The Ideas on Stage podcast is a monthly show about leadership communication. Each episode features top authors, speakers and experts sharing insights on business communication and public speaking.
Our goal is to help you communicate with confidence and impact, whether at work or in everyday life.
Past guests include:
- Seth Godin
- Guy Kawasaki
- Daniel Pink
- Terry Szuplat (Barack Obama's speechwriter)
- Garr Reynolds
- Dr. John Medina
- Carmine Gallo
- Dan Roam
Watch or listen on your favourite podcast platform.
87. How Breathing Changes the Way You Speak (Jane Tarrant)
Most people think breathing is automatic.
You inhale, you exhale, and that’s it.
But what if the way you breathe is quietly affecting your confidence, your voice, your posture, your sleep, your anxiety levels – and the way you show up when speaking in front of other people?
In this episode, I sit down with breathing educator Jane Tarrant to explore a topic most business leaders never think about until something goes wrong: breathing habits.
Jane explains why many high performers breathe from the wrong place, why “belly breathing” is often misunderstood, and how poor breathing habits can push people into stress, panic and disconnection from their audience.
We also discuss the hidden connection between breathing and storytelling, and why the 30 seconds before a presentation matter far less than the habits you repeat every day.
There’s also a story involving split trousers in front of 200 people.
What You'll Learn:
• Why most speakers breathe from the wrong place
• The difference between belly breathing and diaphragmatic breathing
• Why upper-chest breathing increases anxiety
• The role of posture in confident speaking
• How tongue position changes your breathing
• What the “D-spot” is and why it matters
In This Episode:
00:00 – When Jane’s Trousers Split in Public
03:16 – Belly Breathing vs Diaphragm Breathing
05:05 – Why Chest Breathing Weakens Your Presence
08:39 – The D-Spot Explained
12:21 – The Link Between Breathing and Your Voice
21:21 – The Signs You’re Over-Breathing
26:37 – Why Tongue Position Matters More Than You Think
35:02 – The Surprising Link Between Storytelling and Breathing
42:30 – Why Breathwork Doesn’t Work for Everyone
54:45 – The One Thing Jane Wants Everyone to Remember
If you want to feel calmer, more grounded and more connected when you speak, this conversation will change the way you think about breathing.
We hope you enjoy it.
———————
Connect with Jane:
Instagram: @linkbreathing
Website: http://linkbreathing.co.uk/
Recommended books:
Breath by James Nestor
Rose Loses Her Nose by Jane Tarrant
#IdeasOnStagePodcast #Breathwork #BreathingHabits #PublicSpeaking #LeadershipCommunication
8 Jul 2026
86. The Hidden Skill Behind Great Interviews (Alfie Joey)
Most interviews sound the same.
Safe questions. Predictable answers. Polite agreement.
But every now and then, something different happens.
A moment of silence.
An unexpected question.
A shift in energy that makes everyone lean in.
In this episode, I sit down with Alfie Joey – former BBC presenter – to explore what actually makes an interview memorable.
Alfie has interviewed prime ministers, celebrities and business leaders.
We talk about why over-preparation can make you more natural, how one repeated question can break through any defence, and why the best interviewers never make it about themselves.
Alfie shares stories from the field – from interviewing Peter Mandelson in a completely unexpected way, to creating a room-wide “chocolate moment,” to asking one simple question that left an entire audience in silence.
If you host a podcast or want to have better conversations, this episode will change how you think about asking questions.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to create (or spot) powerful interview moments
- The danger of putting yourself in the story
- How to challenge guests without confrontation
- Why most questions lead nowhere – and how to fix that
- The simple LinkedIn trick to make interviews fresh
In This Episode:
04:08 – The Power of Over-Preparation
08:00 – Interviewing Peter Mandelson
12:27 – The LinkedIn Trick for Better Questions
16:54 – Why Listening Is the #1 Skill
18:30 – Never Put Yourself in the Story
23:30 – The Chocolate Interview Moment
29:35 – Following the Audience, Not the Plan
50:47 – Why You Must Watch Your Recordings
If you want to run better interviews – and better conversations – this episode is for you.
We hope you enjoy it.
———————
Connect with Alfie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfie-speakeasyguy-joey/
Website: https://alfiejoey.com/
10 Jun 2026
85. What Leaders Miss About Communication and Trust (Eric Ries)
A founder builds something people trust. Customers love it. Employees believe in it. Investors are happy.
Then, slowly, something changes.
The targets shift. The incentives change. The message stays the same – but the behaviour doesn’t.
And trust starts to fade.
In this episode, I sit down with Eric Ries @theericriesshow – author of Incorruptible and The Lean Startup – and one of the most influential thinkers in modern entrepreneurship.
We talked about why so many companies start with strong values and drift over time – even when leaders care about doing the right thing.
Eric shares powerful stories – from Cloudflare’s “unspoken mission” to Sol Price, the father of modern retail, and the paradox of success that can make great companies vulnerable.
One idea keeps coming back:
Communication isn’t just what you say.
It’s what people see repeated in decisions, incentives and trade-offs.
We explore why mission statements often fail, why jargon weakens clarity, and why trust – not strategy, not growth, not even innovation – shapes long-term success.
We also talk about what happens under pressure.Because that’s where leadership communication is tested.
What You’ll Learn:
* Why people believe what you reinforce, not just what you say
* How to align your message with incentives and decisions
* Why inconsistent signals weaken trust inside teams
* How to communicate purpose so it holds under pressure
* What leaders do differently when they build lasting trust
In This Episode:
03:45 – The story behind Incorruptible
08:21 – Why business jargon weakens communication
09:17 – Cloudflare’s unspoken mission
17:47 – External pressure and “financial gravity”
24:55 – When people stop believing your message
25:30 – You can’t command an organisation
28:46 – Sol Price and the power of ethos
34:29 – The paradox of success
47:01 – Trust as the most underrated asset
If you lead a team, build a business or communicate ideas for a living, this episode will change how you think about communication.
We hope you enjoy it!
———————
Eric Ries:
* Book website: https://www.incorruptible.co/
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eries/
* X: https://x.com/ericries
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericriesactual/
* Newsletter: https://news.theleanstartup.com/
* Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow
———————
IDEAS ON STAGE RESOURCES
* Timeless Presenter & Confident Presenter (books) – free copy: https://bit.ly/claimyourbooks
* Business Presentation Revolution (book): https://www.ideasonstage.com/resources/books/business-presentation-revolution-book/
* The Confident Presenter Scorecard: https://ideasonstage.com/score
* Free Web Class: https://www.ideasonstage.com/uk/events/
#IdeasOnStagePodcast #LeadershipCommunication #BusinessCommunication #OrganizationalCulture
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90,121
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
43
Social presence
0
YouTube
85
Engagement
32
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