“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 listening, reflection, and connection.

Featuring Gina Leow, Derek McCracken, and LaNysha Adams, PhD, this episode brings together stories that reveal how leadership is shaped not just by what we say—but by how we listen, how we make meaning, and how we create space for others.

This is a conversation about leadership, belonging, and the quiet but powerful impact of being heard.

👂 What You’ll Hear

• Why listening is not passive—but an active force that shapes how stories are told
• How shifting from a “performance mindset” to a shared storytelling space changes everything
• The power of circles, community, and intentional dialogue in building trust and inclusion
• Stories that explore identity, leadership, and moments of transformation
• How leaders can create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued
• A deeper understanding of storytelling as a tool for connection, not just communication

🔗 Resources & Links

For more on Gina Leow:

• Connecting Through Circles (book):
  https://www.amazon.com/Connecting-Through-Circles-Inclusion-Establish/dp/1736422421
• LinkedIn:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-leow/

For more on Derek McCracken:

• Website:
  https://narrativemindworks.org/

For more on LaNysha Adams, PhD:

• Social links:
  https://bio.link/edling
• LinkedIn:
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanysha/
• Free audiobook for audience:
  https://bit.ly/mepower4me

🎟️ Join Us Live - Want to experience this kind of storytelling in real time?

Join us for the next Leadership Story Talks LIVE event on May 21, or explore upcoming events throughout the year (July, September, November):

👉 https://narativ.com/events/

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

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 navigating everyday moments in Brazil—Dean explores how culture shapes the way people build trust, make decisions, and communicate. What emerges is a powerful reminder: even when we use the same words, we often mean very different things.

The conversation dives into the role of humility, curiosity, and listening in global leadership—and why cultural awareness may be one of the most essential skills for leaders in an increasingly interconnected world.

You’ll Hear:
• How growing up in multicultural Brooklyn shaped his lifelong curiosity about culture

• Why cultural expectations can easily derail negotiations—even when you think you understand the culture

• Why there are very few true “universals” when it comes to building trust across cultures

• Stories from Brazil, China, and Russia that reveal how cultural norms shape everyday business interactions

• How organizations often misunderstand their own values when they try to apply them globally

• Why humility and curiosity are the most powerful tools for working across cultural boundaries

Resources
Learn more about our guest:
• LinkedIn

• Website

• YouTube

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Find Dean Foster's book "Business Beyond Borders: Stories of Culture and Leadership in a Global World" HERE

#leadershipcoaching #listening #culturalexchange #culturaldiversity #storytelling

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

“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 onboarding, but rarely translated into everyday behavior.

What begins as a reflection on leadership and agency culture quickly becomes a deeper exploration of where meaningful stories actually come from. Jerome and Julienne remind listeners that the most powerful stories are rarely invented—they are already present in everyday experiences, waiting to be noticed, named, and shared.

The conversation also highlights how values can serve as a starting point for discovering stories—both for organizations trying to live their culture and for individuals trying to articulate who they are and what they stand for.

You’ll Hear:

– Values Come Alive Through Stories – Why company values only become meaningful when people share real moments that demonstrate them in action.
– The Stories Already in the Room – How the most powerful examples of culture often come from everyday actions that organizations tend to overlook.
– Finding Stories Through Values – A practical way to uncover meaningful stories by reflecting on moments that brought joy, tension, or strong reactions at work.
– Starting Points Matter – Why prompts, themes, and constraints help people move past the intimidating “blank page” and begin telling their stories.
– Notice the Hidden Treasures – An invitation to capture story ideas whenever they appear—during a meeting, a commute, or even at 3 a.m.—before they disappear.

Let this debrief be a reminder: the stories that define your leadership, your culture, or your values are probably already happening around you—you just have to notice them, write them down, and begin telling them.

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

“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 differentiates the top 5% of companies. The answer isn’t complexity — it’s alignment. Alignment between strategy and execution. Alignment between customer value and internal KPIs. Alignment between culture, experimentation, and long-term profitability.

This conversation explores why profitable growth requires openness, disciplined testing, and leadership that paints a compelling future — especially in the age of AI.

You’ll Hear
• How openness to new ideas — across cultures and generations — shapes strong leadership

• The three themes most CEOs lose sleep over: customer delight, profitability, and brand — and why execution often doesn’t align with those goals

• Why fewer than 5% of companies truly understand customer lifetime value — and how that transforms growth

• The difference between “Sequoia” companies that pursue long-term profitable growth and “Bonsai” companies that over-optimize for short-term perfection

• Why the speed and volume of testing may become the only sustainable competitive advantage in the age of AI

• Practical advice for AI transformation: start small, reduce fear, paint a growth vision, and create clear career pathways for employees

Resources
• Sequoia, Not Bonsai: The Seven Growth Secrets of the World’s Most Successful Companies by Nicolas Darveau-Garneau (HarperCollins Leadership) - More info here.

