ummary  Our guest, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret, and he now shares his skills and experience as a storyteller, speaker, actor, playwright and leadership trainer. During this podcast episode, he joined Kristen Brokaw, our host for the Business of Functional Medicine quarterly series, to discuss the importance of emotional recovery and human connection for clinicians so they can combat burnout and build trust with patients. Scott Mann's experience in the Special Forces, where relationships were crucial to his survival, has shaped his approach to leadership and communication. He now helps business, nonprofit and corporate leaders develop interpersonal influence skills to bridge trust gaps and engage with others effectively. He also highlights the power of storytelling in healing and fostering connections. Scott encourages practitioners to share their own stories and ask thoughtful, open-ended questions to build trust and understanding with patients and peers. Check out this episode to learn more about the following: ·       Scott Mann’s Pre-Engagement Preparation (PEP) technique (demo video)  What the world should learn from acting and storytelling practices High performers and mental health issues, and why clinicians must protect their well-being Storytelling heals and is a sense-making tool Why narrative competence may be the most important soft skill for clinicians to foster   And much, much more!