Less Chatter, More Matter: The Communications Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to another episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast!

This week, we're teaching you how to communicate like a human in a world of robotic, corporate jargon. We talk about the importance of clear, human-centric communication and how that influences your audience. We share some key tips and strategies for influencing others to adopt clearer communication practices, alongside some ways to help clarify your messaging.

Tune in to learn how to transform corporate jargon into meaningful and impactful messages.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Template packs
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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If we told you that taking your stakeholders for a walk could drastically improve your stakeholder relationships.... would you, a) believe us and b) want to immediately know more about how to apply this?

We're fairly sure it's a mix of both a and b, but luckily, the latest episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast features the brilliant Lisa Partridge from Sixcomms - a.k.a. the creator of the "Walk and Talk" method.

On this episode, we dive head first into the importance of active and attentive listening skills in supporting stakeholder relationships, alongside how this plays a part in the six C's of effective communication. We discuss how genuine listening fosters connection, enhances curiosity, and assists in asking meaningful questions, alongside how you can do this out and about in nature or other ways that don't involve a board room.

So, listen in to find out how to walk your talk... preferably in a beautiful park in Singapore!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Lisa’s business Sixcomms
• Lisa’s LinkedIn
• Lisa’s Walk and Talk
• Template packs
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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In 2022 Australia was gearing up for a federal election. The Australian labor party or the ALP was in opposition at the time. And they needed to win over a specific audience: the younger generations. Meaning that the usual tactics wouldn’tcut it. And this is where a perhaps unlikely platform came into play - TikTok. 

At last count tikTok had over 1 billion active users, representing almost a quarter of all internet users. And the app has been downloaded more than 4.1 billion times. And of all those users, the largest proportion, at least in the USA are 10 to 19 years old with almost half of all users under 30. 

So how did a stodgy political party make this modern day social video platform work for them? That's what today's episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, is all about and we’ve brought in the expert: Dr. Susan Grantham to talk all about her research specialising in the intersection of trending social media, notably TikTok, and its applications within organisational contexts… alongside how it’s changed comms now, and potentially, for good.

Jump into this week’s episode! 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Susan's published paper 
• Susan's Griffith Experts page 
• Susan's LinkedIn 
• Susan's TikTok 
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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How many times have you avoided a tough conversation because you thought it would be difficult?  If you’re like most people, probably quite a few. 

The problem is that avoiding these discussions can lead to accountability issues and team frustration - especially in a corporate environment.  However, we're here to deliver some good news on this week's episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, because were here to tell you that hard conversations don't have to be hard. 

That's right! They can be constructive and they can be really valuable if you take the right approach.... which is luckily what this episode is all about. You'll learn multiple techniques, tips and tricks on how to navigate challenging conversations in a way that ends constructively for all parties involved.

So... with all this free learning waiting for you, let's get into it!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Constructive conversations webinar
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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By 2025, it's estimated that the volume of data or information created, captured, copied and consumed worldwide will reach 181 zettabytes. That’s the equivalent of 4.98 quintillion movies, or 78 times the length of the Milky Way.

Now you may be thinking: firstly, that’s a heck of a lot of data - and you’d be right; but secondly, you may also be wondering why this matters for a communications podcast or to a comms professional?

Well, that would be because as communications professionals, data surrounds us everywhere we look, and it is a critical tool to make sure our work is the most effective it can be. And that is what today's episode is all about. 

In fact, we’re so sure of this implication to our work, that we enlisted the help of self-confessed (and proven) data extraordinaire, Roelant Vos from Agnostic Data Labs, to talk us through what data is, where to find it and how we can be using it as comms professionals. He also shared some of the challenges with using data that we need to be on the lookout for, alongside the tools that we can leverage to make it even easier for us to get ahead of the game… including AI!

So don't get left behind and sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with the wonderful Roelant Vos.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Roelant's LinkedIn 
• Roelant's Website
• Michelle Bowden: How to persuade book
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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How could improv possibly play a role in improving someone's communication abilities?

We're so glad you asked. This week on the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we've got the incredibly talented and incredibly knowledgeable Mandy Plumb, from Blah Blah Blah Improv in to talk all things improv, and how it translates for a comms pro.

Mandy talks us through how the skills crucial to an improv comedian can help people from all walks of life and professions to build on and refine their comms skills. From the obvious like public speaking practice, through to the less obvious, like collaboration and strategic thinking - it's all a part of the play, per se.

So, jump in this week and maybe you'll get yourself into the world of improv, too.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Blah Blah Blah Improv
• Mandy Plumb’s LinkedIn
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!
• Matt Abraham’s book

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Strategic storytelling is a skill as old as time… literally. As in, most of the world couldn’t read or write until the 1980s, so how we communicated was through verbal storytelling. 

This, however, has become less used over time with the introduction of length presentations and the infamous dot-point; but can we really say that those are more effective than a story?

No, we actually can’t. Which is why this week’s episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast is centred around the neuroscience, alongside the history, of why storytelling is actually significantly more impactful with an audience - especially when it’s strategic. 

Alongside how you can use it, and why you should. So, get stuck into it and hone in on your inner storyteller this week.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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We're getting close to the end of financial year here in Australia, and with it comes the age-old debacle: how do we communicate our results to varying audiences?

Well, this is where communications professionals come in, and it's also why this time of year isn't just stressful for the finance and investor relations folks. This time of year can include a variety of comms requirements, from the communication of results to shareholders and investors, through to employees and news - it's all about how you do it.

All of which we've got covered in this week's episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast. So, get stuck into it and find out what our five tips are to preparing your comms for EOFY.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 16: Can we please re-think the Annual Report?
• Episode 68: How to make the complex, simple (ft. Kate Norris)
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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Another week, another filled-with-free-insights podcast episode and another incredibly insightful guest! 

Welcome to our latest guest, Kate Norris, from Presentation Boss - a business dedicated to teaching data visualisation, interpretation and how to communicate your data and findings in a way that resonates with your audience.

Why? Because one of the most common mistakes we see in communication is when people don't take the time to make complex ideas and data simple and easy for their audiences to understand. And when we don't do that, we miss the whole point of communication in the first place, which is getting our audience to understand and resonate with our message.

Which is why we've spoken to the absolute expert on this topic: Kate Norris! So tune in to find out more.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Visit Kate's business here
• Visit Kate's LinkedIn

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This week on the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast we've diving into change messaging and how you can make sure yours is effective, inspires action and resonates with your audience.

Generally, we've seen a lot of change messaging filled with corporate language, jargon and a lot of inpersonal content. All of which doesn't inspire anyone to do anything, nor does it influence people to know, feel or do something that they have traditionally done a certain way for a long time.

So, using experience, behavioural science and the magic of effective comms theory - we've boiled all of that down into five key tips on making sure your change messaging hits the right way, every time. Find out more in this week's episode!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Change communications bootcamp
• Workshops and training
• Change Isn't Hard! Mel's book
• Sign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!

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