ClarityMatters

Organisations talk a lot about being human-centred and people-first, but the data suggests a real gap between that language and what employees actually experience. The latest IC Index from the Institute of Internal Communication found that only 54% of employees rate their organisation's communication as excellent, and just 49% say the reasons behind change are communicated clearly.

In this episode of ClarityMatters, Louise Everett is joined by Emma Bridger, co-author of People First Internal Communication, for a conversation about what people-first actually means in practice, and where organisations get it wrong. Emma trained as a psychologist and spent ten years working in-house before founding her own consultancy, and here she explains why genuine discovery work, not assumption, is what separates communication that lands from communication that doesn't.

Wondering what internal comms needs to protect as AI takes on more of the workload? This episode is for you.

Louise and Emma discuss:

• Why "people-first" so easily becomes a soundbite instead of genuine practice
• Why skipping research and discovery is a costly shortcut, even when it feels efficient
• What internal communicators should protect at all costs as AI takes on more transactional work
• How design thinking tools can reshape internal comms from the ground up
• Why the onboarding experience matters more than the big, polished channels

Resources:

The book: People-First Internal Communication

https://www.amazon.co.uk/People-Centric-Internal-Communication-Improving-Engagement/dp/1398623067

The podcast: The Stuck Record Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/0ygBQDtMzVvacljwSKoF4Z

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it's employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:
[email protected]
https://claritascomms.com

AI and automation are changing what organisations expect from their leaders, but the advantage they create may not be where most people are looking. Deloitte's 2026 Global Human Capital Trends report found that organisations taking a technology-first approach to AI are around 60% more likely to fail to see the returns they expected, compared with those that put people at the centre of transformation. Deloitte argues that this human edge, built on adaptability, creativity and judgement, is what actually creates competitive advantage.

In this episode of ClarityMatters, Louise Everett is joined by Dr Hanns-Christian Mahler, Chief Enablement Officer and co-founder of ten23 health, for a conversation about what changes when leaders focus on enabling people rather than directing them. Hanns-Christian has built his entire leadership philosophy around a human-centred approach, and here he sets out what real organisational clarity looks like, and why psychological safety and accountability need to sit side by side rather than in competition.

Louise and Hanns-Christian discuss:

• Why he defines his role as chief enablement officer rather than chief executive, and what that means day to day
• Why building on people's strengths creates more value than correcting their weaknesses
• How the concept of "tension" gives everyone ownership of their own questions and concerns
• The meeting structures and communication habits that build psychological safety without losing accountability
• The leadership behaviours that build trust, and the ones that quietly create disengagement

Jump straight to your favourite parts:

[00:02:41] - Why he calls himself a chief enablement officer rather than a chief executive
[00:08:46] - Building roles around people's strengths, rather than punishing their weaknesses in a review
[00:09:44] - The personal loss that shaped his mission, and why ten23 stands for patients, people and planet
[00:16:19] - Radical transparency in practice, including open meeting minutes across the organisation
[00:17:31] - "Tension": why no one can read your mind, and why every question is yours to own
[00:20:30] - Using nonviolent communication to separate a genuine question from a complaint
[00:25:27] - The meeting structure built to stop leaders dominating the conversation
[00:29:27] - The sailing boat analogy: why clear direction still matters in a crisis
[00:33:05] - Why command without a "why" leads to disengagement
[00:35:47] - Building self-awareness in leadership through Profile Dynamics and Myers-Briggs
[00:39:53] - Career advice to his 20-year-old self: life is a marathon, not a sprint
[00:41:45] - The one idea he'd leave in a 20-year time capsule: more "we" than "I"

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters,
a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it's employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:
[email protected]
https://claritascomms.com

Public relations is generating noise at a scale it's never had to before, and that pressure is exactly where the profession risks losing its way. As the volume of content rises, the quality that actually builds trust often gets left behind.

In this episode of ClarityMatters, Louise Everett is joined by Duncan Forrester, Managing Director of Forrester PR, for a conversation about how the industry is changing and what still separates good PR from the rest. Duncan has spent his career navigating shifts in media and technology, and here he sets out where AI genuinely helps and where it falls short, alongside why relationships remain the real currency of the profession.

Louise and Duncan discuss:

• How the PR landscape has shifted, and why quantity has come at the expense of quality
• Where AI can genuinely help in PR, and where human judgement still can't be replaced
• Why relationships with journalists remain central to effective PR
• The case for asking 'why' before building any communication strategy
• How PR professionals can better demonstrate their value to the business

Wondering how to keep your PR sharp and purposeful in an AI-driven world? This episode is for you.

