Unconventional Leaders

Hosted by Heather Parady

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Episodes

187

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

Conversations with creators, storytellers, and thinkers shaping culture through their work, exploring the craft, perspectives, and deeper forces behind what we create.

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60 recent

November 10, 202646 min

Cognitive Scientist Explains How to Think More Creatively | Dr. Liane Gabora

How do you think more creatively? Where do original ideas come from? And can success actually make you less creative? Today’s guest is cognitive scientist Dr. Liane Gabora from the University of British Columbia. We explore the psychology and science of creativity, why creative constraints can help us generate better ideas, how external validation can interfere with our creative process, and what makes each person's creative perspective unique. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Why success and external validation can undermine creativity. How creative constraints can help us generate original ideas. Why your unique perspective matters and how creativity gives our lives meaning. CONNECT WITH LIANE GABORA: Website: https://gabora-psych.ok.ubc.ca/ Pre-Order Her Book: Dawn of the Creative Mind https://gabora-psych.ok.ubc.ca/dawn-of-the-creative-mind.html CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/187

November 3, 202649 min

How to Tell SHORT STORIES That Move People | Breathing Films

A few months ago, I took a filmmaking class and was so inspired that I came home, dropped my to-do list, and spent the rest of the night watching short films on YouTube. That's how I discovered Breathing Films (and I was hooked). With millions of views on their films, filmmakers Noah Berridge and Yuli Freed have found a way to make people feel something… in just a few minutes. Today I'm joined by Noah to explore exactly how they do it. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Turning personal experiences and emotions into compelling short stories How to tell concise stories that move people without overexplaining Protecting your creative voice and playfulness while navigating AI, deadlines, and audience expectations Connect with Noah and Breathing Films Subscribe to Breathing Films: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Breathing+Films Short Film Discussed (Mordros): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbTNlw1rlxY Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BreathingFilms CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/185

October 29, 20268 min

What Are You Really Afraid Of The Fear Beneath the Fear

Sometimes the things we're most afraid of aren't what we think they are. After an embarrassing encounter with my own shadow and a childhood memory involving a pastor dressed as the devil, I've been thinking about what happens when we look directly at our fears. A short reflection on fear, vulnerability, and the invitation to heal. Music Credits: Bryan Parady — https://open.spotify.com/track/6tMO5U1CTkwUAU9KIepLYd?si=dc5541e1a10f4945

October 20, 202657 min

What To Do When You Are Misunderstood | Dr. Yael Schonbrun

Dr. Yael Schonbrun is a clinical psychologist, couples therapist, and assistant professor at Brown University whose work explores the science of human understanding. In today's episode, we discuss what is happening when you are misunderstood and why learning to communicate clearly is only part of the picture. Dr. Schonbrun shares how our brains shape our perception of reality and why two people can experience the same situation (completely) differently. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: How to recognize your own blind spots and see beyond your perspective How to communicate with nuance without losing the strength of your voice What to do when you're misunderstood (without getting defensive) CONNECT WITH YAEL SCHONBRUN: Order: Why Don’t You Understand Me? https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/827849/why-dont-you-understand-me-by-yael-schonbrun-phd/ Website: https://www.yaelschonbrun.com/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/184

October 13, 20261 hr 1 min

The Power of Oral Storytelling | Sarah Quint

Sarah Quint is a traditional storyteller and citizen of the Mattaponi Tribe of Tsenacommacah in Virginia. Her work centers on preserving and retelling traditional Indigenous stories, as well as creating new stories for future generations. In this episode, we discuss the responsibility that comes with oral storytelling, why storytellers should not tell the “moral” of the story, and how stories connect us to the Spirit present in the world around us. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Why oral storytelling carries a responsibility to past and future generations Why storytellers shouldn't prescribe meaning to their audience Why authentic human storytelling matters in the age of AI OTHER EPISODES MENTIONED: Consciousness, Constellations, & Experiencing Spirit Through the Body | Fally Klein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVE57ojZPiE Why Stories Can Change Minds When Arguments Can’t | Keith Giles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3jgbrVIpuk CONNECT WITH SARAH QUINT: Website: https://www.sarahquint.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quint_sarah/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/183

October 1, 20261 hr 2 min

Consciousness, Constellations, & Experiencing Spirit Through the Body | Fally Klein

