TalkWise Podcast

Narratives are powerful forces, shaping not only our perceptions and attitudes about issues but also how we behave towards other people. A narrative can inform or misinform, do good or do harm, expand understanding, co-operation, trust and well-being or reduce them. In a challenged, conflicted and changing world the manner of our storytelling has never been more important. In this episode communic...

For some people severe speech and language difficulties are very  evident, whether they date from birth or from life misfortunes such as accidents, strokes and dementia. But in this episode learning and development expert and coach Stef Ticehurst, a highly experienced speech and language therapist herself, points out that we all have difficulties with speech and language in some form and to some d...

The world of work is still adjusting to the shocks and after-shocks of the covid pandemic. Rather than simply choosing or balancing where work happens, RTO (Return to Office) or WFH (Work from Home), organisations are faced with the need for unprecedented levels of behavioural and technological adaptability and flexibility. In this episode Organisation Development explorer and guide Gwen Stirling-...

One of the reasons why it is not easy to be a good listener is that  there are so many other calls on our attention, both from the world around us and from what’s going through our minds as we supposedly ‘listen’ to others.  In this episode guest interviewer Amy Dempsey returns to question Alan Robertson about the development and purpose of the latest addition to the VoicePrint suite, the Listenin...

Although communication is sometimes described as one-way, no act of communication is merely one-dimensional: all communications reflect both intent, conscious or subconscious, and impact, positive, neutral or negative. So while speeches, presentations and monologues can be multi-faceted in these respects, how much more complex, dynamic and potentially either creative or destructive is the interact...

Listening is a vital part of good communication and effective interactions, but it can be difficult to do it well. Selfless listening requires us to set aside our own concerns and to give our full attention to what someone else wishes to say. In this episode communications expert and Samaritans listening volunteer Janie Van Hool returns to the TalkWise Podcast to emphasise why listening selflessly...

It is generally agreed that most human interactions would be improved, if we were better listeners. We are urged to ‘be present’ and to ‘listen actively.’  But what do these ideas mean in practice? How do we become better listeners? In this episode Toni Smerdon, a qualified lawyer whose work now focuses on coaching others, explains the practicalities of the elusive skills of being fully present, o...

There is a tacit assumption in all organisations: that their constituent parts will fit together and work. The reality is somewhat different, as evidenced by the size of the management consultancy sector, advising to organisations on how to improve their performance. In this episode internal communications expert Lindsay Uitenbogaard explains the ubiquitous problem of unconscious misalignment betw...

Talking is not just something that we do with other people. The way we talk to ourselves can also have an enormous impact on how we think, feel and behave, and on our life prospects and outcomes. In this episode, seasoned people professional and coach Paul Gaskin describes the part that self-talk has played in his own career and the transformational effects of turning a negative inner voice into a...

Being seen, heard and understood are vital to feeling valued and being  able to make one’s full contribution, not just at work but in any social  interaction. Too often we diminish others and ourselves by failing to  see, hear or understand them properly. In this episode linguist Dr Clare  Anderson explains how she uses her own deep appreciation of the  importance of being seen, heard and understo...

Storytelling is one of the oldest, most enduring and most impactful of all the uses that we make of talk. Stories encourage us to listen, resonate with our felt experiences, and generate both meaning and connections for us. In this episode we explore, with physiotherapist, actor, coach and facilitator, Sue Macmillan, the various and significant roles that storytelling continues to play, in both ou...

The way we talk to and about one another can make or break relationships, inter-personal, organisational or societal, so it’s important to be conscious, current and considered in how our words land with others. But such in-the-moment awareness requires real attention and effort, when so much of our speech follows unconscious habits and patterns. In this episode of the TalkWise podcast we explore w...

Strings of words arranged in meaningful patterns are central to human communication, so how is the sharing of understanding through the medium of words affected by dyslexia? In this episode we talk to designer, consultant and author, Dr Emma Jefferies, about how she overcomes the difficulties posed by her own dyslexia and uses it in her life and work to generate curiosity, creativity and empathy....

Talk is potent. It’s the principal everyday means through which we humans make things happen. It influences how we and others feel, think and behave. Sometimes its effect is vanishingly slight, while at others it is real but temporary, but sometimes its impact is profound and lasting. In this episode TalkWise podcast host Alan Robertson becomes the interviewee and reflects on some memorable conver...

One of the most significant trends in the continuing evolution of executive coaching is the emergence of team coaching with its focus on the performance and dynamics of the whole team as a collective entity.  In this episode we speak with team coach Kate Mason-Keaney, who explains some of the distinctive considerations and approaches involved in the process of giving deep and sustained development...

Much is said, supposed and written about management and leadership, but what do these big concepts actually require of individuals in practice? Are there really significant differences between management and leadership and, if so what are they and how do you prepare for them? In this episode of the podcast we explore these questions with someone who coaches people to make the transition from manag...

Selling is one of the most intentional and frequent uses to which we humans put our ability to talk. Whether we’re endeavouring to sell products, services or ideas, we consciously want this form of talking to produce a result, and organisations invest more in this area than in any other form of communications training. In this episode we interview sales consultant, lecturer and trainer Andrew Wilc...

Agile working is an approach to project management developed for a complex, uncertain and dynamic world that calls for the delivery of fast, flexible and progressive solutions. Like all methodologies, its success ultimately depends on people and how they actually behave in practice. In this episode we interview culture architect, consultant and facilitator Marian O’Brien to explore her work and th...

Good communication comes not from abstract principles but from actions, from what actually happens when we speak. Our voices too are rooted and carried through our physical bodies and the feelings and experiences that we hold in them. In this episode we interview coach and developer Rachel Harrison and explore how her work helps people to express their authentic, intentional voice with greater eas...

The importance of being ready, able and willing to listen as a key element in effective communication has been emphasised over and over again by previous guests on the TalkWise Podcast, irrespective of the particular field in which they work. In this episode we interview Dr Tim Ojo, who describes himself as ‘listening for a living’, and explore how he uses listening in his work as a professional p...

Working at Board level is qualitatively different to other levels of  executive responsibility. Board members need to be able to engage with a  higher degree of complexity and apply their minds and voices to its  challenges in ways which are different and personally demanding. In this episode of the podcast we interview Board Mentor and Coach Rachael Hanley-Browne to discuss the nature of these ch...

TalkWise: Talk is central to how we communicate, interact with one another and think. Using talk effectively is vital and at the same time beset with practical difficulties. In this episode of the podcast we interview business psychologist and developer Alan Robertson to learn more about VoicePrint, a developmental tool for raising awareness and skill with the nine different voices that contribute...

Presence is essential for anyone who wants to have influence and make an impact. But what does your voice sound like, how do others feel about it and how can you learn to use it so you can always make it count? In this episode of the podcast we interview voice coach and communications consultant Janie Van Hool and discuss ways of using your voice well to have presence, confidence and personal impa...

Tone of voice can have even more impact than the words we use. Having a deeper appreciation not just of what is said but of how it is being said is a vital aspect of becoming a better communicator, in expressing ourselves and in hearing others. In this episode of the podcast we interview linguistics researcher Professor Silke Paulmann and discuss how tone and other non-verbal factors affect how we...

Networking has become a fundamental life skill in a world where continuing technological change and rapid economic shifts have such profound impacts, turning many careers into patchworks or portfolios of very different roles. In this episode of the podcast we interview process improvement consultant Howard Wilcox and discuss networking skills and their broader value for working successfully with o...