Narativ Leadership Story Talks

"What is that word for you?" In this debrief episode, Jerome and Julienne reflect on their conversation with Bryce Kennedy, exploring a theme that extends far beyond space exploration: the role of wonder in helping us discover purpose, inspire others, and navigate career change. Bryce's story is a reminder that meaningful careers are rarely linear. Instead, they are built through cu...

  "You don't have to be something in order to be worth something." What happens when you remove the agenda, the sales pitch, and the pressure to have all the answers—and simply make space for a meaningful conversation? In this episode of Leadership Story Talks , we sit down with Martin Koehler , founder of Over a Cup of Coffee , an initiative built on a deceptively simple idea: one...

“He didn’t say a word. He just stood up and hugged me.” For our 200th episode of Leadership Story Talks, we reflect on one of the most powerful moments from our conversation with Kenny Leahman — a former CIA operative, executive coach, and leadership consultant whose life story is filled with unexpected turns. The story we chose to explore centers on a moment of profound vulnerability. After years...

“People are always judging you and making assessments of you. Wouldn’t you like to know a better proxy of what most people are thinking rather than just walk around not knowing?” — Logan Yonavjak In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, we sit down with entrepreneur, impact investor, and Founder Readiness Institute CEO Logan Yonavjak for a fascinating conversation about leadership capacity, huma...

“People remember moments more than processes.” In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks, we reflect on our conversation with Chris Dyer and explore why the moments leaders choose to acknowledge can have such a lasting impact on culture, trust, and employee engagement.  Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan unpack Chris’s idea that employees rarely remember the day-to-day processes or meetings—bu...

“Stories reveal something universal precisely because they are so specific.” In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks LIVE, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on the powerful themes that emerged from the latest Stories That Shaped Us live event featuring Kelly Skwarcan, Christy Pretzinger, and Jen Mueller. Together, they explore what the stories revealed about leadership, kindne...

“Every single person needs to know that they matter.” In this special edition of Leadership Story Talks LIVE! — "Stories That Shaped Us", we explore the deeply human moments that shape who we become as leaders, listeners, and storytellers. Through stories of resilience, kindness, integrity, and unexpected transformation, this live event reminds us that storytelling is not about polished...

“Women are asked to parent like they don’t have jobs — and work like they don’t have kids.” What happens when resilience becomes both a survival strategy… and a catalyst for systems change? In this episode, we sit down with Giovanna Rossi — public affairs strategist, leadership coach, founder of Family Friendly New Mexico, and host of NPR’s The Well Woman Show . Giovanna shares the deeply personal...

“The more you understand where someone comes from, the more you understand how they show up.” In this debrief episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on their conversation with Dean Foster—and the deeper implications of culture in how we listen, lead, and connect. What begins as a discussion about global cultural differences quickly becomes something more personal: a reminder that culture...

“If it weren’t for hope in those 90% failures, I’m not sure where I’d be.” What if a single moment—something as simple as noticing a poster on a wall—could change the trajectory of your life? In this episode, we sit down with Bryce Kennedy, Executive Director of Space Valley Foundation and Space Connectivity Senior Officer at the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union. Bryce shares...

“It’s not about perfection, it’s about connection.” Overview What if growth isn’t supposed to look polished? In this debrief episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on their conversation with Nicolas Darveau-Garneau and his powerful metaphor: be a sequoia, not a bonsai. A bonsai is carefully shaped, controlled, and aesthetically pleasing—but limited. A sequoia, on the other hand, grows wil...

“If I was scattered, the team was scattered—and it was life or death.” What happens when the life you’ve built is also the life you’re hiding inside? In this episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan sit down with leadership coach and former CIA officer Kenny Leahman to explore the concept of “living under cover”—and what it takes to drop it. From volunteering for two years in Afghanistan during the...

