Chief Story Officer

Erin O’Connor, co-founder and co-president of the Story Incubator Writing Lab, joins the show to share how stories shift hearts, change laws, and bridge divides. A former English professor at the University of Pennsylvania turned award-winning screenwriter, Erin reveals why the right narrative can unite even the most polarised audiences.
In this episode, we delve into the true power of story to bridge divides, influence public policy, and shape how we see ourselves. We examine what makes some stories ignite collective action using Dallas Buyers Club and The X-Files as case studies and why “preachy” narratives rarely bring about real-world change.
Erin O’Connor, former English professor and award-winning screenwriter, reveals how immersive storytelling affects our brains, why great story always beats mere messaging, and what Dickens and Uncle Tom’s Cabin can teach modern leaders. She shares lessons from running a lab for professional screenwriters aiming to have social impact without sacrificing narrative.
You’ll walk away understanding why a well-crafted story trumps statistics every time, the neuroscience behind narrative immersion, and practical steps like reading rituals to make stories land and linger in business, leadership, or life.

KEY TOPICS
How Dallas Buyers Club inspired bipartisan legislation and measurable social change [02:40]
Neuroscience insights: why well-shaped stories drive action and empathy [07:04]
The surprising limits of "preachy" documentaries versus character-driven narratives [13:14]
Practical storytelling advice for leaders: finding and telling stories that bridge divides [19:32]
The enduring power of literature—how Dickens and Stowe shifted hearts and history [29:42]

GUEST BIO & LINKS
Erin O’Connor is a screenwriter, producer, narrative strategist, and co-founder of the Story Incubator Writing Lab. A nonprofit talent incubator and micro think tank that backs screenwriters whose stories bring people together across divides. After years as an English professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Erin transitioned from academia to film, writing and producing the acclaimed feature Miss Virginia, which aired on BET and Netflix. Today, she helps experienced screenwriters harness the neuroscience of storytelling for real-world impact and leads research into how narrative shapes culture and policy.

Connect with Erin O'Connor:
Website: https://www.storyincubatorwritinglab.org/
Substack: https://storyrulesproject.substack.com/

ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.

CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
→ subscribepage.io/robdwillis

Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.

Christian O'Connell, broadcaster, writer, and the first person in history to host the number one breakfast radio show in two different countries, joins the show to share why the messy, unscripted moments are the real gold in storytelling and connection.
In this candid conversation, we dive into the messy magic of authentic storytelling, the dangers of performative connection in the age of AI, and why the best leaders drop the act to let people meet the real person beneath the title. Christian O'Connell reveals hard-won lessons from decades on the radio, interviewing icons from Mick Jagger to Jon Hamm, and the pivotal moment he realised his success was built on an avatar rather than his true self.
Christian O'Connell shares the story behind his move from the UK to Melbourne, facing brutal rejection and turning it into connection through vulnerability and honest storytelling. He introduces the "woodshed", his ever-growing collection of real-life fragments and explains why charisma is ultimately about presence, not performance.
You'll walk away with practical ways to find and record your own resonant stories, tips for building connection (not just credentials), and permission to be just 10% braver because the world needs less polish and more humanity.

KEY TOPICS
Why trying to be perfect kills connection and how the magic is in the mess [06:32]
How Christian O'Connell won over a new city by sharing honest, vulnerable stories instead of punchlines [23:08]
The turmeric tea breakthrough: getting celebrities out of “interview mode” with human moments [15:18]
The “woodshed” practice for capturing everyday stories before they disappear [30:12]
Why energy and emotion matter more than confidence (and how 10% more enjoyment changes everything) [41:03]

GUEST BIO & LINKS
Christian O'Connell is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, writer, and comedian. Over a 28-year radio career, he has won 13 Radio Academy Awards in the UK and became the first person ever to top the breakfast radio charts in both the UK and Australia. Most recently with his national breakfast show based in Melbourne. Christian O'Connell is the author of UNSCRIPT: The Radical Act of Being Yourself, a guide to leaving behind the performative act and forging authentic connections through vulnerability and real conversation. His unique approach to communication and storytelling has resonated with audiences across continents, and he now mentors others in finding their true voice in a world saturated with artificiality and filtered personas.

UNSCRIPT: The Radical Act of Being Yourself, Christian O'Connell (Wiley, 2026)

Connect with Christian O'Connell:
Website: https://christianoconnell.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-o-connell-43774a64/

ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.

CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
→ subscribepage.io/robdwillis

Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.

Matthew Dicks, author of Storyworthy & Stories Sell, joins the show to share the origin of "Homework for Life" and why most people erase the best moments of their own lives without realising it.
In this episode, we delve into the power of personal storytelling in business, why a single rehearsed narrative won't cut it, and how the right story can make time slow down, bring teams together, and turn any moment no matter how ordinary into something unforgettable.
Matthew Dicks shares the origins of his celebrated “Homework for Life” practice, the surprising secrets behind his storytelling spreadsheet, and how authentic stories told through your personal lens outperform anything scripted. You’ll hear how creating a culture of storytelling can unlock hidden memories, reveal what your company truly stands for, and move people to action.
You’ll walk away with a simple daily habit to harvest story-worthy moments, practical tips for finding your best material, and the mindset shift that will help you capture, craft, and share stories that actually land wherever you happen to be.

