In this insightful episode of #KatieTalks, I sit down with Zora Artis, a globally recognized expert in strategic alignment, brand experience, and leadership. Zora shares her wealth of knowledge on how leaders can drive meaningful change by aligning purpose, vision, values, and brand promise across their organizations.

We kick off with a memorable story from Zora’s stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, where a thoughtful gesture turned a routine stay into an unforgettable experience. Zora explains how leaders can cultivate a culture where employees are empowered to go above and beyond, creating lasting loyalty that justifies a premium for the brand.

We also explore Zora’s groundbreaking Three C Plus model, designed to help organizations embed purpose and values into their daily operations. Zora illustrates the power of strategic alignment through examples like Bon Jovi’s brand loyalty, Queen’s iconic Wembley performance, and Taylor Swift’s perfectly orchestrated concerts. These examples provide a powerful blueprint for organizations striving to achieve the same level of cohesion and impact in their brand experience.

Zora also shares her research, which shows that only 13% of organizations are truly aligned, and discusses the barriers leaders face in achieving alignment. Finally, we explore the intersection of AI, leadership, and wisdom, and how leaders can maintain a balance between curiosity and experience in a rapidly changing world.

**Key Topics Discussed:**

1. **Creating a Culture of Exceptional Experiences:**

   - How a thoughtful gesture at the Four Seasons Hotel provides a lesson in building lasting loyalty through unforgettable customer experiences.

1. **Strategic Alignment in Action:**

   - How aligning purpose, vision, values, and brand promise can empower leaders to create brand experiences that resonate emotionally with customers and stakeholders.

1. **The Three C Plus Model:**

   - How Zora’s innovative model helps organizations embed purpose and values into their daily operations, ensuring alignment across all touchpoints.

1. **Lessons from Bon Jovi, Queen, and Taylor Swift:**

   - What leaders can learn from Bon Jovi’s sustained brand loyalty, Queen’s iconic performance, and Taylor Swift’s perfectly orchestrated concerts about creating cohesive, impactful brand experiences.

1. **Overcoming Barriers to Alignment:**

   - Why only 13% of organizations are truly aligned and how leaders can overcome the significant barriers to make alignment a core strength.

1. **The Role of AI in Leadership:**

   - How leaders can balance a beginner’s mindset with wisdom to guide their organizations through technological and cultural shifts.

**Tune in to discover:**

- How to foster a culture where above-and-beyond experiences become the norm, not the exception.

- The importance of alignment in driving meaningful change and creating unforgettable brand experiences.

- Insights into overcoming alignment challenges and the role of AI in shaping modern leadership.

In this episode of #KatieTalks, I sit down with Bec Dyce, a highly credentialed expert in digital marketing and social media, particularly in the B2B space. Bec shares her insights on how it’s critical for B2B marketers to adapt to the ever-evolving digital landscape, with a focus on leveraging platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and podcasts to create meaningful engagement and long-term success.

We explore the profound shift in how users interact with search engines, with many now relying on zero-click searches, and what this means for B2B strategies. Bec also emphasizes the importance of delivering real value to collect first-party data as the digital landscape continues to shift.

Bec shares a compelling case study from our recent collaboration on a graduate recruitment strategy for a consulting firm. With a modest $1,600 investment in a TikTok campaign, we achieved a 300% increase in views and applications. We discuss the importance of understanding platform demographics and how to maximize ROI in a B2B context.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. The Impact of Zero-Click Searches on B2B Marketing:

• How the rise of zero-click searches is changing the game for B2B marketers and what strategies they should employ to stay ahead.

• A case study on using TikTok to drive significant engagement in a B2B setting, resulting in a 300% increase in views and applications, and why this platform shouldn’t be overlooked.

• How B2B marketers can harness the power of LinkedIn, TikTok, and podcasts to stand out and build lasting connections with their audience.

• Strategies for maintaining personalized marketing efforts while respecting user privacy in a rapidly changing digital environment.

Tune in to discover:

• The latest trends and opportunities in B2B social media marketing.
• How to stay ahead of the curve in a world increasingly shaped by digital innovation.
• Actionable insights from one of the industry’s leading experts on maximizing your B2B marketing efforts.

My guest today is the formidable Maz Farrelly, former Executive Editor of Format Entertainment at the BBC in London (think Big Brother,  Celebrity Apprentice + Q+A on ABC) and now CEO Whisperer and Social Commentator.  Maz's content has over 8 billion views and you're going to want to take a listen, she's fantastic.

We cover a lot of topics including the work that Maz does with senior business leaders.  The starting point in any such gig is a 'boring audit' a concept that I love.  We discuss the fact that many professionals and leaders consciously make themselves less interesting  and tone themselves down in professional settings.  Whereas, the way to be most impactful is to be charismatic and interesting, Maz draws stories out of leaders. 

