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Erin OâConnor, co-founder and co-president of the Story Incubator Writing Lab, joins the show to share how stories shift hearts, change laws, and bridge divides. A former English professor at the University of Pennsylvania turned award-winning screenwriter, Erin reveals why the right narrative can unite even the most polarised audiences.
In this episode, we delve into the true power of story to bridge divides, influence public policy, and shape how we see ourselves. We examine what makes some stories ignite collective action using Dallas Buyers Club and The X-Files as case studies and why âpreachyâ narratives rarely bring about real-world change.
Erin OâConnor, former English professor and award-winning screenwriter, reveals how immersive storytelling affects our brains, why great story always beats mere messaging, and what Dickens and Uncle Tomâs Cabin can teach modern leaders. She shares lessons from running a lab for professional screenwriters aiming to have social impact without sacrificing narrative.
Youâll walk away understanding why a well-crafted story trumps statistics every time, the neuroscience behind narrative immersion, and practical steps like reading rituals to make stories land and linger in business, leadership, or life.
KEY TOPICS
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Erin OâConnor is a screenwriter, producer, narrative strategist, and co-founder of the Story Incubator Writing Lab. A nonprofit talent incubator and micro think tank that backs screenwriters whose stories bring people together across divides. After years as an English professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Erin transitioned from academia to film, writing and producing the acclaimed feature Miss Virginia, which aired on BET and Netflix. Today, she helps experienced screenwriters harness the neuroscience of storytelling for real-world impact and leads research into how narrative shapes culture and policy.
Connect with Erin O'Connor:
Website: https://www.storyincubatorwritinglab.org/
Substack: https://storyrulesproject.substack.com/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Christian O'Connell, broadcaster, writer, and the first person in history to host the number one breakfast radio show in two different countries, joins the show to share why the messy, unscripted moments are the real gold in storytelling and connection.
In this candid conversation, we dive into the messy magic of authentic storytelling, the dangers of performative connection in the age of AI, and why the best leaders drop the act to let people meet the real person beneath the title. Christian O'Connell reveals hard-won lessons from decades on the radio, interviewing icons from Mick Jagger to Jon Hamm, and the pivotal moment he realised his success was built on an avatar rather than his true self.
Christian O'Connell shares the story behind his move from the UK to Melbourne, facing brutal rejection and turning it into connection through vulnerability and honest storytelling. He introduces the "woodshed", his ever-growing collection of real-life fragments and explains why charisma is ultimately about presence, not performance.
You'll walk away with practical ways to find and record your own resonant stories, tips for building connection (not just credentials), and permission to be just 10% braver because the world needs less polish and more humanity.
KEY TOPICS
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Christian O'Connell is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, writer, and comedian. Over a 28-year radio career, he has won 13 Radio Academy Awards in the UK and became the first person ever to top the breakfast radio charts in both the UK and Australia. Most recently with his national breakfast show based in Melbourne. Christian O'Connell is the author of UNSCRIPT: The Radical Act of Being Yourself, a guide to leaving behind the performative act and forging authentic connections through vulnerability and real conversation. His unique approach to communication and storytelling has resonated with audiences across continents, and he now mentors others in finding their true voice in a world saturated with artificiality and filtered personas.
UNSCRIPT: The Radical Act of Being Yourself, Christian O'Connell (Wiley, 2026)
Connect with Christian O'Connell:
Website: https://christianoconnell.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-o-connell-43774a64/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Matthew Dicks, author of Storyworthy & Stories Sell, joins the show to share the origin of "Homework for Life" and why most people erase the best moments of their own lives without realising it.
In this episode, we delve into the power of personal storytelling in business, why a single rehearsed narrative won't cut it, and how the right story can make time slow down, bring teams together, and turn any moment no matter how ordinary into something unforgettable.
Matthew Dicks shares the origins of his celebrated âHomework for Lifeâ practice, the surprising secrets behind his storytelling spreadsheet, and how authentic stories told through your personal lens outperform anything scripted. Youâll hear how creating a culture of storytelling can unlock hidden memories, reveal what your company truly stands for, and move people to action.