KEY TOPICS
The origins of Homework for Life and how it solves the problem of running out of stories to tell 01:39
How daily story journaling changes your relationship with time and helps reclaim lost memories 06:14
Why business storytelling requires personal stories and constant "reps" to build trust and connection 13:01
The crucial difference between reporting and storytelling: structuring customer stories around change, not events 24:39
Building a storytelling culture—why authentic, personal delivery always beats company speak 28:40

GUEST BIO & LINKS
Matthew Dicks is an author, renowned storyteller, and the man behind "Homework for Life," the habit-forming exercise recommended by leaders and experts worldwide. A 10-time Moth GrandSLAM champion with 64 Story Slam wins, Matthew Dicks spent 27 years as an elementary school teacher while quietly becoming one of the world’s most decorated storytellers. He now teaches the craft at Amazon, Google, Salesforce, Harvard, Yale, MIT, and the World Bank, helping people at every level unlock storyworthy moments from daily life. His books include Storyworthy & Stories Sell, and his work reveals how storytelling can slow down time, build connection, and transform businesses.

Connect with Matthew Dicks:
Website: https://matthewdicks.com/speaking/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-dicks-storyworthy/

ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.

CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
→ subscribepage.io/robdwillis

Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.

Jason Barnard, founder of Kalicube and inventor of the Kalicube Framework, joins the show to reveal why the story machines repeat about you online rarely matches the story you want to tell and how to fix it.
In this episode, we dive into the little-known world of storytelling for machines, why the first audience for your personal brand is no longer a person, but AI. From entity homes and online ambiguity to how Google or ChatGPT decides which “you” to present, Rob and Jason unpack the new rules for making your narrative machine-readable.
Jason Barnard reveals how leaders can wrangle their sprawling digital histories, reframe their “blue dog moments,” and strategically manage their multifaceted stories so AI lands on the right headline. He shares practical frameworks for clarifying your message, structuring your About page, and turning corroboration into your secret weapon.
Listen in and you’ll discover why third-person bios matter, how to spot and fix narrative drift, and a step-by-step action plan that puts you, not the algorithm, in the driver’s seat. If you want the strategy behind being known for what you choose, this one’s essential.
KEY TOPICS
Why your online narrative is only as strong as its consistency across every platform [00:09]
Building an "entity home" to guide AI's understanding of who you are and what you do [02:28]
The three-part process: claim, corroboration, and proof for strengthening your digital reputation [20:46]
How to reframe past careers so they support your current story (and avoid becoming "the blue dog") [26:36]
The first step for every leader: secure your own domain and create an About page that aligns your story [30:16]

GUEST BIO & LINKS
Jason Barnard is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author, and award-winning digital marketing innovator. Known as the "Brand SERP guy", he coined the term "Answer Engine Optimisation" in 2017 and now leads a platform that tracks 25 billion data points across 73 million brand profiles. With over 14 years’ experience in shaping how AI understands and repeats personal brands, he helps entrepreneurs and businesses control their narrative across the web so Google and ChatGPT get it right, every time.

Connect with Jason Barnard:
Website: https://kalicube.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmbarnard/
Free AI Audit: https://diagnosis.kalicube.pro/

ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.
CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
→ subscribepage.io/robdwillis

Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis
Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.

Kendall Haven, narrative influence architect and author of StoryProof and StorySmart, joins the show to uncover why it’s not the story you tell that matters, it’s the one your audience creates for themselves.
In this episode, we dive into the science behind why the only story that matters is the one your audience builds in their own mind, and how the best communicators shift from speaker-centric to audience-centric storytelling. We break down the moments when words alone fail, and how unexpected interpretations can trigger reactions you never intended, whether you’re announcing a new strategy, persuading for change, or simply trying to get a process adopted.
Kendall Haven reveals the eight levers you can pull to ensure your story lands focusing on character, motive, conflict, risk, and more, backed by decades of research with everyone from NASA to the World Bank. He shares his practical process for identifying your true target audience, unpicking their real blockers, and engineering stories that move them to action (or intentional inaction).
You'll discover why emotion is the driver of influence, how to road-test your message with the "green VW" experiment, and a repeatable toolkit for ensuring your stories are remembered, not just heard.

GUEST BIO & LINKS
Kendall Haven is a narrative influence architect, author, and distinguished visiting scholar at Stanford. For two decades, he’s led the research effort for the National Storytelling Association and the International Storytelling Center, and his books, StoryProof and StorySmart, gather evidence from 16 fields of science to prove that the human brain is physically wired for story. Trusted by organisations like NASA, the World Bank, Boeing, and Aramco, Kendall Haven designs stories that shape minds, shift behaviour, and make strategy stick.

Connect with Guest’s Name:
Website: https://www.kendallhaven.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-haven-7390b73/

ABOUT THE SHOW
Chief Story Officer is a podcast about how stories drive strategy, not just communication. Host Rob D. Willis talks with executives and thought leaders about the moments where the right message changed everything.
Real stories. Real impact. Every two weeks.

CONNECT WITH ROB
Want frameworks for strategic storytelling? Download the free guide: "5 Ways to Make People Care About Your Strategy"
→ subscribepage.io/robdwillis

Connect with Rob:
Website: robdwillis.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robdwillis
Instagram: @robdwillis
TikTok: @robdwillis

Subscribe to Chief Story Officer wherever you listen to podcasts.