Words that Change Lives

What if the stories shaping your future aren't the ones you're consuming... but the ones you're carrying?In this powerful episode, Helen explores what it means to become a responsible carrier of story in a world where narratives multiply, spread, distort, and shape reality faster than ever before.Drawing together the themes woven throughout the Stories in Our DNA season, Helen introduces her Story Responsibility Framework - a practical guide for understanding the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell others, the stories we reward, and the stories we ultimately leave behind.Through deeply personal reflections on people-pleasing, visibility, and what Helen calls the "niceness tether," this episode offers an honest exploration of what it means to speak with greater clarity, lead with integrity, and choose the stories we want to carry forward.Because stories don't just entertain us.They train our nervous systems.They shape our relationships.They influence culture.And they become legacy.This is a conversation about voice, responsibility, and the everyday choices that shape the future.You'll discover:✓ Why stories survive when people repeat them, reward them, and embody them✓ How to use the Story Responsibility Framework to navigate everyday life with greater intention✓ Why the stories you tell yourself influence the stories you tell others✓ How uncertainty causes our nervous systems to fill gaps with old survival narratives✓ Why "a gap is not a verdict" and how to become the author of a truer story✓ The hidden ways people diminish their own influence through language✓ Why your attention is shaping culture in an age of amplification✓ How the stories you reward become the stories that survive✓ Why legacy is built through small, everyday behaviours rather than grand gestures✓ How to carry your voice, values, and truth forward with greater courage and clarityResources & LinksHelen Packham Websitehttps://helenpackham.com/Unlock Your Origin Storyhttps://helenpackham.com/unlock-your-origin-story/Land a TEDx Talkhttps://helenpackham.com/tedx-checklist/Listen to the Podcasthttps://helenpackham.com/podcast/Enjoyed the episode?If this conversation encouraged you to rethink the stories you're carrying, rewarding, or passing on:⭐ Follow Words That Change Lives⭐ Share this episode with someone whose voice deserves to be heard⭐ Leave a rating and review on your favourite podcast platformEvery review helps these conversations travel further.The future isn't only shaped by the loudest stories.It's shaped by the stories we choose to carry forward.

Helen Packham talks to Dr Yin Lu, a distinguished communication scientist and self-styled rhetoric doctor. Despite her early exit in the game show 'Traitors,' Yin shares her expansive knowledge, explaining how emotion and strategic communication play crucial roles in achieving resonance and influence. Yin and Helen share strategies applicable in our daily lives to win people over and reduce the distortion between intention and impact. Tune in for a conversation that's sure to transform how you connect and communicate with the world.Here are the highlights:00:00 The science of communication with Yin from the Traitors09:16 Communication involves reducing distortion between intent and impact.15:42 Analysed rhetorical techniques in social media to predict tweet engagement.25:02 Online influence holds significant power. Creators need to take care.31:45 Traitors plan was non-threatening behaviour and appearance.37:03 Trust, emotional connection, and logic form credibility.44:49 Focus on personal emotions and vulnerabilities instead of judging others.56:41 Listening is crucial in communication, yet often overlooked. 01:07:06 We perceive the world based on our own biases and experiences, as emphasised by Anais Nin's quote.About Dr. Yin Lu:Yin is a communication scientist, a self-styled Rhetoric Doctor, and an AI product leader. She is currently the Global Head of Product for Artificial Intelligence at CUBE, a market-leading regtech that has been machine reading the regulatory internet since 2011. She is intoxicated by language, particularly in the context of digital media.Yin completed her doctorate at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) on the rhetoric and resonance of Brexit tweets. Through her research, she established a rhetorical framework that can be used to improve the resonance of any message. She applies it every single day to every single form of communication that she produces or consumes (including this one).Yin has an interdisciplinary and international outlook. She firmly believes that categories are meant to be transcended. She is a strong advocate for computational approaches to the social sciences and humanities, and for qualitative approaches to big data analyses. She belongs to three cultures across three continents, and derives energy from travel and meeting new people. The greater the diversity, the better.On a higher, more whimsical level: Yin is caught betwixt academia and industry, fact and fiction, life and art. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.Connect with Yin:Medium: https://medium.com/@periwynkleLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/periwynkleTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therhetoricdoctorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/therhetoricdoctorX: https://x.com/yinnethYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeriwynkleLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/therhetoricdoctorConnect with Helen:Website: helenpackham.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/helenpackhamFacebook: www.facebook.com/helenpackhamcoachLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helenpackhamProduced by winteraudio.co.uk

