It is a privilege to be joined by Céline Cousteau for the season finale to discuss the book The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. As a filmmaker, author and environmentalist, Céline is in a unique position to understand and appreciate the power of storytelling. Picking up on Campbell’s assertion that ‘the only myth worth thinking about in the immediate future is the planet and everyone on it’, we talk about what this means in reality today, and whether there is a place for myth in the modern world.

In the episode, we explore what it means - in Campbell’s words - to 'find your bliss' and ‘slay your dragon’, and what these concepts have meant to Céline throughout her life and career. Finally, we hear from Céline about the work she has done in the Amazon and the impact this magical place has on all our lives, including how it is said that the rainforest produces oxygen for one in every five breaths we take.

In this episode, we discuss the book The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and take on the challenge to try and distil it into a central message of #8wordsorless. The book is vast in scope, covering the themes and symbols of ancient narratives and how these continue to bring meaning to our lives, offering lessons that can be applied to leadership today.  

We talk about the power of storytelling, and how leaders can, and should, utilise this to communicate a vision and inspire their teams. Samie also talks about Campbell’s famous concept of ‘Follow your Bliss’ before touching upon the monomyth, and the dragons that need to be slayed if we are to ‘be the hero of your journey’. 

For this week’s bonus episode, we are joined by Becks Beere - the founder and CEO of Avec UK, a market-leading strategic brand and product partner for global retailers.

Becks recommended 'Principles' by Ray Dalio and shares the many ways the book has influenced her life and how the insights influenced the considerable success of her business. 

Basing our discussion on insights garnered from the book, Becks speaks about how failures on her leadership journey have fuelled the desire to create a strong foundation for a lively workplace and inclusive culture. We also discuss the benefits and challenges of radical transparency, and what that means in practice if we are to encourage open conversations among employees and meaningful feedback loops.