About Caralyn:
Carolyn Duckworh is the Head of Sales (North America) at Kepner-Tregoe, a consulting company that helps people learn and apply critical thinking skills to daily work.
She’s great at connecting people – to ideas, to there people and communities where ever the opportunities is ripe for exploration.
Find Carolyn Here:
- LinkedIn: Carolyn Duckworth | LinkedIn
- Website: www.kepner-tregoe.com