Drawing on the 10,000 plus interviews that she has conducted over her career Maz coaches leaders to be more impactful saying that when she first meets a person she knows from our attire how wealthy, educated and confident a person is.  We all make these judgements, and Maz teaches how to improve the way that you come across.  The other key components that she teaches are:

• Body language what does it say about you - do you smile, make eye content
• Content what you say
• Delivery how you deliver it?

We also discuss the fact that Covid19 'stay home and wear a mask' messaging isn't hitting the mark.  Maz talks me through the way that she's approach it: scary, called 'how to kill your friends', infrared - virus moving, then one little domino, very scary.  We recorded this during stage four lockdown in Melbourne, I'm a strong advocate of her suggestions; Dan and Brett if you're listening!

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

Back on the podcast is Richard Yetsenga Chief Economist and Head of Research at ANZ.  The first time I interviewed Richard turned out to be the last week that we were working in an office. 

I have been listening to a lot of Richard's commentary and analysis through the pandemic and I was keen to explore some of it in more detail.  We talk about inequality, technology, climate change and geopolitics - all of which are being particularly impacted by the pandemic.

We also cover the 20 minute suburb, social housing and the increasing influence of voters under 35.  We cover a lot of interesting ground, you'll be smarter at the end of the episode. 

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

*You can follow Richard at @ricyet.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

In this Covid19 period of significant change, how we work and connect with each other, both within and outside our organisations, is critical to the success of the strategy. 

My guest today is Jon Burgess a thought leader in people advocacy and collaboration.  Jon is also a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School.  This podcast is a conversation about connectedness.  Jon's great passion is helping leaders and organisations to develop and maintain a competitive advantage through a deeper approach to relationship building. 

Since the world and business landscape have changed so dramatically, Jon has been engaged by organisations globally, who have started reinvesting in greater connectivity during, for post COVID, both within and outside their organisation.

Our podcast includes some additional expertise from Deloitte chairperson Tom Imbesi and Senior Deloitte Partner Grant Hyde. 

Grant. Partner Deloitte.         https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/profiles/grant-hyde.html 

Tom. Chairman Deloitte.       

https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/profiles/tom-imbesi.html

Jon. Founder, Kwan              

https://www.kwan.com.au/people

We examine blind spots and how an organisation determines that their leaders and teams have the connectedness required, with relevant people around them to deliver on the organisation’s strategy.

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

My guest today is Richard Yetsenga Chief Economist and Head of Research at ANZ Bank.  This was always going to be interesting, throw into the mix a slightly tumultuous global pandemic and voila you have a great conversation.

We discuss Richard’s approach* to using Twitter in terms of the way that he publishes and influences dialogue. It was also interesting to hear that Twitter has been a key source of information for him as Covid19 evolves at a rapid pace. Central to this discussion is the importance of trustworthy content and we talk in detail about this critical issue. 

The ability to stay informed about news across the globe is vital for Richard and it’s always interesting to hear how influential time poor people do this. We discuss ‘reading aggressively’ and his go to publications.

We also talk about the fact the Alanis Morissette has a lot to answer following a study that Richard describes which charts song lyrics from the 1990s to now show a steady move from focus on love to more around hate. Isn’t it ironic?! 

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

*You can follow Richard at @ricyet.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

My guest today is Bronwyn Bate - CEO and Founder of Mettle Women, a social entrepreneur turning empathy into action.   This is a remarkable influencer story.  As a (former) court reporter Bronwyn met lots of inspiring women but realised that when domestic violence victims don't have financial independence, 52% who have escaped dangerous situations return to the system. 

Bronwyn made good use of her communications background and recognised that an important mechanism for success would be to get women into work.  And so harnessing the power of a conscious consumer, she founded Mettle Women Inc a social enterprise which creates sustainable employment paths for survivors of domestic and family violence. 

I came across Mettle on Twitter in the lead up to Christmas and loved the concept, including the fact that many of their products are made by small local Western Australian organisations.

The ingenuity of Mettle Gifts has been recognised by Marie Claire magazine, whose April Australian edition will feature Bronwyn and her team.  You can read more and shop at https://www.mettlegifts.com/

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

Katie Talks is back for 2020 and my first guest is an interesting one.  Graeme Bowman is well known as a keynote speaker, writer, corporate comedian and hoax speaker.  Graeme uses his 34 years' experience in the arts to raise consciousness around the ways that systematic patriarchy plays out within male dominated organisations. 

You may wonder what a self-professed 'old straight white male' can do about this. I did too, listen for some fresh perspectives.

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This episode of #KatieTalks is an interview with organisational psychologist, aka Cultural Change Whisperer, Board Capability advisor and beekeeper Stella Voules.

If you're interested in culture this is the podcast for you.

We cover a range of fascinating topics including the way that leadership has evolved over the last decade, with a significant increase in access (to leaders) and transparency.  Stella talks about how this started in Silicon Valley with a firm antiestablishment movement which can be witnessed well beyond the corporate world.  We talk about how this as created a shift in power dynamics, with employees having more of a voice than ever before.We explore the opportunities in all this for leaders and employers, citing Edelman Trust Barometer findings that people trust their employer much more than government or the media. 

