Aspire to Inspire Podcast

What does it take to be the kind of leader the world actually needs right now? Charlotte Otter, executive coach and author of We Need New Leaders, joins Brian Tomlinson to unpack the leadership crisis we’re living through—and why outsiders often make the most impactful leaders. Drawing from her decades of experience in global tech and her Reputation 360 coaching program, Charlotte reveals why storytelling, self-awareness, and empathy are essential tools for modern leadership. In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Charlotte shares how underrepresented leaders turn obstacles into strengths, how behavior and values must align to build trust, and why visibility isn’t vanity—it’s legacy. From reshaping personal narratives to building reputation moats before a crisis hits, this episode offers a refreshing and necessary take on how leadership, communication, and authenticity must evolve in today’s world. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: We Need New Leaders; Charlotte’s Reputation 360 coaching program; SAP; Otter Advisory; Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic; Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?; Frank Wolf; Frank Wolf’s The Narrative Age; The Reputation Game; Rupert Younger; Oxford University; Charlotte Otter Speech Bubbles Substack; Charlotte Otter Speech Bubbles Podcast; Charlotte Otter LinkedIn ========= Follow the host and guest: Brian Tomlinson on LinkedIn & Charlotte Otter on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that equips companies aspiring to reach every employee with communication that inspires them to work together to achieve business outcomes. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including Berlin, London, New York City, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

Jim Olson, a seasoned communications leader with a front-row seat to some of the most defining moments in corporate crisis history, joins Athena Koutsonikolas on the Aspire to Inspire Podcast to share the four-step crisis communications plan that has guided him through both his career in crisis comms and his fight against cancer. From negotiating with terrorists to battling tumors and losing his sight, Jim candidly shares how crises have shaped him—both professionally and personally. He brings the audience inside high-stakes moments from his career and outlines a clear framework communicators can use to stay calm, take control, and craft a winning strategy—even in life-or-death situations. Jim most recently served as Head of Brand and Communications at Avelo Airlines—America’s first new airline in 15 years—where he built the communications function from scratch. Previously, he led comms at United Airlines, Starbucks, and US Airways, where he helped turn the “Miracle on the Hudson” into a story of employee pride and national inspiration. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Avelo Airlines; United Airlines; Starbucks; US Airways; Cartagena, Colombia; Project Hope; J.D. Power and Associates; Nissan North America; Overture; “Miracle on the Hudson”; Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger; African Leadership University; CEO of Avelo Airlines, former CFO of United Airlines Andrew Levy; Jakarta terrorist attacks; The Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization; Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz; Former EVP of Public Affairs at Starbucks Vivek Varma; Maya Angelou; Washington DC plane crash; American Airlines; American Airlines CEO Robert Isom; Flight 1549; Former Head of People & Public Affairs at US Airways Elise Eberwein; First Officer, Flight 1549 Jeffrey Skiles; Heroes behind the Miracle on the Hudson; Levi Strauss & Co CEO Michelle Gass; Former Chairman and CEO of United Airlines Oscar Munoz; Former CEO, US Airways Doug Parker; Ubuntu “I am because you are”; Follow Jim ========= Follow the host and guest: Athena Koutsonikolas on LinkedIn & Jim Olson on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that equips companies aspiring to reach every employee with communication that inspires them to work together to achieve business outcomes. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including Berlin, London, New York City, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

How is the most powerful leadership skill also the most neglected — contributing to disengagement costing organizations an estimated 8.8 trillion dollars a year? In this compelling episode of the Aspire to Inspire Podcast, globally renowned speaker and TED Talk legend Julian Treasure joins host Lottie Bazley to unpack the invisible influence of sound on our work, behavior, and communication. From the neuroscience of noise to the business cost of disengagement, Julian explains why failing to really listen could be your organization’s most expensive mistake. Julian shares insights from his new book Sound Affects and explains how sound shapes our biology, cognition, emotions, and behavior — often without us noticing. Whether you're designing a workplace, leading a team, or just trying to be heard, this episode delivers powerful strategies to elevate your voice and deepen your impact. With tips on improving vocal presence, embracing silence, and becoming a more conscious communicator, this conversation is your wake-up call to start listening with intention. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: How to be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening; Sound Affects by Julian Treasure; Julian Treasure TED Talks; The Listening Society free trial; Julian Treasure Ltd.; Gallup disengagement study; BP service station birdsong; Study on wine and music; Radio 2; Julian’s concept of “savoring”; Geophony; Biophony; Anthropophony; David Rothenberg; “How to Speak So That People Want to Listen”; Margaret Thatcher; Prosody; The Corporate Fool by David Firth; Hyrum Smith; Franklin Covey; Steven Covey; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; “How to Stop Your CEO from Saying Stupid Sh*t” Infernal Communications episode ========= Follow the host and guest: Lottie Bazley on LinkedIn & Julian Treasure on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that equips companies aspiring to reach every employee with communication that inspires them to work together to achieve business outcomes. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including Berlin, London, New York City, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

