“When I’m in there working with leaders, it’s around communication, and how do they communicate initially with themselves? What’s that like? And then with the people around them, because without communication, communication underpins our ability to be successful in anything that we do. When I say successful, I mean to, you know, to get the results we’re hoping to get. And whether that’s in a personal relationship and the result is love and harmony and connection and rapport, or whether that’s in a professional context and the, air quotes, ‘result’ you’re wanting to get is to have a team of people that flourish and thrive together and do great things, our ability to communicate is really underpinning all of that. So, it’s more important than most people give it time or consideration. And I think because communication is so fundamental, it tends to get overlooked a little bit.” – Jem Fuller

 

This episode’s guest has lived a colorful life, from barefoot backpacker to corporate leader, from fire dancer and traditional tattooist to kindergarten teacher and motorcycle courier, from masseuse and reflexologist to laborer and travel consultant. For more than twelve years, he has run his own executive leadership coaching practice and international retreat company in the Himalayas, Bali, and Australia. He’s a dedicated partner and father who loves surfing and meditation, the author of the award-winning book The Art of Conscious Communication, and a TEDx speaker on YouTube.

His name is Jem Fuller, and our talk will offer tips for better communication, discuss his experiences with sound, and explore how sound can make the world a better place for us all.

 

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(0:00:00) - The Power of Communication and Sound

Our conversation starts off with a look at Jem’s life in Australia, including his very first memories of his musical family. “As a young person from forever,” he recalls, “you know, from a baby right through, I would quite often be going to sleep to the sounds of a capella harmonies.” We talk about his admission to the National Institute of Dramatic Art and his early work as a television actor. “I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve made it. I was a twenty-year-old thinking I’m going to be famous, I’m going to be a Hollywood star, you know,” he says with a laugh. “Yes, at 53, I’m glad that didn’t happen.”

(0:10:35) - Musical and Energetic Communication

The topic turns to the power of voice, sound, and its role as physical vibrations in the universe, and to the possibilities revealed by a moment of expanded consciousness in Rajasthan, India. “It wasn’t an out-of-body experience per se,” Jem explains. “I still felt in-body, but I felt embodied with everyone in that room, the music, and all the people, and it was quite a spiritual experience.” We discuss the cultural context of sound and just how much of what we think of as melody and music can depend on what we’re used to hearing. “It just seems really fascinating to me,” he adds, “how it can create a communal experience, whether it’s music that we’re familiar with or music we’re not familiar with.”

(0:20:55) - Conscious Communication for Connection

As the first half of our conversation wraps up, we explore the intersection of sound and consciousness, and Jem explains how both our ego and a fear of change can sabotage our success. “I do think that it’s our ego that quite often gets in the way,” he tells us, “because our ego is necessarily defensive. Right, it’s a defense mechanism, it’s there to keep us safe. And so when the ego feels threatened, it gets really, you know, it holds on really tightly to the way it thinks things should be.” We discuss how social media reinforces our biases and defensiveness, and Jem offers his advice when it comes to sensory overload. “Here’s a simple one,” he says. “Pause. Someone says something. You’re about to react. Pause, take a breath, and then notice the different options you’ve got in terms of how you respond.”

 

Episode Summary

• Jem’s childhood in Australia and early work in the television and film industry.
• His travels around the world and what he’s learned about the universality of sound.
• Consciousness, ego, and how sound can help us overcome our own biases.

 

Tune in for next week’s episode as Jem shares the importance of just taking a breath and clearing your head, especially in today’s world, an exercise he recommends for defining your ideal leadership role, and sound’s interweaving role in everything from language to quantum physics and beyond.

 

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