We hear why Stella is such a big fan of futurists and about highly innovative organisations that employ them, without a position description and give them three months to explore the organisation and determine where they can have the most impact!

Another interesting topic is why when founding JOST, Stella and her business partner ignored advice that they appoint one CEO rather than both act as co-CEO, and why this is proving to be a highly successful approach.

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This episode of #KatieTalks delves into some interesting themes with Recruiter, Coach and Professional Services Trainer Katherine Mountford, including how pivotal LinkedIn should be in building one's personal brand and eminence.  We build on this theme exploring a recent blog that Katherine wrote after she interviewed a senior leader who said that they 'don't do digital'.  It elicited some pretty strong feedback on both sides,

Katherine has a number of tips (six in fact) for professionals looking to move from one industry to another which is something that this interviewer recently did.

We also explore the concept of a balanced life and Katherine talks us through her personal check list to manage energy levels and the demands of a new consultancy with her many other passions.

This is an upbeat, interesting listen and you'll be sure to finish feeling ready to incorporate a few clever tips into the way that you work. 

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

On this episode of #KatieTalks is story teller and content maestro Neil Glaser. 

We are living in an era when business is firmly changing its approach to creating content.  We are embracing a move away from enormous reports that senior leaders don't have time to read and embracing shorter, bite sized snackable, easy to consume.  In this new more client centric world I couldn't think of a better person to interview than Deloitte's Head of Editorial, industry speaker and former serial co-collaborator Neil Glaser.  

Neil shares his top five tips for creating compelling content that will help you to improve your own writing, in whatever form that takes.  He also shares some interesting statistics including the fact that poor business writing costs around $400 billion dollar per annum.

My favourite tip (a difficult choice) was to make every word count, Neil tells us that writers often have compulsion towards very lengthy content.  This was superbly illustrated by our narrator who tells of a bet that Ernest Hemmingway's friends placed as to who could write a cutting story in only 6 words:

For sale, baby shoes, never worn. 

You won’t be surprised to hear that Mr Hemmingway won.

Disclaimer, this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

This episode of Katie Talks is an interview with Megumi Miki, Founder of Quietly Powerful + Author, Speaker and Facilitator in Leadership/Culture/Diversity. 

Creating context for this interview is a quote from the current MI6 chief who revealed that he searches specifically for recruits who do not shout loud and show off but who have had to fight to get on in life. 

The title of Megumi's first book is 'Start Inspiring, Stop Driving' and this is a fascinating conversation about a move from an extended consulting project, existing on two or three hours of sleep a night and having a client who was early starter with 6.30am meetings.  Megumi talks me through her evolution from there through to being a sought after, highly influential presenter and consultant. 

This conversation includes a number of lessons learned around running one's life based on other people's expectations and maintaining passion and connecting with other people. 

I greatly enjoyed our conversation and I'm confident that you will too. 

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter 

In this episode of #KatieTalks, I’m joined by David Imber, a strategist whose unparalleled expertise in crisis management and communications makes him the trusted advisor behind the scenes for some of the most distinguished brands, organizations, senior leaders, and C-suite executives. David isn’t the face you see in the media, but those who are in the spotlight—and the boardroom—rely on his insights to navigate the most complex and high-stakes situations.

We delve into the often misunderstood value of conflict and how it can actually serve as a catalyst for innovation and strategic clarity. David presents a masterclass in crisis management, where he underscores a crucial truth: crises aren’t about protecting your own image—they’re about being in service to your clients, customers, and stakeholders. He makes it clear that in a crisis, silence isn’t golden; it’s a perilous void that others will fill if you don’t. This episode is brimming with the kind of insights that only someone with David’s extensive experience—working with brands, senior leaders, C-suite executives, and organizations who set the standard—can offer.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. Rethinking Conflict in Business:

• David discusses how conflict, often viewed as a negative, can be harnessed to sharpen decision-making and drive meaningful outcomes.
• We explore how, much like competition in sports, conflict in business can be a powerful force—if approached with the right mindset.

• David breaks down the critical missteps that leaders and organizations often make during crises, from poor information flows to the damaging consequences of a leader’s reluctance to apologize.
• He highlights how many leaders mistakenly see a crisis as something happening to them, rather than as a situation that impacts their market and stakeholders. This perspective is often where things begin to go awry.

• David explains that the most effective crisis communication strategies begin long before the crisis hits—with strong feedback loops, robust internal processes, and clear decision-making frameworks.
• A key insight: During a crisis, silence isn’t golden—it’s dangerous. If you don’t control the narrative, someone else will, and it might not be to your advantage.
• David emphasizes that a crisis isn’t about safeguarding your reputation—it’s about being in service to your clients, customers, and stakeholders. This approach is your best opportunity to rebuild and regain trust.

