In this new series of short podcasts, Jerome and Julienne discuss issues brought up by one of their Leadership Story Talks guests. In this episode they discuss using intention with attention mentioned by CEO and founder of WriterGirl Christy Pretzinger in Episode #81 Notes * Find Christy Pretzinger on LinkedIn * Learn more about WriterGirl Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus: Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course) Podcast...
Jerome and Julienne talk with Matt Bahl - VP and head of workplace financial health, Financial Health Network. In this episode of Story Talks we discover how do we make people’s lives better by improving their financial resilience? That salaries are not determinative of financial health. How can we make workplace work better for working people? Matt talks about how the catalytic moment for him was when he told the story of his father at a summit on financial wellness and how that ...
In this special edition of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome and Julienne look back on their experience presenting at the international Storytelling Symposium organized by Dr. Anja Timmermann—a gathering of scientists, researchers, and practitioners exploring the role of narrative in making complex work more human and accessible. What begins as a simple recap unfolds into a rich reflection on risk-taking, preparation, authenticity, and the challenge of storytelling in virtual spaces—especi...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Greg Smith—General Manager of FranklinCovey’s Executive Coaching practice and a leader with more than 25 years of experience developing executives across global organizations. Greg has supported leaders at Walmart, Deloitte, Starbucks, FedEx, Disney, and today his practice delivers an extraordinary 97% coaching success rate. Greg shares a moment early in his career: a CEO’s deceptively simple piece of a...
In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on their conversation with Dr. Anja Timmerman—an exchange that reminded them how a single, small human moment can reshape how we see a place, a culture, or a community. Anja’s story about arriving in New York for the first time becomes a doorway into her passion for community-building and the global storytelling symposium she now leads. What starts as a reflection on kindness from strangers becomes an exploration of how personal stories disrupt st...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Lata Hamilton—change leadership expert, confidence mentor, and author of Pioneer Your Career Change. After tripling her salary in just three years and helping organizations lead transformations affecting more than 100,000 people, Lata has made it her mission to empower women to carve their own career paths with courage, clarity, and authenticity. Lata shares the surprising corridor conversation that lau...
In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on their conversation with Dr. LaNysha Adams and her powerful reminder that identity isn’t fixed—it’s chosen. Drawing on her insights, they explore why “bringing your whole self to work” isn’t about dragging every version of yourself into every room, but about being intentional, adaptable, and honest about who you need to be right now. What begins as a discussion about roles—parent, leader, teammate, creator—quickly becomes a broader reflection on ...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Gabrielle Dolan—one of the world’s leading authorities on business storytelling, keynote speaker, and author of nine books including her newest release, Story Intelligence: The Craft of Authentic Storytelling Made Smarter with AI. Gabrielle shares the pivotal “sliding door” moment that transformed her career—from a 17-year tenure at National Australia Bank to launching her own storytelling practice lon...
"Be ready to be ready." — Jen Mueller In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne unpack lessons from Jen Mueller’s world of sports broadcasting—where seconds matter and every word counts. They explore how Jen’s approach to preparation, precision, and presence applies far beyond the sidelines, offering leaders a model for communicating clearly and engaging others under pressure. What begins as a story about post-game interviews becomes a reflection on what great meetings, coaching moments, and con...
Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan sit down with Dr. Anja Timmermann—historian, communication scientist, journalist, and founder of the Storytelling Symposium in Germany. With a background spanning academia, media, and neuroscience, Dr. Timmermann brings a rich, evidence-based perspective to how humans share knowledge, build connection, and lead through story. She begins with a vivid moment of culture shock—standing in a Manhattan bus line, a stranger in a city of millions—only to be folded into ...
"When AI is mimicking as opposed to truly reflecting a culture, things become dull… it’s been flattened out." — James Francis In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne unpack James Francis’s reflection on artificial intelligence and culture—and draw striking parallels to storytelling itself. When we rely on a single story, or a single perspective, we flatten complexity. But when we listen for nuance, explore multiple angles, and share stories across differences, we begin to reflect the true richne...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Dr. LaNysha Adams—TEDx speaker, ten-time award-winning author of Me Power, and Director of Student Wellness at Santa Fe Community College. Dr. Adams shares a profoundly personal story of surviving sudden cardiac arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic—an experience that reshaped her relationship to time, gratitude, and purpose. From that moment emerged a new mission: to help others reclaim their agency and ...
"There was a beginning and an end… and all the contributing factors that made it actionable." In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on Andy Goram’s story of receiving tough but transformative feedback. What could have been a demoralizing moment instead became a catalyst for growth—showing how honesty, kindness, and specificity can turn feedback into fuel. They connect Andy’s lesson to the heart of storytelling itself: when you focus on what happened—not just feelings or conclusions—you...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Jen Mueller—business communication expert, Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, and founder of Talk Sporty to Me. With over 25 years on the sidelines of the NFL, MLB, and beyond, Jen translates lessons from high-pressure sports environments into practical strategies for business leaders. Drawing on early experiences where she was told to stay quiet in locker rooms, Jen shares how she built her voice, why cla...
“We see so often the Peter Principle play out… What we really need in today’s world are unblockers of work.” — Liz Gulliver In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on Liz Gulliver’s insight that many managers are promoted for technical expertise but left unsupported in learning how to lead people. The result? Micromanagement, lost trust, and teams held back instead of propelled forward. They explore how shifting from “directors of work” to “unblockers of work” can transform leadership to...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with James Francis—investor, technologist, and founder of Paradigm Asset Management and Sol.ai—about his groundbreaking framework, Artificial Integrity. With decades of experience managing billions through data-driven systems, James now focuses on a question that impacts us all: How do we build AI that elevates humanity rather than flattens it? Drawing from his own upbringing in a “can-do” family culture, Ja...
"…I wasn’t a good athlete and I was never going to be a good athlete, but what I was good at was trying to be a little bit better next time than I was this time." — George Pesansky In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on George Pesansky’s story of running uphill—literally and figuratively. What began as a painful failure in cross-country running became the foundation for a leadership style built on persistence, self-awareness, and learning from what does work. They explore how George’...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Andy Goram—also known as The Sticky Guy—a culture, leadership, and engagement consultant on a mission to help organizations create workplaces people don’t want to leave. Drawing on a pivotal career moment when a manager’s blunt but kind feedback changed his trajectory, Andy shares why being kind, not just nice is the foundation for growth, and how leaders can embed culture through real stories and consi...
“He failed to even take the most basic action… Instead, the Californian watched, motionless, as Titanic sank into the night.” In this debrief, Jerome and Julienne reflect on Kelly Skwarcan’s striking account of leadership failure aboard the SS Californian—a ship that might have saved hundreds of lives after Titanic sank but instead stood by, paralyzed by inaction and then mired in cover-up. This moment of history opens up a conversation about what real leadership requires today: courage, ac...
In this episode of Leadership Story Talks, hosts Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan speak with Liz Gulliver—co-founder of Kunik, a community-driven platform helping companies retain and engage working parents and caregivers. Drawing on her own experience as a working parent in high-pressure corporate environments, Liz has built a business around rethinking how organizations approach flexibility, culture, and belonging. Through candid stories and data-backed insights, Liz challenges leaders to lo...