The Career Story That Commands Attention

Joe McCormack is on a mission to help organizations master the art of the short story. In an age of shrinking attention spans, nonstop interruptions, and floods of information, the messages business leaders send out are getting lost in a sea of words.

An experienced marketing executive, successful entrepreneur and author, Joe is recognized for his work in narrative messaging and corporate storytelling. His new book, Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less (Wiley & Sons, 2014) tackles the timeliness of the "less is more" mandate.

A passionate leader, he founded The BRIEF Lab in 2013 after years dedicated to developing and delivering a unique curriculum on strategic narratives for US Army Special Operations Command (Ft. Bragg, North Carolina). He actively counsels military leaders and senior executives on key messaging and strategy initiatives. His clients include W.W. Grainger, Harley-Davidson, USG Corporation, BMO Harris Bank, SAP, MasterCard, Heinz, Hoffman-La Roche, and Jones Lang LaSalle.

He founded and serves as managing director and president of The Sheffield Company, an award-winning boutique agency. In 2010, he launched Navigant Studios as a new business line that specializes in short-form visual media and storytelling production.

He speaks at diverse industry and client forums on the topics of messaging, storytelling, change, and leadership. Previously, he served as SVP, corporate marketing at Ketchum, a top-five marketing agency in Chicago, where he introduced new service models to enhance messaging and deepen relationships with market influencers.

He received a BA in English Literature from Loyola University of Chicago where he graduated with honors. He is fluent in Spanish and has broad international experiences.

He, his wife Montserrat, and children live in suburban Chicago.

Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less, Joseph McCormack (2014)

StoryBranding: Creating Standout Brands Through the Power of Story, Jim Signorelli (2012)

Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story, Peter Guber (2011)

You Are a Brand!: How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success, Catherine Kaputa (2010)

Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Katharine Hansen (2009)

The Power of Story: Change Your Story, Change Your Destiny in Business and in Life, Jim Loehr (2008)

The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win More Business, Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman (2007)

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact, Annette Simmons (2007)

The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling, Annette Simmons and Doug Lipman (2006)

Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story, Jerry Weissman (2006)

What’s Your Story?: Using Stories to Ignite Performance and Be More Successful, Craig Wortmann (2006)

Around The Corporate Campfire: How Great Leaders Use Stories To Inspire Success, Evelyn Clark (2004)

Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative, Stephen Denning (2005)

Squirrel Inc.: A Fable of Leadership through Storytelling, Stephen Denning (2004)