Communication is hard. Being a communications professional is even harder. In each episode of Infernal Communication, we take a deeper look at the wild little fires communicators have to put out every day. We stop, drop and uncover the surprising reach of these oh-so-common problems in internal comms and beyond. Join Brian and Lottie from Staffbase as they speak with communication experts and people with some pretty wild stories. We'll ignite fresh perspectives that soothe the burn of any communication snafu, and help you think differently about life and work.
We’ve spent the whole second season of Infernal Communication talking about storytelling. So it’s time we focus on the other side of the conversation: listening. You know the old saying, we’ve got one mouth and two ears, yet for some reason, listening can really take a back seat to talking, let’s flip the script.
In this episode, former 9-1-...
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again (and again…), know your audience! Get specific and think of them early and often. It’s all too easy to try to be all things to all people, and casting too wide a net that can leave you connecting with no one. But sometimes getting very specific and using insider language leaves people out. Metaphors, allegories, and unique shared experiences can make u...
In the moment, it’s awful. And often for many moments afterwards, still awful. But inevitably we are going to embarrass ourselves, let’s figure out how to flip the script.
In this episode, we’ll hear the story of how restaurateur Will Beckett’s humour and kindness turned a very expensive mistake into great press and a boost in sales. Then, brandin...
Messing up is often all too easy. But then what? How do you make it right? You apologize and you make it good.
But the days of switching blame with, ‘sorry if’ or explaining away your responsibility with, ‘actually,’ are long gone. We expect better from our apologies. So, how do we do that— how do we apologize like we mean it? That’s where Marjori...
Why did I walk into this room? And, why was I pulling out my phone again? That’s right, to listen to Infernal Communication’s episode on memory.
Join us as we speak to two time Canadian memory champion, Francis Blondin about the power of memory palaces and how to access the untapped capability of our brains. We also speak with psychologist Dr. Tra...
There are so many uncomfortable conversations to be had, or avoided, depending on the day. But uncomfortable doesn’t have to be bad, it just means it isn’t easy.
In this episode, we dive into the notorious "F word" – Feedback! Without it, we might run around convinced we're flawless employees with perpetually minty-fresh breath, blissfully i...
We all put our foot in our mouths once in a while. A joke that isn’t funny for all the wrong reasons, going into too many details about just about anything, or slagging off your place of business. It's easy to do, but hard to bounce back from. In front of family or friends it can make for an uncomfortable meal, in front of an audience it can mean disaster.
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Those who like grammar, like it a lot. For the rest of us, it can be a bit of a nuisance. But, we do our best to follow the rules because bad grammar is a bad look. Whether we’re looking for love, a job or an apartment, improper grammar can take us out of the running.
But according to our experts these preconceived notions around grammatical rules...
The almighty internet algorithm, we know it's out there, dishing out content it thinks we care about most, but how does it really work? As communications pros, it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of tech giants who get to pick and choose what lights up our screens. But there’s a way to become active participants in these systems, rather than just passive users.
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Did you ever hear the one about Tough Laroque? No? Well, have we got a story for you.
Our guests are three Métis aunties and scholars, Sheila Laroque, Tanya Ball and Kayla Lar-Son. All three are lovers of books, they even have their own podcast called Book Women or masinahikan iskwêwak
The hero’s journey is a familiar tale. It’s an archetype that follows The Hero on a quest where challenges are faced, insights are gained, after which the hero returns home transformed. That’s it. Simple, and very well used (see The Matrix, StarWars, The Lion King, etc).
Join host Lottie Bazley as she takes us on a journey with a new storyline. Th...
Everybody’s got a story, but how do you best tell yours?
To delve into the depths of what makes a good story, we have storyteller extraordinaire, Kate Tellers to guide the way. She’s a host, director of MothWorks at The Moth, and co-author of the book How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling. The Moth is a non-profit stor...
Welcome back to Season 2 of Infernal Communication, where we take a deeper look at the wild little fires communicators have to put out every day. Join our hosts Lottie Bazley and Brian Tomlinson of Staffbase as they bring together experts, authors and even a former private eye – for fresh perspectives that will soothe the burn of your latest communication breakdown. We’ve got new ways to look a...
In this final episode of season one of Infernal Communication, join host Kyla Sims as she speaks with Genevieve Von Petzinger, paleo anthropologist and author of The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols, as well as Dan Everett, linguistic anthropologist, author, and one of only four second-language speakers of the Amazon Basin's Pirahã people. They’ll talk about what we know about our earliest communi...
Our host Kyla Sims chats with neuroscientist Dr. Carl Marci about what happens to our brain when we spend too much time online and what we can do to protect ourselves. Then, “Master of Decibels” Paul Mellor shares his tactics for making brands famous and cutting through all the noise.
Do you work in communications? Join us at Staffbase's VOICES Conference in NYC April 26-27th, 2023. Get your ticket at voices.staffbase.com/us and us...
Our host, Kyla Sims, sits down with writer and Yale English professor, Verlyn Klinkenborg, about how he teaches writing. Most of his students know how to write well, but do they understand how to think about writing? According to Verlyn, there is an important distinction. From sentence structure to personal motivation, this episode takes a deep look into what it means to be a “good writer.”
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...
Our host Kyla Sims chats with researcher and psychologist Dr. Sophie Wohltjen about the intricacies of human connection and what goes on in our brains when we look someone in the eye. Jennifer Britton joins in to discuss what it was like to work remotely before digital workspaces were even possible. From the neuroscience of eye contact to effective online leadership, this episode looks at whether we can really connect through remot...
Getting lost in translation is bound to happen when languages, accents, and cultures collide.
In this episode, our host Kyla Sims speaks to linguist and polyglot, Dr. Luis Miguel Rojas-Berscia, about how language works and what happens when languages and their variations don't quite line up. Global Communications Specialist, Heather Hansen, then weighs in on what we lose when we dub people “bad” English speakers. Hansen enc...
WARNING: This episode deals with sensitive subject matter, including school shootings, sexual harassment, and racism.
We all have to deliver bad news at some point, but is there a better way to do it?
First, we will speak with Tangia Renee Estrada, Co-founder of BIPOC Podcast Creators and Amplify BIPOC, about her experiences as a crisis comms professional, her learnings, and her regrets.
Next, we'll speak wi...
How are you?
Most of us answer without really thinking about it.
The truth is that many of us are not doing well — including those of us in the comms industry. In this episode, two brave communicators (Haleigh Brouillette, Sr. Comms Manager at Hudl & Tangia Renee Estrada, co-founder of BIPOC Podcast Creators and veteran communications pro) share their stories of burnout, loss, and mental health, to help break th...
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!