STORIES BEHIND THE STORY

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WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife

Carmel
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Character-Driven WorkLife Stories That Shift How You Think Short, character-driven stories about real WorkLife challenges — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate what happens at work. Each story shows a moment where something shifts: a conversation changes, an idea lands, a different approach opens up.  Working examples you can recognise and use — designed to be useful immediately. The stories explore five themes, each a different lens on the same essential question:  How do we create WorkLives that matter? Self-Discovery — understanding what truly matters to you.  Book Club Books — learning from the wisdom found in great books.  The Art of WorkLife Storytelling — crafting your distinctive narratives.  Character Traits — enhancing your natural strengths.  Mental Health and Wellbeing — navigating workplace wellbeing challenges. Every episode is complete and free to listen.  Each story connects to a full Story Lesson — a deeper, structured resource with frameworks, reflection, and practical application.  And for those who want to go deeper still, Story Lessons connect to Guided Programmes — comprehensive learning journeys available at School of WorkLife. New episodes every Tuesday.

  1. 21H AGO

    The Stories Behind the Stories: Sarah

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES The Stories Behind the Stories Episode Sarah She had prepared everything.  Every fact.  Every figure.  Every talking point.  And then she left it all behind.  That's where Sarah's story begins. Sarah's pattern is one I've observed in people throughout their working lives. The leader who delivers everything that's asked. And somehow never quite reaches the people they're leading. Not because they don't care. But because they've confused professional effectiveness with genuine connection. Those are two different things. And the gap between them is where leadership either deepens or stays stuck. 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 her. RESOURCES  How to Lead Authentically Through Storytelling. The Programme Behind the Story:The Art of WorkLife Storytelling: Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity Your Three Stories Takeaway Before you go — something to take with you. Your Success Story When did you abandon the prepared script and say something real — and what happened? Your Failure Story.  Where have you been leading from competence when connection was what was needed? Your Passion Story.  When does your leadership feel most like who you truly are? 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

    9 min
  2. School of WorkLife Online Live Story Classes Are Here

    2D AGO

    School of WorkLife Online Live Story Classes Are Here

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES School of WorkLife Live Story Classes are now available. Forty-five minutes.  A maximum of six participants.  Online. Each class follows a four-part structure:  The Reading Room — where stories open things up.  The Writer's Table — where ideas become personal.  The Workshop — where thinking becomes something you can use.  The Rehearsal Space — where you begin to put that into practice. The first classes available are from the Book Club Books collection, beginning with The Atticus Practice — drawn from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Reserve your place here: School of WorkLife Online Live Classes Support the show

    1 min
  3. How to Build Sustainable Wellbeing Through Change Adaptation

    3D AGO

    How to Build Sustainable Wellbeing Through Change Adaptation

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES: WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLifeEpisode: How to Build Sustainable Wellbeing Through Change Adaptation Learning how to build sustainable wellbeing through change adaptation begins with recognising that the ability to keep adapting isn't the same as the capacity to keep functioning. Laura had spent eight months as Operations Director absorbing every restructure, system change, and reporting line shift her organisation threw at her. This is the story of the panic attack that finally revealed the true cost of continuous adaptation without recovery — and the three non-negotiable anchors that transformed both her wellbeing and her capacity to lead. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Storytelling Newsletter (Free) Short, focused, and grounded in real WorkLife situations — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate challenges at work.   Story Lesson: How to Build Sustainable Wellbeing Through Change Adaptation Learn how building stability anchors during relentless change can restore energy, protect wellbeing, and help you lead with clarity rather than react from depletion. Guided Programme Take Care of Your Wellbeing Both In and Out of the Workplace — Finding Balance When Personal Crisis Meets Professional Responsibility  Commissioned learning resources, speaking engagements, and organisational partnerships: carmel@schoolofworklife.com schoolofworklife.com If this resonates, you'll find a daily thought on working life in School of WorkLife Reading Room — a LinkedIn group, Monday to Friday. 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

    12 min
  4. New: The Kite Practice: How Fiction Develops Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Online Live Class

    5D AGO

    New: The Kite Practice: How Fiction Develops Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Online Live Class

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES The Kite Practice: How Fiction Develops Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership is the newest School of WorkLife Book Club online live class. It draws on Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner — and a framework exploring what empathy and emotional intelligence actually ask of us, not in moments of obvious difficulty, but in the everyday moments where something beneath the surface is shaping what you see. It's a class for anyone who has ever sensed there was more going on than their usual approach was reaching. Here are the details for how to reserve your place:  https://schoolofworklife.com/school-of-worklife-live-classes/  Scroll Down on School of WorkLife Live Classes to Reserve Your Place Support the show

