Less Chatter, More Matter: The Communications Podcast

Mel Loy
  • 4.9 (32)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Communications expert, business owner, group fitness instructor...that's your podcast host, Mel Loy! In the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, Mel shares tips on how to improve your communication skills, and interviews with the experts.In 2020, after almost 20 years in corporate communications, Mel (happily) took a redundancy from her full-time, executive corporate job and went out on her own, founding her communications agency, Cuttlefish Communications.These days, she's a sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant, working for some of the biggest brands in Australia and popping up on speaker line-ups at conferences world wide. Expect short, entertaining episodes packed with valuable tips that will inspire you to try new things. Communication tips to improve your relationships at work, navigate crises, internal communication, and deliver change are top of the agenda.

  1. 3 days ago

    #187 How to have better workplace conversations (even if they’re difficult) (ft. Noa Rein)

    What makes a really good conversation? Not one where everyone agrees, or one where nobody feels uncomfortable, and definitely not one where everyone politely nods and moves on. In this episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, we're joined by organisational psychologist, people geek and conversation expert Noa Rein to explore why having good conversations at work is becoming harder and why it's becoming more important. They unpack what happens when fear, uncertainty, polarisation and pressure cause people to self-censor or avoid disagreement altogether. They also explore the relationship between difficult conversations and psychological safety, and why curiosity is such an important antidote to certainty. Then, we give you practical advice for leaders and teams, including why we need to practise these conversations before we need them, how to create the right “containers” for difficult discussions, why leaders need to listen without immediately jumping to action, and Noa's simple rule: get back in the room because our inability to have a constructive conversation about a disagreement is the problem. This episode is a practical and thought-provoking conversation about workplace communication, leadership, psychological safety, curiosity and what it takes to create teams where people can genuinely hear each other. Plus, how polarisation in this day and age can come about simply from external forces causing generational misunderstandings!  Links mentioned in this episode: Noa’s LinkedInNoa’s website90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #187 How to have better workplace conversations (even if they’re difficult) (ft. Noa Rein)

  2. 9 Sept

    #186 The importance of brand consistency in internal communications

    When your employees hear the word “brand”, do they think about logos, colours and fonts.... or do they understand the bigger picture? Your brand is much more than the shiny stuff. It's your values, your voice, your language, your tone and what you want your organisation to be known for. Which is why that brand needs to show up consistently inside your organisation just as much as it does externally. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we explore why brand consistency is so important in internal communications, particularly at a time when trust and employee engagement are under pressure. We look at three key ideas: why brand is more than visual identity, how inconsistency can erode trust, and why organisations need to find the balance between consistency and rigidity. You’ll also get three practical ways to strengthen brand consistency internally: educate your people, provide useful brand and writing tools, and build brand education into your induction process. If you're not sure whether this ep is for you... it's worth remembering: your brand doesn't stop at the front door because reputation and trust start from within. Listen in! Links mentioned in this episode: 90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #186 The importance of brand consistency in internal communications

  3. 26 Aug

    #185 The business communication skills your team actually needs

    In this episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, we explore how to get underneath vague requests for 'better communication' and work out whether communication is really the issue. We share the questions you can use to diagnose the problem, the data worth looking at before designing an intervention, and the signs that tell you a team may genuinely need communication training for better use of skills. It's really that simple. We take a look at what the business communication skills are that you and your team actually need for effective communication. So... what're you waiting for? Listen in! Links mentioned in this episode: 90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #185 The business communication skills your team actually needs

  4. 19 Aug

    #184 What good change communication really looks like (ft. Jen Frahm)

    Change communication has come a long way... but we are still treating it as simply telling people what’s changing, rather than ensuring they are understanding what we are saying, too.  In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we're joined by Dr Jen Frahm, global expert in organisational change and change communication, co-founder of the Agile Change Leadership Institute and author of Change Communication: Less Noise, More Meaning, Change That Lands. Jen shares insights from three decades working across change, communication and transformation, including the research behind her latest book. Together, we unpack three distinct roles of change communication: monologic, dialogic and sense-making while exploring what approach is useful, why the three need to be deliberately sequenced, and what happens when the way we communicate doesn’t match people’s expectations. Then, we bring in neuroscience and what it can teach us about communicating change, including why people often look for the threat before they’re ready to hear about the benefits, why expectation management is becoming increasingly important, and what happens when there’s a vacuum of information. Plus, we chat AI, business acumen, measuring what actually matters, informal learning, empathy and the power of pausing for 60 seconds before sending yet another communication. So.. needless to say: you'll want to listen in! Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #184 What good change communication really looks like (ft. Jen Frahm)

  5. 12 Aug

    #183 Why do employees resist change, and how does communication reduce that resistance?

