Communication Untangled

Leading criminal defence barrister Chris Daw KC tells host Sue Keogh how to construct a winning argument – and Conflict Resolution Lady Zodia Hall shares tips on stopping arguments before they even start.With work ranging from the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster trial and inquests, to defending high-profile sportspeople like John Terry and Ryan Giggs, to serious cases of fraud, corruption and a £500m cocaine trafficking ring, Chris Daw KC has an incredible track record in winning over judge and jury.Sue caught up with him as he was relaxing in his garden between cases to find out about his toolkit of persuasive communication techniques.He outlines the clues he looks out for in the jury which help him decide which words and phrases to use. How he seeks out the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ – then goes on the attack! And why Donald Trump, teenagers, and short, snappy political slogans are so effective in winning an argument.We take a short recess in the middle, and move from the court into the workplace. Zodia Hall, the Conflict Resolution Lady, explains how arguments rarely start where you think they start – and how you can use the EAR framework to resolve tension and rebuild trust.Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to ushttps://www.sookio.com/podcasthttp://sookio.com/contactConnect with Zodia Hall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zodia-hall-the-conflict-resolution-lady-47809a76 Visit Chris Daw KC’s website: https://www.chrisdawkc.com

Lessons in leadership communication from orchestra conductor Robert Ziegler and business identity expert Majid Islam, with communications specialist and host Sue Keogh.When you’re leading an orchestra, how do you communicate with 80 incredibly talented musicians, all at once – when you’re the one person in the room who can’t make a noise?Conductor Robert Ziegler shares lessons in leadership communication from his incredible career leading orchestras around the world. Not just performing classics from Beethoven, Chopin and Holst, recording the soundtrack to computer game Genshin Impact, the live tour of David Attenborough’s Ocean, and the film score to Lord of the Rings.He’ll talk about the importance of eye contact, how to read the room when you have your back to the audience, and why the best conductors are like the CEO, presenting a compelling vision everyone can get behind.We’ll also hear from Majid Islam, from Alignment Cubed, who explains how you need to adapt your communication style according to the type of organisation you’re leading – is it a Giant Monster, Elite Team, Visionary Ecosystem, or Efficient Machine?Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to ushttps://www.sookio.com/podcasthttp://sookio.com/contactRobert Ziegler’s website: https://www.robertziegler.co.uk/Alignment Cubed: http://www.alignmentcubed.com/

How do you communicate in high-pressure situations? East Anglian Air Ambulance paramedic Dr Brendan Fletcher explains. And Claire Percy, Head of External Affairs at Dublin Port, tells host Sue Keogh how to build an effective crisis comms plan. Dr Brendan Fletcher is an NHS Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire, and part of crew for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. They arrive on the scene of road traffic collisions, cardiac arrests and other medical emergencies, offering critical care and airlifting patients in their eye-catching yellow helicopters to hospital, giving them the very best chance of survival.He explains how paramedics use body language to inject a sense of calm in panicky situations, and the communication techniques he uses in different scenarios, from talking to injured children, breaking bad news to loved ones, or dealing with the modern very phenomenon of bystanders getting their phones out and filming at the scene.His 90-second rule is very interesting too – and you’ll soon be applying it in business situations yourself.We take a break in the middle to hear from Claire Percy, Head of External Affairs at Dublin Port, a critical site of Ireland’s national infrastructure with 1.8million passengers and 165bn Euros worth of trade passing through each year. She tells us how to build a crisis communications plan so your organisation keeps control of the narrative if something goes wrong. Which…let’s be honest, it always will!Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to ushttps://www.sookio.com/podcasthttp://sookio.com/contactPlease donate to the East Anglian Air Ambulance and support their incredible work: https://www.eaaa.org.ukConnect with Claire Percy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairepercyVisit the Dublin Port website: https://www.dublinport.ie

