Anjali Ramachandran: How Values-driven storytelling can change the world

Toads and Butterflies

In the sixth episode of our series I speak with Anjali Ramchandran, director of Storythings and an expert in the art of storytelling in a way that is clear, ethical and impactful.

We recorded this episode just as the Race Riots in the UK were kicking off in August 2024, and as a person of colour, Anjali shared her perspective and experience of this difficult environment.

At a time when the growing complexities of the world can be confusing, Anjali’s conversation shed a light on some fascinating topics such as:

• How do you get people’s attention and bring joy in a way that is appropriate, in the context of the world we are operating in. How do you find the balance between sensitivity to the current, sensitive context and elevating people to inspire them for a better vision of the world.
• What does a version of “winning” look like that is better than a numbers game?
• How do you bring genuine empathy and authenticity to the stories you tell
• What can we each do in the face of injustice
• The delicate art of embracing nuance and complexity in storytelling, while simplifying the message to make it relatable

I was particularly moved by this conversation which was heartfelt and yet also full of practical tips that give hope for a brighter world. I hope you find some inspiration for how you too could learn to tell a story that can change the narrative of how we operate in this complex world.

Here is a link to some of the references Anjali mentioned in the episode:

• Filterworld by Kyle Chayka
• The Traitors TV series
• ADP Rethink Quarterly is the quarterly magazine Storythings produces for ADP about payroll from around the world, which ties into their annual conference ReThink for payroll professionals from around the world. It's a human look at pay and money, and why payroll is so important for people in every corner of the world
• Get Together: How to build community with your people, by Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh and Kai Elder Sotto
• Ada's List merged with Tech Ladies a couple of years ago, and women/non-binary people in tech are very welcome to join Tech Ladies!
• Stoyrthings' values are in our Code of Ethics document here
• LinkedIn profile of Jinal Shah, CMO and GM, US of Zip.co
• Phoenixed podcast by Storythings for the Global Payroll Association
• The book about stakeholder interviews was Just Enough Research by Erica Hall
• Storythings Ethical Decision Making Framework helps us decide how and if we engage with clients

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Brought to you by Olivia Sibony at Impact Amplified.

At Impact Amplified, we run short programmes that focus on what actions you or your team can take in the context of your business. The focus is on understanding the context you operate in, and then honing on a tangible action you can take. By the end of our sessions, you will know what next step you can take, and how to go about putting that into practice, both through individual and through collective action.

You will see that the little things we do in business can unlock a big impact. Our goal is to inspire you to see the power you hold, to effect change.

You can see our signature programme here and you can contact Olivia directly [e-mail] to find out more.

With special thanks to Gareth Jones, mix engineer, to Marie Jessel, producer, to Raj Samuel, creative director, and to Shane Ivers for the music.