    Employees aren’t actually 'resisting' change, they're giving you feedback. In this episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, we take a different look at one of the most frustrating parts of change: what happens when people don’t want to get on board. Rather than treating resistance as something communicators need to overcome, we explore what might be sitting underneath it from uncertainty and lack of control to poor communication, a lack of trust or simply the very human tendency to dislike being told what to do. Plus, we also chat about how communication can’t magically make every change popular... but it can help you understand what’s getting in the way. In fact, sometimes, the people pushing back are the ones giving you the most valuable information about what needs to change. Now, what can us communicators do to reduce this resistance? Let's find out. Links mentioned in this episode: 90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #183 Why do employees resist change, and how does communication reduce that resistance?

  6. 5 Aug

    #182 The importance of horizon scanning in communications (ft. Ann-Marie Blake)

    Communication professionals are often called in after the big decisions have already been made. For example, a change is announced, a crisis erupts or a project is approved. Only then, after the fact, are we asked to communicate it. But what if our greatest value came before any of that happened? In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we’re joined by communication and change expert Anne-Marie Blake, co-founder of True, to explore the growing importance of horizon scanning (plus, what is it?) and why communicators need to become more proactive, strategic advisors. Anne-Marie explains what horizon scanning is, why it's about preparing rather than predicting, and how communication professionals can identify weak signals, challenge assumptions and help organisations navigate an increasingly complex world. We discuss practical techniques for incorporating horizon scanning into communication planning, using scenario planning to test future possibilities, bringing diverse perspectives into strategic conversations, and helping leaders prepare for change before it arrives. Get your headphones on for some practical ideas on strengthening your strategic influence and helping your organisation prepare for whatever comes next. Links mentioned in this episode: Ann-Marie’s LinkedInAnn-Marie’s website90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #182 The importance of horizon scanning in communications (ft. Ann-Marie Blake)

  7. 29 July

    #181 How to write a book that builds your credibility (in the age of AI) (ft. Jade Miller)

    AI can write content in seconds, but it can't replicate your lived experience, your perspective or your voice. Which is why books remain one of the most powerful ways to build credibility, establish thought leadership and create meaningful connections with your audience.  In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we chat with author, artist and book coach Jade Miller to really understand what it takes to write a successful book. We start with the basics: nailing your core idea and identifying your audience, before navigating the self-publishing vs. traditional publishing dilemma and everything that comes after launch. Maybe it's time you wrote a book?  We also explore the elephant in the room around AI and why books are becoming even more valuable for their lived experiences, including how storytelling creates trust, why your personal brand matters long before your manuscript is finished, and the common mistakes that prevent great ideas from ever making it onto the page. Even if you never take the leap to write your own, you'll know how to do it from this episode. So, listen in! Links mentioned in this episode: Jade's LinkedInJade's website90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #181 How to write a book that builds your credibility (in the age of AI) (ft. Jade Miller)

  8. 22 July

    #180 Why trust is the new competitive advantage (ft. Petra Zink)

    Trust is declining, scepticism is rising, and in a world where AI can make almost anyone sound like an expert, the result is that credibility alone is no longer enough. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we're joined by leadership strategist, keynote speaker and author Petra Zink to explore why trust has become one of the most valuable assets leaders, communicators and organisations can build. Together, we analyse what's driving the global decline in trust, how AI is changing recruitment, education and leadership, and why organisations are placing greater value on judgement, consistency and transparency over polished outputs. Petra also shares her concept of "trust assets", i.e. the practical habits, behaviours and frameworks that help leaders build influence and confidence over time. In the day and age of AI everything, we've collated some of the best ways you can increase your credibility while staying efficient.... alongside keeping your comms at the forefront. Listen in now. Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #180 Why trust is the new competitive advantage (ft. Petra Zink)
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About

Communications expert, business owner, group fitness instructor...that's your podcast host, Mel Loy! In the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, Mel shares tips on how to improve your communication skills, and interviews with the experts.In 2020, after almost 20 years in corporate communications, Mel (happily) took a redundancy from her full-time, executive corporate job and went out on her own, founding her communications agency, Cuttlefish Communications.These days, she's a sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant, working for some of the biggest brands in Australia and popping up on speaker line-ups at conferences world wide. Expect short, entertaining episodes packed with valuable tips that will inspire you to try new things. Communication tips to improve your relationships at work, navigate crises, internal communication, and deliver change are top of the agenda.

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