Fally Klein is a Jewish educator, hypnotherapist, and breathwork facilitator whose work brings together Jewish mysticism, psychology, and constellations. In this conversation, she explains how we experience spirit through the physical body and why spiritual practices should ultimately change how we live. I also asked her about her work with Constellations, her perception on the connection between consciousness and creativity, and how as communicators we can be True Vessels. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: What is consciousness? (and experiencing it through the physical body) Embodied spirituality (why and how to tap into spirit through the body) Individual vs. collective consciousness Where ideas come from (and becoming a vessel for creative ideas) CONNECT WITH FALLY KLEIN: https://www.fallyklein.com/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/182

September 22, 202656 min

Why Stories Can Change Minds When Arguments Can’t | Keith Giles

Keith Giles is an author and the co-owner of Quoir Publishing. He has spent years not only authoring nonfiction books around theology and deconstruction, but also helping authors get their messages out into the world. Recently, however, he opened Pink Beam Press, specifically for science fiction authors. This was not just a business decision, but an intentional choice to explore how fiction can communicate truth in an unconventional manner. I wanted to have Keith on today to discuss how fiction can reach and impact people in ways that nonfiction cannot. In this conversation, we explore the power of metaphor, the limitations of language, and how to let go of our own agendas in order to allow something else to move through us through the power of storytelling. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Why stories can get past our defenses when arguments can’t How to communicate truth without forcing an agenda How fiction can create empathy and help us reconsider our perspective CONNECT WITH KEITH GILES: Pink Beam Press: https://quoir.com/pink-beam-press/ Blog Mentioned: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keithgiles/2026/02/the-story-of-us CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/181

September 15, 202647 min

How to Tell Stories Without Sounding Preachy | Pastor & Fiction Writer Zac Cannon

Zac Cannon is not only an award-winning storyteller, novelist, and screenwriter…he is also a pastor. His background is in film and fiction writing, but he has also spent years communicating from the pulpit. In this conversation, I wanted to ask Zac about how (and if) the intention behind storytelling changes across fiction and spirituality. We also talk about the difference between compelling an audience and manipulating one, and how to communicate strong convictions while still leaving room for curiosity. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: What is the difference between telling a story and delivering a message? How do you communicate strong convictions without manipulating your audience? Does a good story need an agenda—or should you let the audience decide what it means? How do you give yourself permission to create without needing your work to serve a larger purpose? How can fiction help us understand perspectives and experiences outside our own? CONNECT WITH ZAC CANNON: Website: https://zaccannon.com/ Buy ‘Stillwater Trace’: https://zaccannon.com/books/stillwater-trace-a-novel-zac-cannon/B0H5XHW244 CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/180

September 8, 202658 min

Why Your Words Matter More Than You Think | Nigel Darius

On Nigel Darius ’s IG bio, he says that he is “helping the world heal…with words.” As an artist, he uses storytelling and language to foster empathy, curiosity, and human connection. In his latest book, We Say Shalom , he looks at 40 words across 15 languages to uncover their meaning, deepening our experience and connection as humans. In this conversation, we explore the responsibility that comes with using your voice: how to communicate honestly while having respect for nuance, why we should never avoid discomfort if we really want to grow, and the dangers of when we stop listening to perspectives outside our own. Nigel shares why “agreeability does not lead to authenticity,” how artists can use their unique voice to reflect culture back to itself, and why every communicator should remember that within every word, there is a world. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: As a communicator, how do you get around the limitations of language? How to communicate truth without losing nuance How to develop a message with depth CONNECT WITH NIGEL DARIUS: Website: https://nigeldarius.com/ His book, ‘We Say Shalom’: https://a.co/d/08qXXBd0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nigeldarius/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/179

September 1, 202648 min

How to Handle Criticism Without Losing Confidence | Doogie Horner

Doogie Horner is an accomplished author, illustrator, and stand-up comedian. Across each medium, he’s learned how to navigate the tension between making work you believe in and accepting when folks don’t get it. In this conversation, we discuss how to respect and develop your creative point of view without becoming closed off to feedback, why your “sketchbook should be a laboratory, not a gallery,” and how to stay enthusiastic when you can’t control how people respond. WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE: Looking at your work objectively and navigating criticism (and praise) Developing your point of view while staying open to growth Staying enthusiastic about your work when success isn’t guaranteed CONNECT WITH DOOGIE HORNER: Website: https://www.doogiehorner.com/comedy His book, ‘The Adventures of Invisible Boy’ : https://a.co/d/023ICvDa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doogiehorner/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER: Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/178