Youâll walk away with a simple daily habit to harvest story-worthy moments, practical tips for finding your best material, and the mindset shift that will help you capture, craft, and share stories that actually land wherever you happen to be.
KEY TOPICS
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Matthew Dicks is an author, renowned storyteller, and the man behind "Homework for Life," the habit-forming exercise recommended by leaders and experts worldwide. A 10-time Moth GrandSLAM champion with 64 Story Slam wins, Matthew Dicks spent 27 years as an elementary school teacher while quietly becoming one of the worldâs most decorated storytellers. He now teaches the craft at Amazon, Google, Salesforce, Harvard, Yale, MIT, and the World Bank, helping people at every level unlock storyworthy moments from daily life. His books include Storyworthy & Stories Sell, and his work reveals how storytelling can slow down time, build connection, and transform businesses.
Connect with Matthew Dicks:
Website: https://matthewdicks.com/speaking/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dicks-storyworthy/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Jason Barnard, founder of Kalicube and inventor of the Kalicube Framework, joins the show to reveal why the story machines repeat about you online rarely matches the story you want to tell and how to fix it.
In this episode, we dive into the little-known world of storytelling for machines, why the first audience for your personal brand is no longer a person, but AI. From entity homes and online ambiguity to how Google or ChatGPT decides which âyouâ to present, Rob and Jason unpack the new rules for making your narrative machine-readable.
Jason Barnard reveals how leaders can wrangle their sprawling digital histories, reframe their âblue dog moments,â and strategically manage their multifaceted stories so AI lands on the right headline. He shares practical frameworks for clarifying your message, structuring your About page, and turning corroboration into your secret weapon.
Listen in and youâll discover why third-person bios matter, how to spot and fix narrative drift, and a step-by-step action plan that puts you, not the algorithm, in the driverâs seat. If you want the strategy behind being known for what you choose, this oneâs essential.
KEY TOPICS
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Jason Barnard is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author, and award-winning digital marketing innovator. Known as the "Brand SERP guy", he coined the term "Answer Engine Optimisation" in 2017 and now leads a platform that tracks 25 billion data points across 73 million brand profiles. With over 14 yearsâ experience in shaping how AI understands and repeats personal brands, he helps entrepreneurs and businesses control their narrative across the web so Google and ChatGPT get it right, every time.
Connect with Jason Barnard:
Website: https://kalicube.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmbarnard/
Free AI Audit: https://diagnosis.kalicube.pro/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Kendall Haven, narrative influence architect and author of StoryProof and StorySmart, joins the show to uncover why itâs not the story you tell that matters, itâs the one your audience creates for themselves.
In this episode, we dive into the science behind why the only story that matters is the one your audience builds in their own mind, and how the best communicators shift from speaker-centric to audience-centric storytelling. We break down the moments when words alone fail, and how unexpected interpretations can trigger reactions you never intended, whether youâre announcing a new strategy, persuading for change, or simply trying to get a process adopted.
Kendall Haven reveals the eight levers you can pull to ensure your story lands focusing on character, motive, conflict, risk, and more, backed by decades of research with everyone from NASA to the World Bank. He shares his practical process for identifying your true target audience, unpicking their real blockers, and engineering stories that move them to action (or intentional inaction).
You'll discover why emotion is the driver of influence, how to road-test your message with the "green VW" experiment, and a repeatable toolkit for ensuring your stories are remembered, not just heard.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Kendall Haven is a narrative influence architect, author, and distinguished visiting scholar at Stanford. For two decades, heâs led the research effort for the National Storytelling Association and the International Storytelling Center, and his books, StoryProof and StorySmart, gather evidence from 16 fields of science to prove that the human brain is physically wired for story. Trusted by organisations like NASA, the World Bank, Boeing, and Aramco, Kendall Haven designs stories that shape minds, shift behaviour, and make strategy stick.
Connect with Guestâs Name:
Website: https://www.kendallhaven.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-haven-7390b73/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Elliott Rayner, Fractional Head of Storytelling and creator of The Story Cohort, joins the podcast to explain why a truly strategic narrative is less about individual creativity and more about aligning every voice in the company around a core message.
