“Being welcomed into a relationship, a country, or a workplace is one thing, but being able to remain yourself once you arrive is something completely different.” — Sona Sherratt
What happens when we share the experiences that shaped us—and give each other the space to really listen?
In this special live edition of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome Deroy and Julienne Ryan welcome three past podcast guests—Carlo Odicino, Anna Vafeiadou, and Dr. Sona Sherratt—to tell six-minute personal stories about pivotal moments in their lives.
Carlo shares a difficult piece of feedback that forced him to confront the gap between how much he cared about his team and how his leadership was actually being experienced. Anna takes us into the decision to leave a decade of environmental advocacy behind and build something of her own. And Sona traces a journey across countries and cultures to explore the unwritten rules we absorb about belonging—and what happens when we begin to make those rules visible.
The stories were not planned to connect, yet striking threads emerged between them: how we are seen and heard, how we adapt to the people around us, how feedback can change us, and what becomes possible when we create spaces where people feel safe enough to reveal more of themselves.
You’ll Hear
- Why Carlo’s commitment to candor wasn’t creating the care and connection he thought it was—and the feedback that changed his approach to leadership.
- How shifting from “failure is not an option” to “it’s all learning” changed the way Carlo leads his own company.
- The moment Anna recognized that work she had helped initiate was becoming reality—and why that success became a catalyst for leaving and starting her own business.
- What the very different reactions to Anna’s resignation revealed about change, courage, and the people around us.
- How moving between India, the United States, and England taught Sona to notice—and eventually absorb—the unwritten rules of belonging.
- Why one research participant’s phrase, “I prepare my face,” crystallized something Sona had experienced throughout her own life.
- How power, culture, and context can cause us to contract or expand depending on who is in the room.
- Why psychological safety can be something we feel in our bodies before we consciously understand it.
- The unexpected connections between three stories told by people who had never heard one another’s stories before—and the role listening plays in allowing those connections to emerge.
Resources
Carlo Odicino
One Team Partners: www.oneteampartners.com
Anna Vafeiadou
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-vafeiadou-12579a130/
Sona Sherratt
TEDx Talk — What Your Body Knows Before You Do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xvv0IoyvmE
Hult Ashridge Executive Education: https://www.hultashridge.com/en/
EXPERIENCE
Join us for the next Live Story Show, Stories That Shaped Us, on November 19, 2026:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-3vZOkBXSaeREkZARkQbzQ
Experience The Listening Lab
Looking for greater clarity around your own story and purpose?
The Listening Lab is a community for leaders, coaches, and professionals who want to think more clearly, communicate more authentically, and discover the stories that move people. Start with a free 30-day trial:
https://listeninglabfreespot.carrd.co
Narativ’s online course in partnership with New Mexico State University Global Campus: Lead With Your Story (self-paced, on-demand course)
Podcast listeners get 25% off – Use code NARATIV → Register Here
Learn more about how to leverage Narativ’s storytelling method for your pitch and sales team: Download our free e-book, or you’re welcome to schedule a free 15-minute call with Jerome.