• Learn more about Nicolas’ work in AI, growth strategy, and executive education

Connect with Nicolas here

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

“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 days before launching their own Leadership Story Talks LIVE event. What followed was a powerful reminder of why we practice what we teach: structure creates safety, breathing creates connection, and showing up matters.

This episode explores what presenting live teaches us about leadership, community, and the courage to own your story.

You’ll Hear:

• Why creating guidelines and structure makes live storytelling safer and more powerful

• How pushing yourself to show up builds confidence and credibility
• The difference between virtual presentation and feeling a room breathe, laugh, and clap in real time

• Simple grounding tools before speaking

• Why you can’t “get it wrong” when you’re telling your own lived experience

• How community storytelling combats loneliness and creates genuine connection Resources:

REGISTER HERE for the next Leadership Story Talks LIVE! Stories That Shaped Us on March 19:

If you’re preparing for a keynote, a team meeting, a pitch, or simply want to own your story with more confidence — we’re here to help.

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

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 support disappears and real-world pressures return.

You'll hear:
- Coaching shouldn’t be something you “finish.”
Jerome and Julienne unpack the idea that coaching isn’t a checkbox or a temporary intervention. For growth to last, leaders and organizations must invest in structures that support continued practice, reflection, and accountability—long after formal coaching ends.

- Listening is the foundation of effective storytelling.
A recurring theme in the episode is that leaders often feel pressure to perform—to have the right message, the right vision, the right story. But sustainable leadership begins with listening first. When leaders truly hear their teams’ experiences, the right stories emerge naturally.

- Practice creates confidence—and sustainability.
Jerome shares an example of a leader who entered coaching wanting to become a better storyteller, only to realize that listening more deeply was the real shift. Through repeated practice during coaching, that leader built confidence and eventually internalized a new leadership habit that continued long after coaching ended.

- From “what’s happening to me” to “what do I get to do.”
The debrief highlights a mindset shift at the heart of Greg Smith’s message: challenges will come regardless. The question is whether leaders meet them from a place of curiosity and agency—or from a sense of victimhood.

- Organizations play a role, too.
Julienne emphasizes that sustainability isn’t solely the responsibility of the individual being coached. Organizations must stay engaged, hold themselves accountable, and create environments where learning is reinforced—not abandoned once a program concludes.

Why This Matters:
Sustainable leadership isn’t about one great story, one inspiring speech, or one coaching engagement. It’s about building listening muscles, creating shared accountability, and allowing learning to become part of how leaders show up every day.

As Jerome notes, when leadership behaviors truly “get into your bones,” they stop being techniques—and start becoming who you are.

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

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 communities gather along the monks’ path, the conversation reflects on listening as an act of love and on the power of collective humanity, especially in times of division and conflict.

You'll hear:

• Why the monks’ journey resonates so deeply right now

• Listening as a practice—not a skill, but a way of being
• What leadership can look like when presence replaces performance
• How Valentine’s Day might be reclaimed as a broader expression of kindness and care
• The quiet power of collective action grounded in intention rather than spectacle.

Resources

• Buddhist Monks’ Walking Journey (Video)
A short video highlighting the monks’ walk from Texas to Washington, DC and the communities gathering along the way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkCCGjskeFI

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here

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 defining catalyst, ultimately guiding him toward a career dedicated to people strategy, trust, and humane leadership.

From there, the conversation moves into Jim’s time on the Obama campaign, where he witnessed firsthand the power of authentic storytelling—not as persuasion, but as connection. That experience continues to influence how he thinks about leadership, values, and culture today.

As Chief People Officer at Included Health, Jim shares how storytelling, vulnerability, and values-based decision-making aren’t “nice to haves,” but core leadership competencies—especially when trust, safety, and belonging are on the line. He also offers a thoughtful perspective on remote work, arguing that there is no universal answer—only alignment between values, mission, and how work actually gets done.

This episode is a grounded, practical exploration of what it really means to lead with authenticity—and why stories remain one of the most powerful tools leaders have to create trust, navigate complexity, and raise the standard for how people experience work.

You’ll Hear:

• Why a “terrible boss” can become a powerful leadership teacher
• How authentic storytelling builds trust, safety, and belonging on teams
• What Jim learned about leadership and connection on the Obama campaign
• Why values—not perks—are what truly retain people
• How Included Health aligns mission, culture, and people strategy
• A clear-eyed take on remote work, trust, and intentional connection
• Why leaders must go first when it comes to vulnerability and honesty
• How storytelling can restore healthier debate and discourse at work

Resources & Links

• Connect with Jim O’Gorman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-o-gorman-0b32278/
• Learn more about Included Health: https://includedhealth.com/
• Explore more episodes and resources at: https://narativ.com/podcast

Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus:
Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off - Use code NARATIV → Register Here

Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.

Please join our mailing list to stay updated on all our latest episodes and events.

EMAIL Jerome@narativ.com
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/narativ-inc
TWITTER @narativ

Buy Julienne’s book here