Join Emma Fischer, Content Marketing Manager at Staffbase, as she sits down with Miri Rodriguez—CEO of Empressa AI, award-winning storyteller, and Microsoft veteran—for a moving conversation about ethical AI, women’s voices, and the power of storytelling. In this deeply personal and visionary episode, Miri breaks down how Empressa is challenging the norms of generative AI by sourcing real insights from women around the world—including returning value to them through royalties and representation. From emotional honesty in tech to rewriting your origin story as a path to personal power, Miri shares practical frameworks, vulnerable experiences, and bold calls to action for women and allies alike. She dives into the challenges of being heard in a male-dominated space, the biases baked into today’s LLMs, and why storytelling is the cornerstone of inclusive leadership. Whether you're a tech skeptic or an AI enthusiast, this episode will leave you rethinking how we build, who we include, and why emotion may be our most valuable innovation. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Empressa.ai; ChatGPT; Outlier AI; Pia Frey; Pia Frey on Aspire to Inspire; Gemini; Brené Brown; Azure Stack; Microsoft Azure; Microsoft; The Women of Microsoft: Empowering Stories from the Minds that Coded the World; Miri Rodriguez Microsoft articles; Postpartum depression resources; Emma Fischer website; Terry Szuplat; Terry Szuplat on Aspire to Inspire; Rosa Parks; Gender parity; Miri Rodriguez website; Miri Rodriguez LinkedIn ========= Follow the host and guest: Emma Fischer on LinkedIn & Miri Rodriguez on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

In this episode of the Aspire to Inspire Podcast, host Lottie Bazley sits down with Terry Szuplat, former senior speechwriter to President Barack Obama and bestselling author of Say It Well. They dive into the power of storytelling, the emotional impact of authenticity, and why every person—regardless of title—has a story worth telling. Terry shares behind-the-scenes White House moments, practical communication tools, and insight on writing speeches that move people—not just inform them. Whether you’re delivering a keynote, a wedding toast, or an internal company update, Terry believes that every one of us has a story worth telling. This episode is filled with insights into how to find your voice, write with impact, and speak with clarity and conviction. For communicators, leaders, and anyone who’s ever said “I don’t know what to say,” this is a must-listen. Terry Szuplat is a former Obama speechwriter and the bestselling author of SAY IT WELL: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience. He served nearly eight years in the White House, including as Deputy Director of Speechwriting and one of President Obama’s foreign policy speechwriters. Today, he’s a keynote speaker, trainer, and adjunct professor at American University who helps leaders inspire audiences around the world. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Barack Obama; Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience; Terry Szuplat Bio; The White House; John F. Kennedy; Hyannis Port, Massachusetts; Kennedy Clan; President Kennedy’s greatest speeches; American University; Marriage equality in the United States; The Boston Marathon Bombing; Barack Obama Boston Marathon speech; Army Ranger Cory Remsburg; Fort Knox; Stump speeches in politics; Abolitionism; American Civil Rights Movement; Steve Jobs; Stanford; Steve Jobs speech at Stanford; Inside Steve Jobs’ Stanford speech; Bill McRaven; The University of Texas; Habitat for Humanity; Global Voices Communication; Terry Szuplat LinkedIn ========= Follow the host and guest: Lottie Bazley on LinkedIn & Terry Szuplat on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

What do TED speakers, UN officials, and CEOs have in common? When they need to speak with clarity and confidence under pressure, they call Matt Abrahams. In this episode of the Aspire to Inspire Podcast, Matt Abrahams—Stanford lecturer, author, and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast—joins host Athena Koutsonikolas to share practical insights into spontaneous speaking. From managing anxiety to answering difficult questions with confidence, Matt offers science-backed strategies and personal techniques to help anyone sound—and feel—more self-assured in high-pressure moments. Whether you struggle with small talk, want to command a room, or just need to stop blanking in meetings, consider this your playbook for clear, compelling communication. If you’ve ever struggled to find the right words in the moment, this episode is for you. Matt Abrahams is a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot and Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, and the host of Think Fast, Talk Smart The Podcast. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast; Think Faster, Talk Smarter book; Think Fast Talk Smart (TFTS) Communication LLC; Stanford University Graduate School of Business; TED Talks; BLUF communication approach; Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting; Tongue twisters for public speaking; The spotlight effect; NFL Referee Brad Rodgers; Rachel Greenwald; Uptalk/upspeak ========= Follow the host and guest: Athena Koutsonikolas on LinkedIn & Matt Abrahams on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