Referenced Material:

• David’s recent blog post, Crisis Communications: Five Top Tips, where he elaborates further on these strategies.

Tune in to hear more about:

• How to approach conflict in a way that strengthens your strategic decisions.
• The anatomy of a poorly managed crisis, and how to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale.
• Practical, insider tips on fortifying your organization’s crisis communication strategies.

On this episode of #KatieTalks is the formidable Emily Bates - Marketing Director | CMO |Visionary Leader Brand Specialist | CXO and Non-Executive Director.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with a fellow marketer and it confirmed that doing the Australian Institute of Company Director course is something that  I will do.  Emily spoke about the tremendous amount of value that marketers can contribute to a board.  We brings customer centric thinking and help to ensure better outcomes by keeping customers at the centre of decision making.

Don't be satisfied with average - think really big and then make it happen.  What could we possibly do that would make it awesome!

Emily shares the Best piece of (business) advice that she ever received which was from creative maestro Todd Sampson.  This stresses the importance of crafting a problem statement before you even think about the creative solution and has deeply informed her career.

We also discuss Emily's work on the board of Dress for Success, empowering many women with interview clothing and employment workshops and supporting them to provide for their families.   They are also in need of more corporate sponsors if any listeners are in a position to help.

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

On this episode of #KatieTalks is Andy Evans, reformed lawyer and CEO of Star of the South, Australia’s first offshore wind farm, which is being proposed off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.  If successful the project will provide  18% of Victoria's power.

Andy is incredibly frank about his grappling with the fact that his career was not fulfilling him and the steps that he took to create a professional focus that was much more purposeful - which includes combining renewable energy and wine!

We also talk about how enriching to relationships it can be if you  share your vulnerability and the fact that people bond with you if you are authentic on this front.

Andy also shares a very personal story from when he lost his Dad at a young age and a friend's father shared something with him that continues to inspire him regularly.

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

On this episode of #KatieTalks is the highly esteemed Natasha Norton.  Natasha is CEO of Accuteque, NED, Diversity Champion, Sports Tragic, Australian LGBTI Awards Finalist and Telstra Business Womens' Awards Finalist.

We cover a lot of interesting topics including the enormous benefits of diversity in all its forms, why sometimes being a good leader is about pushing your team forward to take charge and the how important it is to operate outside your comfort zone.

We also discuss Soul Machines* a venture set up by an Academy Award winner to create a more human experience with machines.  I found our conversation about the founder's move from Hollywood to the corporate world to be fascinating.

I was surprised to learn that Natasha is an introvert, she shares some great suggestions on walking into a large room for people she doesn't know. 

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

*Note Natasha is not associated with Soul Machines, merely really interested

This week I interview one of my favourite Deloitte partners, Vera Ou-Young.  Vera is the  National Leader of the Deloitte Chinese Services Group which has responsibility for facilitating strong relationships with clients who work across both Australia and China. 

Vera speaks seven (!) languages and shares some interesting thoughts about creating legacy and why mentoring the next generations of leaders, especially women is so important to her.

My favourite part of this interview is Vera sharing some of the ways that she maintains a strong mindset, including the fact that she has a fortnightly routine of picking out and celebrating a success.  Listen in to hear the full story, it's fantastic.

You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com

How To Have More Energy

This is the first in a 6 part series looking at various facets of wellness.  It's a topic that has come up in conversation on a number of my recent podcasts and feedback suggests that people don't feel especially comfortable talking about it at work.  So we're doing just that! 

First in the series is a fascinating conversation with Sean Hall whom you may well know from his Tedx talk about How To Have More Energy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPp6RovIvxs

Sean is the Founder of Energx.  This is one of the most inspiring conversations that I've had this year and I talk to lots of interesting people!  You'll learn what life hacking is and how very easily you can increase your energy 30%.  I challenge you to introduce me to a person who doesn't find that appealing.

Sean talks us through the energy crisis indicators including:

·        A lack of meaning in what we're doing, or a lack of purpose

·        Feeling overwhelmed

·        Negative self-talk

·        Waking up tired

·        Emotional regulation, being stressed and irritated at little things

·        Feeling disconnected, lonely, isolated

More importantly we talk about solutions to these issues.  This is a long listen but I promise it's worth the time.

This episode is an interview with Rob Steers, Head of Digital and Partner at Step Change. Any conversation with Rob is interesting and I come away a bit smarter, this one is no exception.

Some of our topics include:

·        The blurring of personal and professional lives (and why this is a good thing)

·        Increasing transparency in terms of where money is coming from on social media

·        Evolving personal control over how owns your data and content

·        Rob's predictions about blockchain facilitating what we're doing on social media

Mat Dunckley, National Business Editor The Age and Sydney Morning Herald is in the podcast studio with me this week.  This is a really interesting, far reaching conversation with somebody who plays a large role in shaping Australia's business news.  Topics include:

·        Global regulators looking at social media giants

·        Gender imbalance in the media and whether enough is done to improve the ledger

·        Consciously try to even the ledger

·        Mistakes that corporates and C Suite make when dealing with the media

·        The fact that about half his team are women, they write roughly half the stories and receive more than half traffic online

·        Some funny anecdotes from press conferences including Tony Blair + Julia Gillard

This is a long one, but Mat has a lot to say and it's worth the investment in time!

