WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife

How Historical Fiction Strengthens Perspective-Taking and Develops Cultural Intelligence

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES: WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife Episode: How Historical Fiction Strengthens Perspective-Taking and Develops Cultural Intelligence Learning how historical fiction strengthens perspective-taking and develops cultural intelligence begins with recognising that the coordination problems in your international team may not be coordination problems at all. Andy had been leading distributed software development teams across three continents for years — metrics strong, systems sound, results consistently praised. He was reaching the problems. He wasn't reaching the people. This is the story of the night a novel showed him why — and changed how he understood every person he led. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Storytelling Newsletter [https://shorturl.at/UCQLj] (Free) Short, focused, and grounded in real WorkLife situations — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate challenges at work.   Story Lesson: How Historical Fiction Strengthens Perspective-Taking and Develops Cultural Intelligence [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-historical-fiction-strengthens-perspective-taking-and-develops-cultural-intelligence?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Learn how stories that explore cultural inheritance and historical perspective can deepen cross-cultural intelligence and change how you understand the people you lead. Guided Programme The Power of Fiction: Developing Character Traits Through Reading [https://shorturl.at/PLxLr] –Discover how literature strengthens empathy, perspective, and moral judgement — essential traits for thoughtful leadership.  This story was inspired by my book, WorkLife Book Club Volume One Shoreditch [https://www.amazon.co.uk/WorkLife-Book-Club-1-Shoreditch/dp/1914278046?crid=3KHOK8WY5JCMG&keywords=carmel+o'+reilly&qid=1652209423&sprefix=carmel+o+reilly,aps,81&sr=8-17&linkCode=sl1&tag=carmeljack014-21&linkId=a4fdc0e6310e448c9a5a5bd0eb118d5e&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] by Carmel O’ Reilly — following members of a London book club as they navigate WorkLife challenges through the wisdom found in the books they read together. Commissioned learning resources, speaking engagements, and organisational partnerships: carmel@schoolofworklife.com [carmel@schoolofworklife.com] schoolofworklife.com The stories I write are based on real WorkLife challenges, obstacles, failures and successes. Persons and companies portrayed in the stories are not based on real people or entities. Carmel O’ Reilly Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]

New: The Life of Pi Practice: How to Build Resilience and Lead Through Uncertainty Online Live Class

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES The Life of Pi Practice: How to Build Resilience and Lead Through Uncertainty is the newest School of WorkLife Book Club online live class. It draws on Yann Martel's Life of Pi — and a framework exploring what resilience and adaptive leadership actually ask of us, not in stable situations, but in the moments when plans stop working and the ability to adapt makes the difference. It's a class for anyone who has ever worked harder to control a situation — and found it becoming more fragile, not less. Here are the details for how to reserve your place:  https://schoolofworklife.com/school-of-worklife-live-classes/ [https://schoolofworklife.com/school-of-worklife-live-classes/]  Scroll Down on School of WorkLife Live Classes to Reserve Your Place [https://schoolofworklife.com/school-of-worklife-live-classes/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]

The WorkLife Question: David

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES Today's Question: What makes your first sentence compelling? What makes your first sentence compelling? In this episode of The WorkLife Question, I explore what David discovered about opening sentences — not through theory, but through three specific moments where the difference between a compelling opening and a forgettable one determined whether his expertise shaped the decision or was quietly set aside. RESOURCES Today’s question is from Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity: Success, Failure and Passion Stories Question Bank [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/creating-three-fundamental-stories-that-define-your-identity-success-failure-and-passion-stories-question-bank?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] — from the section Crafting Powerful Beginnings. David is the main protagonist in the Story Lesson: How to Turn Invisible Expertise Into Strategic Influence Through Storytelling [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-to-turn-invisible-expertise-into-strategic-influence-through-storytelling?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web].  His story is featured in the episode: The Stories Behind the Stories: David [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/19031810].  David's story was told in WorkLife Stories: How to Turn Invisible Expertise Into Strategic Influence Through Storytelling [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/18917569]. (Free to listen). Deepen the practice with the WorkLife Compass Guided Programme:The Art of WorkLife Storytelling: Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity Programme [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-art-of-worklife-storytelling-creating-three-fundamental-stories-that-define-your-identity?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Crafting Success, Failure, and Passion Narratives with Powerful Beginnings, Engaging Middles, and Memorable Endings Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]

The Stories Behind the Stories: Daniel

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES The Stories Behind the Stories Episode Daniel Sometimes the limitation is the solution. Daniel's structural engineer understood that.  So did his clients.  Once he finally told them. Daniel's story is about a specific kind of professional distance. The kind that looks like success. Five years of impressive work. Respected clients. Projects delivered. And relationships that never quite deepened. That distance has a cost. Not always visible. But real. In this episode of The Stories Behind the Stories, I go deeper into the failure, success and passion stories behind the character — and into the real pattern I was observing when I wrote him. RESOURCES  How to Build Genuine Trust Through Storytelling [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/18918855]. The Programme Behind the Story:The Art of WorkLife Storytelling: Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-art-of-worklife-storytelling-creating-three-fundamental-stories-that-define-your-identity?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Your Three Stories Takeaway Before you go — something to take with you. Your Failure Story. What process have you kept invisible that would build trust if it were shared? Your Success Story.  When did a constraint lead you somewhere better than your original plan? Your Passion Story.  What do you see in a challenge that others don't yet see? A Note to Listeners Every Thursday a new episode of The Stories Behind the Stories continues. From May 2026 — each new episode will be free for one week. After that it goes behind the subscriber paywall. One week to listen. One week to experience the learning. One week to build it into your working life. If an episode resonates — pass it to someone who would find it useful. A colleague. A client. A friend. That’s how this work finds the people it’s meant for. After one week each episode joins the back catalogue — available to subscribers only. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]

How Developing Self-Awareness Transforms Defensive Reactions Into Professional Growth

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES: WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife Episode: How Developing Self-Awareness Transforms Defensive Reactions Into Professional Growth Learning how developing self-awareness transforms defensive reactions into professional growth begins with the moment you hear feedback that isn't an attack — and feel it land like one. Matt had built an eight-year reputation on bold, conceptual design work. But on a Thursday afternoon, listening to a client deliver calm, measured, professional feedback, he felt his jaw clench and his pulse quicken. This is the story of the moment he stopped trying to justify that reaction — and started getting curious about what it was actually protecting. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Storytelling Newsletter [https://shorturl.at/UCQLj] (Free) Short, focused, and grounded in real WorkLife situations — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate challenges at work.   Story Lesson: How Developing Self-Awareness Transforms Defensive Reactions Into Professional Growth [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-developing-self-awareness-transforms-defensive-reactions-into-professional-growth?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Learn how to recognise what your strongest reactions are really protecting — and build a working life on genuine self-knowledge rather than defended self-image. Guided Programme The Pause Before Applause [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-pause-before-applause-a-simple-approach-to-self-awareness?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] - A Simple Approach to Self-Awareness Commissioned learning resources, speaking engagements, and organisational partnerships: carmel@schoolofworklife.com [carmel@schoolofworklife.com] schoolofworklife.com The stories I write are based on real WorkLife challenges, obstacles, failures and successes. Persons and companies portrayed in the stories are not based on real people or entities. Carmel O’ Reilly Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]