How can lessons from cybersecurity lead to revelations about communicating under pressure? Join Staffbase SVP & GM David Maffei as he sits down with Tom Wentworth, CMO at incident.io, to unpack the biggest challenges leaders face in modern crisis communications. In this high-stakes episode, they explore why fear is the #1 silent killer in leadership communication, how executives can own the narrative during a crisis, and the cybersecurity lessons every business must learn to protect their reputation. With firsthand insights from the CrowdStrike crisis, Boeing’s PR disaster, and AI’s growing role in corporate risk, Tom shares why clarity beats complexity and how the right communication strategy can save your brand from catastrophe. Whether you're a CXO, marketer, or crisis manager, this conversation is packed with actionable takeaways on building trust, preventing misinformation, and using AI to stay ahead of threats. Tune in now and discover how to lead with confidence when the stakes are high. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: incident.io; MasterCard and Recorded Future deal; Recorded Future; MasterCard; Cold Plunging; Boeing 737 MAX Crisis; CrowdStrike; CrowdStrike outage explained; Heathrow Airport; George Kurtz; Delta Air Lines; McAfee; Log4j Cybersecurity Incident; Elon Musk; Tim Cook; OpenAI; DeepSeek AI Model; NVIDIA H100 Chips; PagerDuty; Cursor AI ========= Follow the host and guest: David Maffei on LinkedIn & Tom Wentworth on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

Join Staffbase Head of Content Brian Tomlinson as he speaks with Stephanie Roberts, Chief Communications Officer at Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems, to explore the evolving role of internal communications in modern organizations. Stephanie shares insights on why comms should report directly to the CEO, how to influence leadership, and why AI still can’t replace human connection. In this episode, Stephanie unpacks the challenges of engaging frontline workers, the importance of cultural nuances in global comms, and how storytelling can make even the most technical products compelling. She also reveals why every executive needs to be active on LinkedIn — and how communicators can make it happen. Whether you’re leading comms, advising executives, or rethinking your internal strategy, this conversation is full of actionable insights to help you drive real impact. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems; Bellagio Hotel; The Bellagio fountains (powered by Hitachi compressors); LinkedIn; Burning dog meme; Google Cloud; Stephanie Roberts Website ========= Follow the host and guest: Brian Tomlinson on LinkedIn & Stephanie Roberts on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

Staffbase Chief People Officer Neil Morrison sits down with Chequan Lewis, President of Crunch Fitness, to explore his unique journey from law to leadership. Chequan shares his core values, his belief in unlocking people’s full potential, and how a culture of inclusivity, consistency, and radical grace has shaped his leadership style. He reflects on key lessons from his time at Yum! Brands and Pizza Hut, the transition into the fitness industry, and how he’s driving exponential growth at Crunch while keeping a strong focus on people and purpose. Beyond business strategy, this conversation dives deep into what makes leadership truly transformative — from empowering frontline employees to creating legendary customer experiences. Chequan discusses the power of authenticity, recognition, and vulnerability in leadership, along with the critical role of businesses in community impact. Whether you’re a leader navigating high-paced growth or someone looking for actionable insights on purpose-driven leadership, this episode is packed with real talk, real lessons, and real inspiration. ========= Selected People, Places & Things Mentioned: Crunch Fitness; Pizza Hut; Howard University; McMaster-Carr Supply Company; Harvard University; Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex; Yum! Brands; The Wall Street Journal; Crunch+ Platform; Dak Prescott; Dallas Cowboys; Crunch 3.0 Concept; Fannie Lou Hamer ========= Follow the host and guest: Neil Morrison on LinkedIn & Chequan Lewis on LinkedIn ========= Join the You’ve Got Comms newsletter: https://insights.staffbase.com/join-the-comms-club Follow Staffbase: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffbase/mycompany/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Staffbase ========= About Staffbase: Staffbase is the fastest-growing, most experienced employee communications platform provider for enterprise companies seeking to inspire diverse, disconnected, and distributed workforces. Staffbase is on a mission to empower communicators worldwide with a platform that helps companies connect with every employee through inspiring communication that drives collaboration and achieves business results. Headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, Staffbase has offices worldwide, including New York City, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Vancouver. Learn more at staffbase.com.

Stacey Jones, Chief Communicator at Honeywell, shares her expertise in leading communications for a global tech giant. She discusses how aligning 100,000 employees with a 'North Star' strategy enhances clarity and engagement. Stacey reveals the transformative impact of AI on communication while underscoring the importance of human judgment and strong storytelling. She also warns against common communication pitfalls during change and advocates for quality metrics over quantity in measuring effectiveness. This insightful dialogue is packed with actionable strategies for corporate leaders.