An inspiring and high energy start to the week releasing a podcast with the delightful and clever Katherine Mountford.  We discussed a number of topics and observations on business including career building and a favourite of mine, authenticity.

Are you a leader or professional  yearning to increase your influence, learn how to do it in 90 minutes a week?

Influencer and social oracle Amanda Gome is trusted by Australia's biggest corporates and organisations to transform their communications focusing on digital and social media.  This CEO of Notable Media and former Head of Digital and Social at ANZ Bank shares frank tips and advice.

If you're serious about business, this is not to be missed wisdom.

Welcome back to #KatieTalks for 2019.  There are heaps of great interviews in store for you this year, but to get started is an interview that will make you sit back and think about whether you really are committed to developing great relationships with colleagues and clients.

Senior Deloitte Partner Grant Hyde talks about two interesting themes, developing seriously incredible client service and authentic team leadership.  I have long been inspired by Grant's different and honed approach to building relationships, prepare to challenge your thinking.

Later in the episode we get into Grant's other true passion - his son's music pursuits and band #Syde.  But before that prepare for some really interesting content.

Thanks for listening, if you enjoy the episode please subscribe, write an awesome review (which helps other clever readers find our thought provoking content with a twist) on iTunes and tell your people about us.

In this episode of #KatieTalks, we dive into the compelling theme of curiosity with our esteemed guest, Susannah Goddard. A trusted advisor to board and executive-level stakeholders, Susannah has a career that spans various sectors, driven by her insatiable curiosity and dedication to understanding complex environments. Recorded after our encounter at the IABC Global Conference in Chicago, this conversation explores the nuances and significance of curiosity in both personal and professional realms.

Guest Bio: Susannah Goddard is a seasoned advisor renowned for her work with organizations that prioritize impact and innovation. With a T-shaped career that cuts across multiple sectors, Susannah excels in translating complexity and inspiring engagement. When she's not leading teams on meaningful projects, she indulges in her passion for reading.

Main Talking Points:

• Introduction to the episode’s theme and why curiosity matters
• Susannah’s background and how curiosity has shaped her career
• The importance of actively seeking out diverse perspectives and understanding our place in history
• Madeleine Albright’s perspective on consuming media from opposing viewpoints, highlighting the importance of broadening our understanding (for more insights, listen to her interview on  https://podcasts.apple.com/gh/podcast/madeleine-albright/id1305908387?i=1000409124718)
• How curiosity evolves with age and varies across generations
• Different types of curiosity: perceptual and epistemic
• The historical negative connotations of curiosity, especially for women, and how these perceptions have changed over time
• The benefits of curiosity in communications and personal development, including better learning, improved relationships, and increased empathy

Interesting Quotes:

• "Knowledge is power, but it is also empathy, imagination, innovation, invention, and creation."
• "Curiosity keeps us vigilant and gathering information about our constantly changing environment."

Additional Resources:

• SXSW Sydney’s Theme: The Future Belongs to the Curious
• Madeleine Albright's Legacy
• Mark Twain on Travel and Empathy

For more insights on the power of curiosity, subscribe to #KatieTalks on your favourite podcast platform, and don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

This week's podcast is with digital and social oracle Bec Dyce.

We explore a range of topics including how social companies are responding to issues surrounding fake news as well as some of the reasons that Bec has chosen a career that focuses on social. I learn something every time that I speak with Bec, you're going to really enjoy this discussion.

Fully disclosure, this podcast series has benefited from the deep expertise of my friend and colleague Bec.

I am delighted to share this week’s podcast with Deloitte’s Global Chief Marketing Officer Diana O’Brien.

Diana explores a number of really interesting learnings from her career including the fact that she sees great benefits to working globally much earlier in our careers. Some of the benefits include learning to listen more deeply and understanding the importance of empathy.

Diana shared with me that the one element that she would change about today’s business environment is that we should all be more kind. No consulting jargon there, a very straightforward and poignant thought. Listeners are also implored not to put other people in a box, rather when mentoring, ask questions that allow for different options.

I hope that you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed my conversation with Diana.

This week’s podcast is a really engaging one with one of Deloitte's senior marketing leaders.

Suzanne provides some sage advice on depersonalising things that are happening around you. Long may we remember that people almost never get out of bed thinking about how they are going to pi** us off today.

Suzanne encourages listeners to try to say yes to people and I really liked her suggestion that we do something better than they need to be done.

Find out somebody’s motivation and help them. You will enjoy this inspiring conversation.

