SPEAK LIKE A CEO

When you’re a leader, your words don’t stop with the room. Compliment someone in a meeting? Their partner hears about it that night. Express concern about a deadline? It travels through the team as “we’re in trouble.” Get visibly angry? People are still talking about it weeks later.
Adam Galinsky calls this the Leader Amplification Effect, and it helps explain why some leaders inspire while others infuriate — often without realizing it. In this episode, he shares how leaders can build the skill of inspiration through small habits and clear, simple communication. You'll learn actionable strategies that empower your team, help your message land, and make people want to follow your lead.

Topics discussed:

Are leaders born or made? (00:48)
Inspire vs. infuriate: the leadership continuum (03:09)
How leadership impact spreads beyond work (06:15)
Nonverbal signals: the banana story (09:25)
The simple act that builds inspiration (12:09)
3 roles of inspiring leaders (15:07)
How visual language makes leaders more persuasive (19:30)
Why repetition matters and the cost of undercommunicating (22:51)
Why leaders must show authentic passion (26:50)
What it means to truly empower people (33:18)
How to take accountability without shame (37:21)
One action you can take to become more inspirational (39:24)

Take Adam’s Am I Inspiring? Quiz:
https://adamgalinsky.com/assessment/

Get your 50 Presentation Hacks from Oliver: https://eoipsocommunications.com/newsletter/

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com)

AI isn't going to run your company – but not for the reason you think. Business thrives on innovation and adaptability, which requires more than logic. That's where storytelling comes in.
Angus Fletcher, Professor of Story Science and author of Primal Intelligence, joins host Oliver Aust to explain why storytelling is a form of intelligence that helps us plan, act and innovate in ways AI never could. He breaks down how narrative thinking guides our decisions, how intuition really works, and how to strengthen them both.
You’ll also learn the “three stories” every business is running (whether you realize it or not), and what happens when they’re out of alignment.

Topics discussed:
Storytelling as a form of intelligence (00:51)
Why AI struggles in dynamic, changing environments (03:14)
Narrative thinking vs. logical thinking (05:47)
The mission behind his research and book, Primal Intelligence (07:38)
How intuition really works and how to develop it (11:12)
3 stories every business runs on: strategic, operational, external (14:33)
When “marketing problems” are actually alignment problems (17:26)
Leaders vs. managers and why “safe” communication fails (21:18)
The AI spam loop and why humans are tuning out (27:31)
External vs. internal storytelling structure (30:42)
The trap of “defining the problem” (35:56)
Where to start if you want to become a better storyteller (38:23)

Download your copy of the 21 Storytelling Frameworks (⁠https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver⁠) guide:
⁠https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com (https://podcastboutique.com)

Download your copy of the 21 Storytelling Frameworks guide:
https://eo-ipso-comms.kit.com/21-storytelling-frameworks-with-oliver

Have you ever been told to "fake it till you make it" or “just be yourself"? It's no surprise this common advice doesn't work – it focuses on acting confident instead of becoming confident.
This episode breaks down Oliver’s three-step method that helps you build true confidence so you’re not overthinking or over-preparing for every presentation. You'll learn why you get so nervous in the first place, the common mistake that causes people to freeze, and how to calm your anxiety so you can speak confidently under pressure as a leader.

Topics discussed:
Bad public speaking advice (01:22)
How perfectionism fuels imposter syndrome (03:33)
Limiting beliefs that hold you back (04:04)
The foundation of being a confident speaker (05:07)
The 3-step BMW method (06:37)
Why scripts don’t work and what to do instead (09:02)
Strategies that build true confidence (10:56)

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

Communication problems don’t always start with words. From misinterpretation to slow execution, you can say all the right things and still be misunderstood.
Trust expert Stephen M. R. Covey has seen great organizations experience this for one reason: lack of trust. In this episode, he shares why trust is the foundation of communication and a true driver of performance. You'll hear powerful leadership lessons from Ford, Campbell's, and Hugo Boss, so you can build a culture of trust that moves faster.

Topics discussed:
What most leaders get wrong about trust (00:34)
The difference between low and high-trust cultures (04:09)
How leaders can build the skill of trust (07:11)
High-trust behaviors vs. counterfeit behaviors (09:19)
The first step to changing trust dynamics as a leader (11:48)
Alan Mulally and Ford case study (14:31)
Distrust in the age of AI: what leaders can do (17:36)
Why leaders should declare intent: the Campbell’s story (21:00)
Why trust must be both earned and given (24:52)
The #1 reason employees don’t trust their leaders (26:32)

Learn more about Stephen M. R. Covey and his book, The Speed of Trust: https://speedoftrust.com/

Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-m-r-covey-6400191a5/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Want to work with Oliver and become a top 1% communicator? Join the Speak Like a CEO Academy and sign up for the FREE webinar! https://www.speaklikeaceo.academy/

Most women are taught to be nice and agreeable, but that comes at a cost in the workplace.
In this episode, Kate Mason, author of Powerfully Likeable: A Woman's Guide to Effective Communication, challenges the idea that women have to choose between being likeable and powerful at work. 
You'll learn how to define your authentic communication style, bring warmth without losing authority, and find calm confidence even in high-stakes rooms.

Topics discussed:
Why “likable vs. powerful” is a false choice (00:33)
How to define your own communication style (03:02)
Ways we diminish our authenticity (06:24)
Saying “no” and setting boundaries without guilt (08:18)
The failure privilege and who is "allowed" to fail (10:52)
What to do when you’re afraid to speak up (13:07)
Managing perfectionism and over-preparation (15:58)
The mindset shift that helps women "steal space" in powerful rooms (19:21)
The biggest challenge women face in the workplace (22:43)
The first step: audit your communication strengths (24:56)
Authentic communication and why it matters in the workplace (26:42)
Self-regulation to find your calm, confident self (30:46)

Connect with Kate Mason:
https://www.katemason.co/
https://www.instagram.com/drkatemason/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemasonphd/

Get your 50 Presentation Hacks from Oliver: ⁠https://eoipsocommunications.com/newsletter/⁠

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com