What does it really mean to communicate effectively in the digital world, especially for those who are neurodivergent? Helen explores the challenges and experiences neurodivergent individuals face, both in educational settings and the workplace. Joined by guest Lisa Kerr, a neurodiversity coach, they explore why labelling neurodivergent individuals as superheroes can be more harmful than helpful and emphasise the importance of understanding and meeting individual needs. Here are the highlights:00:00 The current landscape and why this is important05:51 Modern communication lacks physical presence, making genuine eye contact difficult.11:07 One-size-fits-all approaches don't work for neurodivergent people.13:12 Awareness of neurodiversity doesn't always equate to proper understanding.19:13 A child struggled in a mainstream school due to being bullied but thrived in a specialist school for neurodivergent students.22:29 Struggles with organisation are common for neurodivergent people26:19 Challenging instant responses is needed to reduce overwhelm.32:05 Create a separate channel for Lisa's actions with clear, concise requests, including what, why, and when, to prevent missed tasks.35:52 A neurodivergence diagnosis can be challenging and lengthy.42:25 Neurodivergent burnout after starting my own business.47:14 It's about efficiently streamlining and simplifying people's strategy for clearer communication and addressing challenges holistically.48:55 Helping leaders understand and accept challenges and burnout, enabling personal and organisational growth.About Lisa Kerr:Lisa Kerr is a Neurodiversity Coach, Business Consultant and Professional Speaker.  As a Chartered Accountant with a Corporate Finance and HR background she spent more than 20 years in senior financial and operational roles from global professional services firms to regional SMEs, before launching Think Exceptionally in 2020. Lisa is Autistic and ADHD, which means that she processes information differently – she thinks exceptionally. But neurodivergence presents challenges in the workplace. Through her personal experience and training as an International Coaching Federation Certified Coach, Certified ADHD Life Coach and neurodiversity-inclusive coach, Lisa now also provides neurodiversity consulting to businesses and coaching to individuals. Her purpose is to give others the support she didn't even realise she needed but so wishes she'd had. Lisa lives by the sea in Sussex with her husband, teenage son and their rescue Boxer dog, Cooper.Instagram @ThinkExceptionallyUK  https://www.instagram.com/thinkexceptionallyukWeb: www.ThinkExceptionally.comFacebook: ThinkExceptionallyUK  https://www.facebook.com/thinkexceptionallyukYouTube: @ThinkExceptionallyUK  https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkExceptionallyUKConnect with Helen:Website: helenpackham.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/helenpackhamFacebook: www.facebook.com/helenpackhamcoachLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helenpackhamProduced by winteraudio.co.uk

Helen invites Jason Rosoff, the CEO and co-founder of Radical Candor, to share his insights on revolutionising communication in organisations. By delving into the principles of Radical Candor, they discuss how a straightforward approach to caring personally while challenging directly can reshape relationships and yield remarkable results. Can this philosophy truly serve as a compass for more meaningful conversations? Let’s find out. Here are the highlights:00:00 What does Radical Candor look like in the real world05:37 Radical Candor helps navigate relationships by embodying universal values of love and truth.09:04 Avoid labelling people to prevent limiting thinking and stay open to possibilities09:59 Direct challenges without showing care can hinder effective communication and behaviour change.20:31 Focus on the "adult-adult" mindset in conversations.22:48 Misusing Radical Candor as a defense for criticism is incorrect. 26:42 Focus on internal goals and follow opportunities.36:33 AI's natural language capabilities democratize access to technology.38:27 Tech now enables practicing Radical Candor skills safely with AI.47:08 The importance of self-reflection in business decisions can influence client engagement.48:37 Focusing on what I could control significantly improved my personal life and professional trajectory.About Jason Rosoff:Jason is the CEO and co-founder of Radical Candor and co-host of the Radical Candor Podcast. Over the last six years, he’s helped all kinds of organisations, from tiny startups to the giants in the Fortune 100, realise the power of creating a more Radically Candid culture. Through this work, he’s helped hundreds of companies develop real human relationships between team members and through those relationships, achieve amazing results collaboratively. Jason lives in a small town on the coast of Connecticut with his partner Jillian and dog Jack.Join the Radical Candor Communityhttps://www.radicalcandor.com/community/Connect with Helen:Website: helenpackham.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/helenpackhamFacebook: www.facebook.com/helenpackhamcoachLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helenpackhamProduced by winteraudio.co.uk

Join Helen as she explores Chloe's transformative recovery revolution - a methodology aimed at helping high achievers balance peak performance with strategic recovery. Tune in to learn how rethinking your approach to stress and recovery isn't just beneficial, it's essential for fueling productivity and growth, both at work and in life. Let's get started! Here are the highlights:03:34 How poor work-life balance contributes to productivity losses.05:19 Recovery is the key to balancing stress in modern life.09:54 How technology impacts stress levels and sleep quality12:59 Why individual action against recovery deficit is so important21:09 "Technology sunsets" can help you to create digital boundaries30:07 Focus on small, honest changes for lasting results36:08 How coaching, programmes, and workshops inspire and support organisational action.About Chloe Stephens Chloe Stephens - The Flow Coach - brings a transformative 30-year career in fitness and wellbeing to her role.  As a pioneer in holistic wellness, she specialises in helping high achievers who are successful on the outside yet depleted within.Chloe has mastered the crucial yet often-overlooked art of strategic recovery  She helps individuals unlock their full potential by demonstrating how purposeful rest acts as a catalyst for both physical and mental growth. Through her unique approach, she guides clients in conquering burnout, establishing boundaries and creating lasting success.Connect with Chloewww.coachchloe.ukhttps://www.instagram.com/the_flow_coach/Find out more about Helen’s new coaching packages:The Ideas Catalyst One Month Incubatorhttps://helenpackham.com/the-idea-catalyst-2/The Impact Architect Three Month Programmehttps://helenpackham.com/the-impact-architect-2/The Thought Leader Engine room Six Month Experiencehttps://helenpackham.com/the-thought-leader-engine-room-2/Connect with Helen:Website: helenpackham.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/helenpackhamFacebook: www.facebook.com/helenpackhamcoachLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helenpackhamProduced by winteraudio.co.uk