This week's podcast is with John England, how until recently lead the Energy and Resources Practice for Deloitte in the US.

I first met John four years ago in Melbourne and was delighted to continue our conversation in his hometown of Houston. John had some really interesting observations on a number of topics including how he built his career, really listening to people and developing deep expertise.

You will also hear a delightful anecdote about how his daughters nearly fostered a dancing career, Nutcracker anyone?!

This week's podcast is with Andrew Slaughter, the Executive Director of Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions in Houston, the Energy Capital of the World. I first met Andrew several years ago and was delighted to continue our conversation in his adopted hometown of Houston.

This is a really interesting discussion with one of Deloitte's senior marketing leaders. Some key takeaways include shifting how you think about work and less about 'what's in it for me'. Amy implores listeners to think more about doing good work and about what you can contribute, what you will learn in any project.

We hear more about leading by doing great work and taking care of clients and people. We must take people along on the journey, and a big one for some of us extroverts, get comfortable with silence!

I particularly enjoyed Amy's pondering earlier in her career of 'Why are they always asking me to do things' (because Amy you have a phenomenal work ethic, verve and smarts) and her comment that she is 'fed by people' really resonated with me. You will really enjoy Amy's wisdom.

I spoke with Doug Ryder, 'Team Dimension Data' for Qhubeka Team Principal.

Doug is a South African cycling icon and Olympian turned leader of the first ever African registered team in the Tour de France.

The team also achieved it's bicycles change lives goal of raising funds to put 5000 students on bicycles.

I am fortunate to be spending two exciting months in Deloitte's Chicago office. I am delighted to have the opportunity to spend time with a number of our global experts, thinkers and leaders.

While immersing myself in a different culture, within a much larger team I am speaking to different leaders and sharing thought-provoking, relevant and influential takeaways.

I spoke Marlene Motyka Deloitte's Global Renewable Energy Lead, listen in for some great messages around shaping your career and how her career could have taken a very different turn.

The night before her 33rd birthday, today's guest Elle Sproll had just finished a half marathon in Hawaii, returned from a work trip to New Zealand and was about to meet a friend for an early birthday dinner (featuring plenty of rosé and karaoke).

Then, she found a lump in her breast. It turned out to be Triple Negative Breast Cancer: very rare and very aggressive. Definitely not the birthday present she had hoped for.

Elle was young, fit and excelling in her career as a Senior Marketing Leader at a Big 4 bank.   We discuss some of what followed and how Elle, ever the deep thinking cstomer centric marketer, came to form Own Your Health, supporting women on their journey back to health from cancer & career burnout.  We also cover:

• The chemo care kits that Elle has created.  They include the products that by by trial and error she found to be the most helpful to combat some of the horrific chemo side effects.
• Tips on being a kick ass support human when a friend is going through rough stuff
• How corporates can help their people who are in the depths of difficult times

You can read more about Elle's coaching and buy her chemo care kits here https://www.ownyourhealthcoach.com.au/

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at www.linkedin.com/in/katiebennettstenton or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Katherine Newton is a CEO doing impactful important work. 

Some of the key topics we cover are:

• When people stop doing things that they love, this can be an indictor that they're struggling
• Venting and discussing small issues can go a long way to stopping them becoming big problems
• If you do ask if someone is ok, really listen to their response and be genuinely interested (don't ask five minutes before a meeting or while scrolling on your phone)
• Prioritise staying in touch with people
• If you're a corporate and the only activity you to do to support mental health is put up RU Ok posters, don’t.  Instead be authentic with a variety of activities throughout the year, build support of mental health into everyday culture.

One insight that Katherine shared that particularly struck me as a marketer and mental health advocate was that when she's wearing the bright yellow RU OK tee shirt people approach her and want to talk.

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at www.linkedin.com/in/katiebennettstenton or Katie@bennett-stenton.com

If you're limping towards the end of 2021, in need of some recharging and downtime, this is the podcast for you.

This is an extremely insightful conversation with a professional whose superpower is helping humans and workplaces slay the energy vampires that cause burnout, crush creativity and stifle inclusion.  We discuss the elusive concept of balance and Sean talks us through three very specific practices to put in place to set boundaries and manage our energy. 

Listeners are encouraged to document how they will implement boundaries to manage:

• Technology and email: what time you'll put devices away and when you'll pick them up again, and when you'll open your first email of the day and what time you'll send the last one.
• Social media and news: approach social like you're joining for the first time and deciding how to use it, including only engaging with positive forces (no energy vampires).  Decide how often and when you'll consume news and avoid 'doom scrolling'.

People's access to you: embrace your chronotype (what most people understand as being an early bird versus a night owl) and share this information with colleagues.  Protect your optimal deep flow working time in your diary and  ask your team mates and respect those boundaries.

As I round out a second year in my beloved Melbourne, when we became the most locked down city on the globe and we hopefully farewell home schooling forever, I was really energised by this conversation.  It has given me lots of food for thought, which I plan to noodle over while I'm having a summer break.  I hope that you feel similarly inspired. 

