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 9-1-1 operator, Doug Showalter, shares real world examples of how careful listening saves lives. And then, How to Listen Like You Mean It, author Ximena Vengoechea gives practical advice for deciphering the right kind of listening– depending on who you’r ..read more

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 us feel connected while alienating others. How do you toe that line? How can you target a niche audience without being totally inaccessible to newcomers?  Few things are more polarizing than Star Tr ..read more

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 us feel connected while alienating others. How do you toe that line? How can you target a niche audience without being totally inaccessible to newcomers?  Few things are more polarizing than Star Tr ..read more

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, branding expert and leadership coach Tori Lazar speaks to the benefits of seeing the levity in humiliating experiences, and facing it all head on.  Join host Lottie Bazley as she walks us through some good old-fashioned embarrassing stories, cringe-wo ..read more

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 Marjorie Ingall & Susan McCarthy, co-authors of Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies and co-creators of the super fun site sorrywatch.com, come in. With Karina Schumann, Associate Professor of Social Psychology and Director of the Confl ..read more

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. Tracy Packiam Alloway, who has both short term and long term hacks for boosting our brain power. Dr. Alloway also answers the nagging question that creeps up after every time-wasting death scroll: are our devices making us stupid? How can we do a bette ..read more

Introducing a special episode from our friend Craig at the Engaging Internal Comms podcast! This episode is all about using our own stories to teach, lead and inspire within our organizations. We hope you like it! New Infernal Communication episode coming Thursday February 22 ..read more

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. In this episode, host Brian Tomlinson, leads us through examples of the good, the bad and downright ugly when it comes to CEO blunders. Renu Bakshi, an International Crisis Manager and Media Trainer will get into the nitty gritty of how to ..read more

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 are off track. Dr. Anne Curzan says good grammar has been a moving target for centuries while Dr. Andreea Calude says we’re very adept at tempering our language to suit the situation, which is a good thing. Join host Lottie Bazley on this episode o ..read more

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.    In this episode, Cameron Hickey, CEO of the National Conference on Citizenship, walks us through the payoffs and pitfalls of content filtering. We also have algorithmic puppet master extraordinaire Gretchen Andrew, who ..read more