    2 min
  5. The WorkLife Question: James

    MAY 15

    The WorkLife Question: James

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES Today's Question: How did this failure redirect your path? How did this failure redirect your path? In this episode of The WorkLife Question, I explore the deeper failure inside James's story — not the project that went wrong, but the eight months of silence that followed — and the three moments that show where naming it finally took him. RESOURCES Today’s question is from Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity: Success, Failure and Passion Stories Question Bank — from the section Discovering Your Failure Story. James is the main protagonist in the Story Lesson: How to Tell Your Story in Job Interviews.  His story is featured in the episode: The Stories Behind the Stories: James. James's story was told in WorkLife Stories: How to Tell Your Story in Job Interviews. (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 Crafting Success, Failure, and Passion Narratives with Powerful Beginnings, Engaging Middles, and Memorable Endings Support the show

    4 min
  6. How to Recognise Attentiveness as a Character Trait to Transform Your Career Impact

    MAY 12

    How to Recognise Attentiveness as a Character Trait to Transform Your Career Impact

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES: WorkLife Stories from School of WorkLife Episode: How to Recognise Attentiveness as a Character Trait to Transform Your Career Impact Learning how to recognise attentiveness as a character trait to transform your career impact begins with paying attention to what feels so ordinary you've never thought to call it a strength. Violet had been managing a marketing team for three years, quietly dismissing the one thing she did more precisely than anyone else in the room. This is the story of the moment her manager's feedback reframed everything she thought she knew about her own capabilities — and what became possible when she stopped suppressing what she naturally noticed. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Storytelling Newsletter (Free) Short, focused, and grounded in real WorkLife situations — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate challenges at work.   Story Lesson: How to Recognise Attentiveness as a Character Trait to Transform Your Career Impact Discover how recognising what you naturally notice can unlock deeper impact, stronger leadership, and your most powerful professional contribution. Guided Programme: The Salt of the Earth: A Journey of Character How Embracing Your Natural Traits and the Wisdom of Everyday Heroes Can Transform Your Path to Purpose Commissioned learning resources, speaking engagements, and organisational partnerships: 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

    14 min
  7. The WorkLife Question: Aisling

    MAY 8

    The WorkLife Question: Aisling

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES Today's Question: What accomplishment reveals who you are at your best? What accomplishment reveals who you are at your best? In this episode of The WorkLife Question, I explore the question through Aisling — a character from The Art of WorkLife Storytelling programme — and what her success story reveals about the difference between an achievement that impresses and one that truly defines you. RESOURCES Today’s question is from Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity: Success, Failure and Passion Stories Question Bank — from the section Discovering Your Success Story. Aisling is the main protagonist in the programme: The Art of WorkLife Storytelling: Creating Three Fundamental Stories That Define Your Identity Her story is featured in the episode: The Stories Behind the Stories: Aisling aka Carmel  Support the show

    3 min
  8. New: The Atticus Practice: How to Navigate Difficult WorkLife Situations with Integrity and Courage Online Live Class

    MAY 7

    New: The Atticus Practice: How to Navigate Difficult WorkLife Situations with Integrity and Courage Online Live Class

    Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES The Atticus Practice: How to Navigate Difficult WorkLife Situations with Integrity and Courage is the newest School of WorkLife Book Club online live class. It draws on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird — and a framework exploring what integrity and courage actually ask of us, not in extraordinary situations, but in ordinary ones. It's a class for anyone who has ever sat in a room, noticed something that didn't sit right, and wondered what to do next. You'll find the details for how to sign up to the class in the show notes at https://schoolofworklife.com/school-of-worklife-live-classes/  Scroll Down on School of WorkLife Live Classes to Reserve Your Place Support the show

    2 min
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Character-Driven WorkLife Stories That Shift How You Think Short, character-driven stories about real WorkLife challenges — how we communicate, lead, make decisions, and navigate what happens at work. Each story shows a moment where something shifts: a conversation changes, an idea lands, a different approach opens up.  Working examples you can recognise and use — designed to be useful immediately. The stories explore five themes, each a different lens on the same essential question:  How do we create WorkLives that matter? Self-Discovery — understanding what truly matters to you.  Book Club Books — learning from the wisdom found in great books.  The Art of WorkLife Storytelling — crafting your distinctive narratives.  Character Traits — enhancing your natural strengths.  Mental Health and Wellbeing — navigating workplace wellbeing challenges. Every episode is complete and free to listen.  Each story connects to a full Story Lesson — a deeper, structured resource with frameworks, reflection, and practical application.  And for those who want to go deeper still, Story Lessons connect to Guided Programmes — comprehensive learning journeys available at School of WorkLife. New episodes every Tuesday.

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