Thanks for sticking with #KatieTalks over this most frenetic of years, wishing you a wonderful festive season and I look forward to being back in your ears in 2022.

Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal passion project, not associated with my professional role.

My guest today, who provides a great deal of food for thought about the impact of Covid and how we emerge from it is formidable psychologist Leah Fogarty.

We cover a lot of topics including the work that Leah has done supporting mental health as people grapple with Covid.  When the global pandemic was first impacting Australia last year, Leah developed a program for patients to support them in really uncertain times, which we discuss at length.

Leah's work is influenced by the fact that she is a former elite athlete.  A lot of her practice supports current athletes and we talk about this and some of the influences that we can all benefit from, irrespective of level of fitness.

We are hearing a great deal about how much mental health is suffering at the moment and we explore the post-traumatic stress program that Leah has created.  There are some incredibly beneficial messages that I took from this discussion and continue to adopt in my own life.

One of Leah's comments that has particularly stayed with me is that humans are the only species to judge things to be good or bad and that nature has designed us to see the negative.  This is a constructive message for many people to ponder.

We also explore some positive learnings from the impact of Covid, which has stripped back our needs.  Leah guides us that life should be designed, not a default we've fallen into.  Excellent food for thought. 

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This is an enriching conversation with a deep thinker who does a lot of work advising Boards and CEOs.  Or as her bio says she "gets sh*t done for equality and inclusion."

We explore a number of themes that Michelle focuses on with leaders.  She talks me through a common question that she asks about whether leaders would build an organisation the same way again, the answer is frequently intriguing.  In exploring this theme, Michelle invites leaders to think about the person they care most about and whether they would want that person to work with their organisation.  More often than not, asking senior people to think about a time about when they had no influence is the 'ah hah' moment that precedes a more diverse approach.

A key area of focus for Michelle is coaching clients to examine  how be thoughtful and create high performing teams while working remotely.  We discuss the fact that people feeling included, valued and respected are absolutely key in attracting, retaining and advancing all parts of a diverse workforce.

We talk about careers that 'soar' and the global platform that Michelle is establishing to support professionals who don't have access to women's leadership training program.   This is a really inspiring listen which really energised me seven months in to working from home and home schooling during this global pandemic.

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

If you're feeling the need to turbocharge your motivation as you settle into month sevenish, dealing with Covid, this is the conversation for you.  My guest has 14+ years pedigree of Fortune 500 companies and advises organisations and leaders on creating environments where smart, self-motivating, innovative individuals thrive.

We discuss the concept of interconnected, distributed teams which  is an interesting concept.  It is also critical to the way that we're working now as many of us have lost that regular 'in person' way, incidental communication with our colleagues. 

We cover a lot of interesting topics, but most inspirational for me was our discussion about the five levels of distributed teams.  This concept was created by Matt Mullenweg who founded WordPress.  You can read more about it here.   https://ma.tt/2020/04/five-levels-of-autonomy/

While change is a constant, this has been a year of greater than normal change, with COVID-19 disrupting our personal lives and work in a way not seen in recent history. This has created some lasting impacts but also some opportunities for the better.  Hiam talks about the way that workplaces are taking time to think about the value they create in the world and she is  starting to see some of this in her work, reigniting passion in their people, really connect back to that core piece.

Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.

Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This episode is a little different… and a little more uncomfortable (in the best possible way).

For the first time on #KatieTalks, Katie is in the hot seat. Interviewed by Ike Levick, this is a sharp, honest and slightly cheeky unpack of what it actually takes to win the Australian Marketing Institute Certified Practising Marketer of the Year award.

And… very timely, given entries for this year’s awards have just opened. No pressure.

Spoiler: it’s not about playing it safe, being polite, or waiting your turn.

In this conversation, we get into:

• Why applying for awards (even when your inner critic is having a full-blown moment) is a strategic move, not a vanity exercise
• The real reason bold, future-focused marketing wins… when it’s anchored in commercial reality, not just pretty ideas
• Why your point of view isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s your edge, your leverage, your difference
• How to think well beyond the brief (and then calmly work backwards to make the “impossible” happen)
• A standout case study: a TikTok-led grad campaign delivering 300% uplift on a ~$1,600 spend
• Fractional leadership and why smart organisations are increasingly buying sharp thinking, not just headcount
• The non-negotiables: curiosity, networks, and staying uncomfortably close to what’s next (yes, AI — whether you like it or not)
• Why lifting the standard of the marketing profession — and backing the next generation — is not optional if we want to be taken seriously

It’s part strategy, part career reality check, and part gentle (read: not that gentle) nudge to stop playing small.

Because the work that gets noticed, funded and talked about?

It’s usually the idea someone almost didn’t say out loud.