“It’s the responsibility of leaders to embrace vulnerability—because that’s what creates trust.” In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on a powerful insight from their conversation with Jim O’Gorman, Chief People Officer at Included Health: values don’t come to life through statements—they come to life through stories. Jim’s example of recognizing employees who embody company values opens t...

“If you're going to show up, show up.” Overview What if the moments that shape us aren’t the ones we think? In this episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan sit down with leadership expert and bestselling author Chris Dyer to explore how a seemingly small moment—an uncle showing up—created a lifelong philosophy of leadership. From nearly losing his company during the 2009 recession to rebuildi...

“It doesn’t have to be… the one moment that really shaped me. It’s really up to you to choose which moment you want to talk about as something that shaped you.”  Overview ~ In this debrief episode, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan reflect on their latest Leadership Story Talks LIVE event, exploring what made the stories so powerful—and what they reveal about how we make meaning from our experiences....

“Everything actually begins with listening.” In this special Leadership Story Talks LIVE — Stories That Shaped Us event, we explore what happens when storytelling is not a performance… but a shared space. From the very beginning, this session is framed differently. Instead of spotlighting storytellers on a stage, we invite everyone—speakers and audience alike—into a collective experience of listen...

Instead of seeing cultural differences as a problem to overcome, we should see them as the gift they really are.” Overview In this episode, Jerome and Julienne welcome intercultural expert Dean Foster, whose decades of global work helping organizations operate across cultures inspired his book Business Beyond Borders. Drawing on experiences from around the world—from negotiating in Russia to navig...

“The best stories already exist in the room. It’s our responsibility to help people excavate them and appreciate them.” In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on their conversation with Brad Farris and the powerful link between values and storytelling. Brad’s insight sparks a broader discussion about why organizational values often remain abstract—printed on walls, mentioned during onboardin...

“You’ve never shrunk to greatness.” - Nicolas Darveau-Garneau Overview In this episode, Jerome and Julienne sit down with Nicolas Darveau-Garneau — former Google Chief Evangelist, growth strategist, and author of Sequoia, Not Bonsai: The Seven Growth Secrets of the World’s Most Successful Companies. Drawing on his experience advising more than 1,000 CEOs and CMOs, Nick shares what truly differenti...

“This happened to me. So there’s no way I can get it wrong.”  In this special episode, Jerome and Julienne reflect on what it’s really like to step onto a live stage — in two different cities, on the same night — without planning it together. From a Duke City Story Slam in New Mexico to a Moth event in New York City, both hosts independently chose to put themselves in front of a live audience just...

In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome and Julienne reflect on a powerful idea shared by executive coach Greg Smith: real growth doesn’t come from a single coaching moment—it comes from changing how we listen, lead, and respond to challenges over time. The conversation explores a common tension leaders face: how to sustain the impact of coaching once the “bubble” of one-on-one s...

In this special Valentine’s Day reflection, Jerome and Julienne step away from frameworks and techniques to explore a living example of leadership through presence, listening, and love. Inspired by the journey of Buddhist monks walking from Texas to Washington, DC, the episode invites listeners to reconsider what it means to show up for others—quietly, intentionally, and without agenda. As communi...

In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan sit down with Jim O’Gorman to explore how formative leadership experiences—both painful and inspiring—shape the way we show up for others at work. Jim opens with a candid story from early in his career: working for a deeply toxic boss and the toll it took on his confidence, health, and sense of self. That experience became a...

In this Leadership Story Talks debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on what they learned from their very first Leadership Story Talks LIVE. What begins as a conversation about a technical glitch quickly becomes a deeper exploration of trust, vulnerability, leadership, and what it really means to “show up” when things don’t go according to plan. A brief moment of on-air chaos—barely two minutes in...

Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan introduce a new, recurring format: Leadership Story Talks LIVE! — a bi-monthly, interactive storytelling experience designed to bring listening and telling into the same virtual space. This live gathering centers on short, true stories told by experienced leaders and practitioners, followed by reflection and shared insight. As Jerome and Julienne note, storytelling i...