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it's employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:
[email protected]
https://claritascomms.com

Most communications teams have more data than they know what to do with. Yet nearly half of Chief Communications Officers say they still struggle to demonstrate the value of their function.

The problem, according to data storytelling expert Sam Knowles, starts much earlier than most teams realise. Ahead of any kind of data analysis companies must be asking themselves: what is the key business question?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, Louise Everett is joined by Sam Knowles, host of the Data Malarkey podcast and author of the Using Data Better Trilogy, for a conversation that gets to the root of why so many comms functions are stuck reporting outputs rather than shaping business decisions.

Sam has spent his career helping organisations move from data overload to genuine insight, and in this episode, he shares the thinking behind that shift.

Louise and Sam discuss:

• Why most organisations have a clarity problem, not a data problem
• What separates data from insight, and why the difference matters more than ever
• How empathy and audience understanding are the real foundations of strategic influence
• Why leading with the conclusion, not the methodology, changes everything
• The curse of knowledge, and how to avoid it when presenting to senior leaders

Concerned that your team has the data but not the answers your leadership needs? This episode is for you.

Resources:

Podcast: Data Malarkey podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-data-malarkey-podcast/id1675337054

Books: Using Better Data trilogy

https://www.routledge.com/Using-Data-Better/book-series/UDB

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it's employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:
[email protected]
https://claritascomms.com

Who really controls the narrative now? And what does that mean for corporate affairs leaders?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett catches up with Jeannie Houchins, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Bonduelle Group Americas. Together, they explore how the role of corporate affairs is evolving in a world where organisations no longer have sole control over their story.

Together, Louise and Jeannie unpack the forces reshaping corporate affairs, from rising stakeholder expectations to the impact of AI, and what leaders can do to respond with clarity, confidence and purpose.

They discuss:

• How narrative control has shifted to a broader ecosystem of employees, customers, regulators and platforms
• Why corporate affairs is moving from managing messaging to shaping meaning across the organisation
• The impact of speed, scrutiny and AI on how organisations communicate and respond
• Why culture and internal voices now play a defining role in reputation
• The capabilities leaders need to build trust, credibility and influence in an increasingly complex environment

Whether you work in corporate affairs, communications or leadership, this conversation offers a clear perspective on navigating a landscape where influence is shared, expectations are rising, and clarity has become a critical advantage.

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com

What really makes client-agency partnerships thrive? And why do so many fall short?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett is joined by Keir Mather, Founder of Neon Bridge, who sits at the heart of client-agency ecosystems. Together, they dive into the dynamics that define successful client-agency relationships, and the hidden factors that often prevent them from delivering their full potential.

Keir works with both clients and agencies to build high‑performance partnerships that go beyond outputs by driving stronger collaboration, better decision‑making, and measurable business impact.

Together, they unpack what really holds these relationships back, how leaders can unlock more value from their agency partners, and how AI is reshaping expectations around collaboration, trust and delivery.

In this episode, Louise and Keir chat about:

• The most common challenges undermining client-agency relationships
• What it takes to deliver a consistently brilliant client experience
• Why human‑to‑human connection and emotion matter more than ever
• How agency remuneration models are evolving - and what that means for both sides

Whether you’re a client or an agency leader, this conversation offers practical insight into building smarter, more effective ways of working in a landscape shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, tighter marketing budgets, and increasing pressure to prove value.

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com

What really makes client-agency partnerships thrive? And why do so many fall short?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett is joined by Keir Mather, Founder of Neon Bridge, who sits at the heart of client-agency ecosystems. Together, they dive into the dynamics that define successful client-agency relationships, and the hidden factors that often prevent them from delivering their full potential.

Keir works with both clients and agencies to build high‑performance partnerships that go beyond outputs by driving stronger collaboration, better decision‑making, and measurable business impact.

Together, they unpack what really holds these relationships back, how leaders can unlock more value from their agency partners, and how AI is reshaping expectations around collaboration, trust and delivery.

In this episode, Louise and Keir chat about:

• The most common challenges undermining client-agency relationships
• What it takes to deliver a consistently brilliant client experience
• Why human‑to‑human connection and emotion matter more than ever
• How agency remuneration models are evolving - and what that means for both sides

Whether you’re a client or an agency leader, this conversation offers practical insight into building smarter, more effective ways of working in a landscape shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, tighter marketing budgets, and increasing pressure to prove value.

