Discover how humour can transform your business communication. In this episode of the Ideas on Stage Podcast, Beth Sherman – Emmy-winning comedy writer and speaker – shares practical strategies to connect with audiences, build trust and add just the right dose of humour to any message.
In this episode of the Ideas on Stage Podcast, Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Beth Sherman shares practical ways business leaders can use humour to build trust, connect with audiences and communicate more effectively.
In this special masterclass, Julian Treasure – international speaker and TED Talk legend – explores how listening shapes the way we speak. He shares practical tools to help leaders and professionals become better listeners, stronger communicators and more impactful speakers.
On July 2, we hosted a special live session with Julian Treasure, one of the world’s leading experts on communication. Julian is known for his TED Talk “How to speak so that people want to listen,” which has been viewed over 60 million times. But in this session, he focused on a skill many overlook: listening.
Mark Denton knows what it means to lead in uncertain conditions. Twenty-five years ago, he led a team of non-professionals in one of the world’s toughest yacht races, sailing against the spin of the earth, facing harsh weather, fatigue and the constant need to adapt. The experience taught him lessons about leadership, teamwork and resilience – lessons he has since shared with business leaders and professional audiences around the world.
When people think about improvisation, they often imagine actors on a stage making things up on the spot. But Patricia Ryan Madson, author of Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up, has spent decades showing that improvisation is much more than a performance tool – it’s a way of thinking that can transform the way we communicate.
In our conversation on the Ideas on Stage Podcast, Patricia shared how improv principles can help anyone become a better speaker, presenter and communicator. She has taught at Stanford University, worked with some of the world’s top companies, and distilled her wisdom into 13 maxims that encourage people to embrace spontaneity, handle uncertainty and trust themselves.
If you need to present data in your work, chances are you've used a chart or graph that didn’t quite land. Maybe it looked fine, but the message didn’t come through. Or maybe your audience didn’t know what to focus on.
In a recent session with Dr Jonathan Schwabish, over 200 professionals joined us to learn how to avoid these problems. Jonathan is a leading voice in data communication, and his session was full of useful examples and simple strategies anyone can apply.
What does it take to write speeches for a president? In our latest podcast, I had the honour of speaking with Terry Szuplat, Barack Obama’s speechwriter. He shared lessons on public speaking, storytelling and how to connect with an audience in a way that sticks. His advice applies to anyone who wants to communicate with impact – whether on a big stage or in a small meeting.
Many high achievers believe that success will silence self-doubt. But what if the opposite is true? What if the more we accomplish, the more likely we are to feel like we don’t belong?
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Jill Stoddard, TEDx speaker, psychologist, and author of Imposter No More. We explored why so many people – even those at the top of their game – struggle with imposter feelings, and how leaders can create cultures that encourage vulnerability and self-compassion.
Influence plays a key role in our lives, shaping how we interact and succeed in different settings. Vanessa Bohns, a professor of organizational behavior and author of You Have More Influence Than You Think, explores this important topic in her work. In a recent conversation, she shared practical insights backed by research that can help you better understand and leverage your natural influence.
Recognising Your Influence