In this episode, we dig into why storytelling is moving from a personal skill to a vital company function, what âhead of storytellingâ roles actually mean in todayâs market, and how alignment rather than creativity can be the difference between a brand that cuts through and one that fades away.
Elliott Rayner shares the patterns emerging from new storytelling job descriptions, a step-by-step process for creating narrative alignment across teams, and a real-world example of transforming a tech productâs chaos of messages into a single narrative everyone could own. He also unpacks how AI can help expose gaps in a companyâs story, but only if you know where to shine the torch.
Youâll leave with three deceptively simple questions to test your companyâs narrative alignment, a concrete method for measuring where your team stands, and the practical next steps to get every colleague telling the same compelling story.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Elliott Rayner is a Fractional Head of Storytelling, product marketing strategist, author, and creator of The Story Cohort. With over a decade leading product narratives for global brands like Adidas, ASICS, Babbel and ARION, he now helps teams translate complex technology into stories anyone can tell (and everyone remembers). His book "The Story Engine" and "The State of Storytelling 2026" detail the rise of storytelling as an official business function, and his frameworks have guided Olympic campaigns and tech launches alike. Elliott Rayner leads workshops and a live cohort programme designed to help leaders, marketers, and founders turn scattered ideas into a single, company-defining narrative.
Connect with Guestâs Name:
Website: https://www.productnarratives.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliottrayner/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Philipp Humm, founder of StoryLab and bestselling author, joins the show to break down the art and science of connecting with an audience, whether youâre in the boardroom or on the open mic stage.
In this episode, we break down what makes charismatic storytellers so compelling and why even the stories that âlead nowhereâ can hook any audience. Rob and Philipp Humm dissect iconic moments from Matt Damon and Barack Obama, uncovering the hidden techniques behind anticipation, visual language, and tension.
Philipp Humm reveals his daily âhomework for lifeâ journaling practice, the art of storytelling compression, and his go-to framework Place, Action, Speech, Thoughts for bringing stories to life in meetings, pitches, or on stage. He lifts the curtain on his personal story bank, detailing how to mine everyday moments and improvise unforgettable narratives.
Youâll walk away with a blueprint for building your own library of stories, practical tips for adding scene and emotion, and a method for transforming mundane experiences into business gold. Connection, not perfection, is the currency and youâll have the tools to spend it.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Philipp Humm is a storytelling and communication expert, author, and founder of StoryLab. Drawing on his experience at Columbia Business School, Uber, and Bain, as well as his time performing on Amsterdamâs open mic circuit, Philipp helps leaders translate complex ideas into simple, powerful stories. His bestselling books, Storytelling for Business, The StorySelling Method, and Public Speaking With Confidence have made him a trusted voice for millions on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Philippâs mission: make storytelling practical and accessible for every professional who wants their message to stick.
Connect with Philipp Humm:
Website: https://storylab.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipphumm/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis Instagram: @robdwillis TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Dr. Paul Zak, neuroscientist and founder of Immersion, joins the show to reveal how stories physically and emotionally move us and why crafting the right narrative can transform behaviour.
In this episode, we go deep into the neuroscience of storytelling, what makes a story truly memorable, how to grab attention from the first seconds, and why emotion, not just information, is the real driver of behaviour change. From TED talks to boardrooms, we break down why your audience's brains are built for narrative and what happens at a chemical level when a story lands.
Paul Zak reveals the research behind immersion, why stories beat statistics every time, and how even movie trailers are fine-tuned to trigger oxytocin and drive action. He shares his own "crying on a plane" moment, lessons from the Pentagon, and practical tips honed from testing thousands of stories in the wild.
You'll leave with a neuroscientist's toolkit for influencing behaviour: how to open hot, create emotional resonance, and close with impact. Plus, the reason you should keep your stories under 20 minutes and what happens if you don't.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Dr. Paul Zak is a pioneering neuroscientist, university professor, TED speaker, and founder of Immersion. Renowned for discovering oxytocinâs role in trust and human connection, Paul has spent three decades studying the science of behaviour in settings ranging from the Pentagon to Fortune 50 boardrooms. His research and real-time immersion technology have reshaped how organisations use storytelling to influence decision-making, engagement, and memory. Paul is the author of The Moral Molecule, Trust Factor, Immersion, and The Little Book Of Happiness.
