The Stories Behind the Stories: Mary

The WorkLife Question: David

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES Today's Question: What comes naturally to you without effort? What comes naturally to you without effort? In this episode of The WorkLife Question, I sit with David and the question — exploring what it costs when the thing that feels most natural to you goes unnamed. Not just for you. For everyone around you. RESOURCES Today's question is from The Longest Way Round for Character Trait Development Question Bank [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-longest-way-round-for-character-trait-development-question-bank?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] — from the section Recognising Natural Character Traits. David is the main protagonist in the Story Lesson: How to Recognise Your Natural Character Traits and Transform Your Professional Impact [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-to-recognise-your-natural-character-traits-and-transform-your-professional-impact?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web].  His story is featured in the episode: The Stories Behind the Stories: David [https://schoolofworklife.com/?p=26167]. David's story was told in WorkLife Stories: How to Recognise Your Natural Character Traits and Transform Your Professional Impact [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/18921241]. (Free to listen). Deepen the practice with the WorkLife Compass Guided Programme: The Longest Way Round: A Journey of Character [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-longest-way-round-a-journey-of-character?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] — How Embracing Your Natural Traits and the Wisdom of Great Storytellers Can Transform Your Path to Purpose. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/support]

The Stories Behind the Stories: Mary

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES The Stories Behind the Stories: Mary Mary had always noticed who was left out.  Who hesitated before speaking.  Who might benefit from knowing someone they'd never thought to approach. In this episode of The Stories Behind the Stories, I go deeper into the character traits at the heart of Mary's story — community building, connection and collaboration instincts. And why the most significant professional contributions are sometimes the ones that feel like simply paying attention. RESOURCES 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.   WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife (Free). How Community-Building Character Traits Create Powerful Professional Cultures [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/18921820]. Character-Driven WorkLife Stories That Shift How You Think Story Lesson How Community-Building Character Traits Create Powerful Professional Cultures [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-community-building-character-traits-create-powerful-professional-cultures?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web]. A Story About Hidden Strengths, Connection, and Organisational Impact. Guided Programme The Longest Way Round: A Journey of Character [https://shorturl.at/OMuN2] — How Embracing Your Natural Traits and the Wisdom of Great Storytellers Can Transform Your Path to Purpose  Your Character Trait Takeaway What character traits are you expressing in your work that you've been treating as simply being helpful rather than recognising as a professional capability? What connections and collaborations are your traits already creating across your team? And what more could your organisation achieve because of what those traits are already building? 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 Research-Based Reading Strengthens Connection and Develops Collaborative Intelligence

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES:  WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife Episode: How Research-Based Reading Strengthens Connection and Develops Collaborative Intelligence  How research-based reading strengthens connection and develops collaborative intelligence is rarely what leaders expect — but for many, it becomes the insight that changes everything about how they understand the people they work with. Phoebe had been head of digital transformation for several years. She was delivering results. But she was beginning to suspect she wasn't always creating the conditions that made meaningful results possible. This is the story of the morning a book showed her why — and changed how she understood every person she worked with. 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 Research-Based Reading Strengthens Connection and Develops Collaborative Intelligence [http://How%20Research-Based%20Reading%20Strengthens%20Connection%20and%20Develops%20Collaborative%20Intelligence] Learn how research-based non-fiction that explores the science of high-performing teams can develop collaborative intelligence and change how you understand the people you lead. Guided Programme The Power of Non-Fiction: Developing Connection Through Reading [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-power-of-non-fiction-developing-connection-through-reading?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Discover how to develop community through kindness and literary exploration 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]

The WorkLife Question: Rachel

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES Today's Question: What makes someone's stories visible to them? What makes someone's stories visible to them? In this episode of The WorkLife Question, I explore what Rachel discovered — that the stories which transform how a business sees itself are always already there. In the work already done. In the values already lived. What makes them visible is a question asked from genuine curiosity about what's already present. And once visible, the business impact wasn't incremental. It was transformational. 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 Supporting Others' Story Development. Rachel is the main protagonist in the Story Lesson: How to Create Strategic Influence Through Purpose-Driven Storytelling [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/how-to-create-strategic-influence-through-purpose-driven-storytelling?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web]. Her story is featured in the episode: The Stories Behind the Stories: Rachel [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/19038172].  Rachel's story was told in WorkLife Stories: How to Create Strategic Influence Through Purpose-Driven Storytelling. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/episodes/18918999] (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]

How to Use Your Values as a Compass to Navigate Career Transitions

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2564103/fan_mail/new] SHOW NOTES: WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife Episode: How to Use Your Values as a Compass to Navigate Career Transitions Learning how to use your values as a compass to navigate career transitions begins with recognising that the emptiness you can't explain away is often the clearest signal you have. Jack had built exactly the technical career everyone said he should want — exceptional engineering skills, a salary that had tripled since university, recruiters messaging him weekly. Three years in, he sat at a funding celebration and felt a profound emptiness he couldn't explain away. This is the story of the Saturday afternoon that showed him why — and the eight months that followed before he was ready to act on it. 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 to Use Your Values as a Compass to Navigate Career Transitions [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/the-values-compass-that-guided-home?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] Learn how to use your core values as a compass for navigating career transitions — and build a working life on what genuinely matters to you. Guided Programme: Values Alignment Career Transition Guide [https://school-of-worklife.myshopify.com/products/values-in-motion-navigating-from-success-to-significance?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web] - How to Navigate from Success to True Significance  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]