🔗 Resources mentioned

• Ike Levick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ikelevick/
• Australian Marketing Institute: https://ami.org.au/
• Edelman Trust Barometer: https://www.edelman.com/trust/trust-barometer

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to back yourself, take the bigger swing, or throw your hat in the ring… this might be it.

To lead well, and communicate brilliantly, we have to understand the people shaping the world around us. Gen Z already makes up around 60 percent of the global workforce, and while they’re not yet the senior decision-makers in most organisations, their influence on culture, communication and consumer behaviour is undeniable. For leaders, marketers and strategists, grasping these generational shifts isn’t optional; it’s how you stay relevant.

In this episode of Katie Talks, Katie Bennett-Stenton speaks with India Starr, a graduate researcher at the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, about the findings from the 2025 Global Communication Report: Mind the Gap.

Katie met India at the IABC World Conference in Vancouver, where India spoke on a panel exploring how generational perspectives are reshaping communication, influence and leadership. Together, they unpack what the research reveals about the friction, and opportunity, between those creating messages and those consuming them.

In this conversation, they explore:

• Why every generation believes it’s the most informed, and what that reveals about trust, truth and the stories we choose to believe.
• How older communicators still see a New York Times feature or CNN segment as the ultimate campaign milestone, while younger professionals see a Taylor Swift endorsement as the best it gets.
• The nuanced differences in how each cohort consumes and evaluates information, less about platforms, more about authenticity and alignment with values.
• What the research shows about AI, creativity and ethics, and why younger communicators see technology as a creative partner, not a threat.
• How leaders and marketers can use these insights to build communication that resonates across generations and expectations This is a smart, data-driven and distinctly human conversation about what it means to connect meaningfully across generations and why those who understand these dynamics will shape the future of communication.

About the Guest:

India Starr is a graduate student at the University of Southern California, where she contributes to the Center for Public Relations’ Global Communication Report. Her research explores generational dynamics, evolving media behaviours and the intersection of technology, trust and influence.

In this candid and deeply human conversation, Katie Bennett-Stenton sits down with Sally Spicer,  Communications Director at Future Women, to talk about the moment when relentless ambition collides with real life.

Sally is a two-time Mumbrella award-winner, this year named Journalist of the Year (2025 Mumbrella Publish Awards), and last year recognised for her exceptional work as Executive Producer of There’s No Place Like Home, a powerful podcast on domestic and family violence.

But behind the accolades was a story few knew: burnout, ADHD, and the courage to stop.

In this conversation, Katie and Sally explore:

• How overachievement and anxiety often disguise themselves as dedication.
• The fine line between purpose and overwork — and what happens when identity becomes productivity.
• How an ADHD diagnosis reframed Sally’s view of herself from broken to wired differently.
• What leaders can learn about neurodiversity, sustainability, and genuine support.
• Why giving yourself grace might just be the most radical form of self-care.

Sally’s honesty and humour offer a masterclass in reframing success, from constant output to conscious living.

Read Sally’s article:

“I’ve always worked too hard. It took an ADHD diagnosis and a breakdown to change that.” – The Age / Sydney Morning Herald

Read it here.

What happens when more than 70,000 women get to shape the life of one fictional character? You spark a national conversation that’s part data, part dignity — and 100% insight.

In this episode of #KatieTalks, I speak with the formidable Helen McCabe, Founder and Managing Director of Future Women, about the powerhouse campaign Choose Her Own Adventure — and why it resonated so deeply across generations of Australian women. We unpack how the campaign blended content, advocacy and audience participation in a way that made people feel before they analysed — and what that signals for leaders, marketers, and organisations trying to cut through.

From gendered assumptions about money to digital engagement that actually works, Helen doesn’t hold back.

“This campaign was about freedom. Being able to make your own decisions — and be the owner of your own destiny.” – Helen McCabe

In this conversation, we explore:

• The strategic architecture behind Choose Her Own Adventure — and what made it more than a viral moment
• Why women voting for Anna made such “sensible decisions” — and what that says about how we frame advice vs how we act
• How Future Women’s Jobs Academy succeeded by “creating the community first” — and what marketers can learn from that model
• The future of newsletters, online communities, and targeted content ecosystems
• What too many brands still get wrong about professional women (“Stop thinking about women in terms of their age or whether they watch YouTube or read Vogue. Think about the decisions they’re actually making.”)
• What marketers can learn from FW’s reach and resonance without traditional media: “We’ve built a brand through the pureplay of Instagram and LinkedIn.”

For marketers and communicators, Helen’s advice is clear:

“Brands are desperate for this level of sophistication... Where you add narrative, emotional connection, and it feels like it’s about you. That’s the Holy Grail.”

She also offers a call to rethink how we segment female audiences — not by age or media consumption, but by decision-making power, professional identity, and influence.

And for leaders wondering what’s next, her own Choose Her Own Adventure moment? Retirement — or reinvention with a view of Provence. She's not sure yet. But she’ll be taking the call — rosé in hand.