Connect with Paul Zak:
Website: https://www.getimmersion.com/
Personal Website: https://pauljzak.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-j-zak-91123510/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis Instagram: @robdwillis TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Andy Raskin, strategic narrative expert and host of the Bigger Narrative Podcast, sits down with us to explore how shifting from bragging about features to championing a movement can align leadership, shift strategy, and help businesses thrive.
In this episode, we dive into the power of strategic narrative, unpacking why todayâs most influential leaders are shifting from boastful selling to championing movements that inspire change and rally teams. We break down why most sales decks fail, how the right narrative can unify complex organisations, and where even the best messaging unravels if the CEOâs not leading the charge.
Andy Raskin joins to share hard-won lessons from shaping narratives with Gong, Salesforce, Dropbox and more, revealing why manifesto-style documents rarely stick, how to craft a deck that does, and exactly who needs to be in the room if you want everyone truly on board. Andy opens up about his own journey from failed pitches to narrative epiphanies, and walks through his evolved five-part structure for creating a winning strategic narrative.
Youâll leave with actionable ways to build story-driven culture, an exercise for surfacing your buyerâs true mission, and the one customer question that just might transform your pitch tomorrow.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Andy Raskin is a strategic narrative adviser whoâs helped leadership teams at Gong, Dropbox, Salesforce, Uber, Square, and IBM unite around a single story. Credited with popularising the term âstrategic narrativeâ in the startup world, his Medium post âThe Greatest Sales Deck Iâve Ever Seenâ is now required reading in VC-backed companies, with over 3 million views. Andyâs expertise spans sales, marketing, fundraising, and recruiting narratives. He hosts the Bigger Narrative Podcast, where he interviews CEOs about storytellingâs role across organisations.
Connect with Andy Raskin:
Website: https://andyraskin.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyraskin/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis Instagram: @robdwillis TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
Rob Biesenbach, corporate communications veteran and Second City-trained actor, joins the show to share how trust and emotional resonance are the real engines of powerful storytelling, even in the boardroom.
In this episode, we delve into why trust and reassurance consistently trump raw information, and how getting real about conflict and emotion makes your message land. Rob D. Willis and Rob Biesenbach dissect the pitfalls of overly polished corporate case studies, the hidden power of vulnerability, and the value of admitting what went wrong in business stories.
Rob Biesenbach reveals his five-step method for crafting stories that stick, drawing on decades in corporate communications and the lessons learnt on stage as a Second City-trained actor. He unpacks how internal storytelling transformed a struggling truck manufacturer, the art of mapping audience wants, and the unexpected parallels between executive speeches and improv performance.
Youâll discover how to ladder up audience insights, spot the clutter in your own narrative, and ask the one question that surfaces the âwhyâ behind every story. By the end, youâll know precisely how to rally teams, rebuild trust, and make your stories unforgettable.
GUEST BIO & LINKS
Rob Biesenbach is a corporate communications consultant, keynote speaker, author, and Second City-trained actor. With decades spent inside the PR world and nearly 200 stage and commercial performances to his credit, he helps leaders craft stories that win trust, rally teams, and make big messages genuinely land. Rob is the author of Unleash the Power of Storytelling and works with executives and organisations to cut through clutter, reveal relatable character, and turn even tough moments into memorable, strategic narratives.
Connect with Rob Biesenbach:
Website: https://robbiesenbach.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbiesenbach/
Free Storytelling Toolkit
TELL YOUR STORY, CHANGE YOUR WORLD
Ready to get started right away on becoming a more effective storyteller so you can enjoy more success in your career, your business and your life?
Sign up now to get your free storytelling toolkit. It includes the book chapter, âHow to Tell Your Own Story,â a set of worksheets to walk you through the process, and real-life examples that bring the structures to life.
Download it here: https://robbiesenbach.com/storytelling-toolkit/
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
â subscribepage.io/robdwillis
Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis Instagram: @robdwillis TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.
From the publisher's feed