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com

Internal communication is at a crossroads.

Organisations increasingly expect IC to drive strategy, shape behaviour and manage risk - yet many teams remain stuck in reactive, delivery-led roles.

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett is joined by Jennifer Sproul, Chief Executive of the Institute of Internal Communication and co-host of The Future of Internal Communication podcast.

Jennifer argues that the biggest opportunity for teams lies in reshaping the role of IC from the organisation’s postman to its “internal intelligence unit”: a function that informs decisions, manages risk and drives alignment.

Louise and Jennifer discuss:

• Why the gap between expectation and reality is widening
• What’s holding IC functions back (and why capacity is a core challenge)
• How AI is changing expectations, and what responsible, high-performing use looks like
• What’s needed to transition IC from a support function to a strategic business enabler
• How measurement must link directly to strategy, behaviour and outcomes

Listen to this episode if you want to shift your IC team from tactical to strategic and make a stronger case for your function.

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Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today. Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact.

From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com

Is doubt holding you back - or taking you forward?

Most of us experience doubt on a regular basis. We question decisions, feel uncertain about the best way forward, and wonder whether we’re getting it right. Yet in leadership and professional life, doubt is often something we feel we should hide - a sign of weakness rather than wisdom.

But what if we’ve been looking at doubt all wrong?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett is joined by executive coach and author Jenny Williams to explore why the idea that strong leaders must always appear certain is not only unhelpful, but limiting - and how embracing doubt can become a powerful driver of growth, clarity, and better decision‑making.

Drawing on her extensive coaching work with senior leaders and insights from her book Brilliant Doubt, Jenny challenges common misconceptions about doubt and shares a more constructive way of working with it.

Together, Louise and Jenny explore:

• Why doubt isn’t a weakness, but an enabler that can sharpen thinking and improve decisions
• The difference between inactive doubt (rumination and overthinking) and active doubt (curiosity and constructive engagement)
• How to reframe doubt as a process: facing it, listening to it, exploring what it’s pointing to, and moving forward with greater intention
• Why language matters, and how creating safe spaces for doubt builds trust in leadership
• What it takes to create organisations where doubt is normalised and used constructively at every level

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in uncertainty - or trying to push doubt aside in order to keep going - this episode offers a refreshing and practical perspective on how doubt can become a positive force rather than a barrier.

Listen now to discover how working with doubt can lead to greater clarity and impact.

Resources

Jenny Williams: Brilliant Doubt: Harnessing uncertainty to lead with impact Brilliant Doubt: Harnessing uncertainty to lead with impact: Amazon.co.uk: Williams MCC, Jenny: 9781788606455: Books

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com

Is AI changing the way our brains work? And if so, at what cost? As artificial intelligence becomes a permanent fixture in our daily work and personal lives, big questions are emerging. Is AI helping us think better, or making us mentally lazy? Could it be reshaping our intelligence, attention and judgment in ways we don’t yet fully understand?

In this episode of ClarityMatters, host Louise Everett is joined by neuroscientist and Founder of PEPE© Neuroscience Tibisay Vera to explore the real cognitive impact of AI, beyond the hype and fear.

Drawing on her work with global leaders and organisations, Tibisay shares practical, science‑backed insights into how our brains adapt to technology, and how we can use AI without sacrificing critical thinking or human judgment.

Together, Louise and Tibisay explore:

• How AI affects brain energy, attention, and cognitive offloading
• The role of dopamine and reward systems, and why AI can feel so addictive
• What happens to analytical and critical thinking when machines do the “thinking” for us
• How organisations can actively support critical thinking in an AI-powered workplace
• Why protecting human judgment is essential in AI‑driven decision‑making
• What skills future generations will need to think well alongside intelligent machines

If you’re curious about how to harness AI without losing your mental edge, this conversation offers clarity, nuance, and practical guidance for leaders, professionals, and anyone navigating life in an AI-powered world.

Claritas Managing Director Louise Everett is the host of ClarityMatters, a limited-edition podcast series bringing together carefully selected industry leaders for short, focused conversations on the issues shaping B2B communications today.

Claritas is a corporate communications agency that helps organisations communicate with clarity, confidence and impact. From a strategic approach, we craft, design and deliver B2B communications that are rooted in clarity, designed for impact and focused on outcomes. Whether it’s employee engagement, change, external communications, reputation, or the ambition to build and evolve a brand, we help organisations say the right thing — clearly, consistently and credibly.

Get in touch:

[email protected]

https://claritascomms.com