Toby Freeman, Founder of The Robin Cancer Trust – and a man who runs marathons dressed as a 7ft high pair of testicles – joins communications specialist Sue Keogh to explain how the charity uses humour brilliantly to break the stigma and enable honest conversations about cancer.He outlines why it’s so important to make yourself the butt of the joke – not the people with the condition – and how charities can convert these moments of laughter into actual donations. He’s also got some great advice if you’re a business who wants to use humour in your marketing – but are holding back for fear of getting cancelled.We’re also joined by standup-comic-turned public speaking coach Jon Torrens, who’s got some very practical tips in using humour to win over your audience.Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to us.About Toby FreemanToby Freeman is Founder & CEO of Robin Cancer Trust, the UK's only dedicated testicular, ovarian, and germ-cell cancer charity.He founded the charity in 2012 after losing his brother, Robin, to late-stage testicular cancer when he was just 24. Toby’s personal mission was simple: to prevent another family from going through what mine did.A men's health advocate and podcast host, he uses honesty, humour and purpose-led leadership to break stigma and create impact. These bold campaigns turn taboo topics into normal conversations – like his Big Ballsy Challenge, which saw him run the London Marathon in 2026 dressed as a 7ft high pair of testicles to attempt a Guinness World Record for “fastest man dressed as a body part” and raise vital funds to support every man diagnosed with testicular cancer in the UK.---Donate to The Robin Cancer TrustDiscover Toby’s Big Ballsy ChallengeVisit Jon Torrens’ website

What do you get when you cross a basketball coach, orchestra conductor and two funeral directors with a doctor, criminal defence barrister and a man dressed as a giant pair of testicles?Series 3 of Communication Untangled! The podcast which explores the tiny facets of communication which shape our behaviour – but often go unnoticed.And it’s all hosted by me, Sue Keogh. Founder of Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and behavioural science enthusiast.In my 3-decade career in comms, working for the BBC, ITV, GOV.UK and with clients like the NHS and the University of Cambridge, I’ve always been fascinated by those little elements of communication which influence us in a big way.And for this series, we’re shifting the focus to different communication environments and untangling the techniques you can use within them. In each episode I’ll be joined by a guest who’s a brilliant practitioner in their field, with a short blast of tips in the middle from a specialist….sharing secrets you can steal to help convey ideas more powerfully in your own marketing, business or brand. Click subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode.Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to us

Sound designer Sian Harris (Star Wars, LEGO, Need for Speed) from Fuse Games explains how audio in games has a huge impact on our emotional response as we play. We talk elephants, toucans, and why she’ll never replace humans with robots. Plus, remember the classic Nokia ringtone? It was heard nearly 2 billion times a day at its peak – but now we keep our phones on mute. Whether you're accelerating at speed in Grand Theft Auto, collecting coins in Super Mario, or you've just caught a fish in Animal Crossing with a satisfying splosh, the way the sound is designed in gaming has a huge impact on our emotional response as we play. It helps you become immersed in whole new worlds, and alerts you to points won – and lives lost. Someone who knows all about games audio and the techniques used to heighten our emotions is Sian Harris, Lead Sound Designer at Fuse Games. She's worked on numerous titles in the Star Wars and LEGO franchises, along with racing game Need for Speed and Sea of Solitude, set in a flooded city with big monsters making scary noises! She tells host Sue Keogh about all the subtle ways she uses sound to get people really tuned into the game...and how she strikes a balance between using AI technology and keeping it old school.  Speaking of which! We’ll also remember the famous Nokia ringtone, a total classic from the early days of mobile phones which at its peak was heard nearly two billion times a day.Communication Untangled is a podcast from Cambridge communications consultancy Sookio. Got a knotty communication challenge you need untangling? Talk to us About Sian Harris Sian Harris is an award-winning Lead Sound Designer currently working at Fuse Games. With over a decade of experience in sound design, audio direction, leadership and mentoring. Sian has played a pivotal role in shaping the soundscapes of some of the most innovative games in the industry such as the Need for Speed, Battlefield and Star Wars franchises. Take a look at her reel to see some of her work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3MXt35X2Ts&t=2s&ab_channel=SianAudio Useful links Connect with Sian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sian-harris-b4a13644/ Subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SianAudio-pq6tg Fuse Games: https://fusegames.com/ --- Sookio podcast page: https://www.sookio.com/podcast Produced by Rob Birnie at Made By DBM: https://madebydbm.com