Cut Through the Noise with Aisling O' Rourke

After the largest public sector strike in Ireland since 2009, with 300,000 workers on picket lines, Aisling reflects on how much leaders' words matter when people are anxious. Between the cost of living, global conflict, rising rents and bills, and the climate and nature crisis, many teams and clients carry a low hum of dread into every meeting and email.

In a crisis, communication is not a soft skill but the whole game. Leaders don't have to choose between being kind and being honest, and in this week’s episode, Aisling shares five principles, each with an action step to try this week.

The five principles
Lead with acknowledgement before information.
Be honest, even when the news isn't good.
People-pleasing isn't kindness.
Empathy is neither agreeing nor dismissing.
Say what you don't know, and say what happens next.
Your action steps this week

If you're new here, make sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and if you're watching on YouTube, hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode.
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If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ie
Editing is by Amanda Fitzgerald

Connect with Aisling:
Website
Email
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Aisling talks to Kate Doyle, founder of EcoKinly, a Wexford-based brand breaking new ground in women’s health and hygiene products.

Kate shares what it's like to market a product most people have never seen, how she handles the lingering taboo around periods and women’s hygiene, and why she thinks the conversation is shifting from a "female health issue" to a waste, cost-of-living and education issue.

In this episode, you’ll discover:
What reusable period care actually looks like, and why Kate links it to a habit people already know
The extra layer of marketing: explaining what your product is before you can explain why it's better
Why some retail buyers instantly get what you’re trying to do and others don't
Period poverty, girls missing school, and the importance of talks with the Department of Education about reusable pads in secondary schools

If you're new here, make sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and if you're watching on YouTube, hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode.

Make sure to check out our YouTube!
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If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ie
Editing is by Amanda Fitzgerald

Connect with Aisling:
Website
Email
Instagram
LinkedIn
coach.ie/

Connect with Kate:
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Website
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aisling O'Rourke is joined by Professor John Nolan, whose 25 years of research into the eye, the brain and nutrition are the subject of the new documentary A Vision for Vision. They talk about why the science matters for people of all ages, and about the gap between scientific discovery and public understanding.
For anyone nervous about putting themselves in front of a camera, he shares his tips on storytelling and sticking to what you know.

In this episode, you’ll discover:
What A Vision for Vision is, and why John made a film instead of publishing another paper
How common age-related macular degeneration is in Ireland, and why waiting until the condition is advanced isn't enough
John's concept of "Health 3.0": proactive, preventative healthcare built on targeted nutrition
The education gap: why most eye doctors aren't trained in the link between nutrition, eyes and brain
Why scientists need to get comfortable with simplifying their language, and why even scientists like a good story
Making science collaborative and involving patients, athletes and the public in the research
Advice for nervous communicators: know your subject, don't pretend to be an expert in everything, and tell a story

If you're new here, make sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and if you're watching on YouTube, hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode.
Make sure to check out our YouTube!
YouTube

If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ie
Editing is by Amanda Fitzgerald

Connect with Aisling:
Website
Email
Instagram
LinkedIn

Connect with John:
LinkedIn
Website
Info about ‘A Vision for Vision’
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, Aisling is joined by global sustainability expert Sandhya Sabapathy to talk about how the conversation around sustainable business has shifted from a "nice to have" side project to a genuine business case backed by regulation, profitability, and consumer trust. They cover why the "fail fast, break things" era is giving way to more considered, foundational growth, why authenticity beats greenwashing, and what role women in leadership can play in building a more climate-resilient future.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How corporate sustainability has evolved over the last decade, from top-down net zero commitments to a maturing, more strategic business function
Why sustainability now needs a real business case, not just a compliance checkbox
Why recent extreme heat events have made climate risk feel immediate rather than abstract, especially for retailers and supply chains
Why consumer cynicism and greenwashing fatigue mean honesty about what isn't working can land better than polished sustainability marketing
Mary Robinson's Dandelion Project and the case for women in C-suite leadership driving better sustainability and pay equity outcomes, and why this needs to be a collaborative effort with male leaders, not a burden placed solely on women

If you're new here, make sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and if you're watching on YouTube, hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode.

Make sure to check out our YouTube!
YouTube
If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ie
Editing is by Amanda Fitzgerald

Connect with Aisling:
Website
Email
Instagram
LinkedIn

Connect with Sandhya:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A crisis doesn't always start with a product failure, a cyberattack or an accident. Sometimes it starts with one sentence.

In this solo episode, Aisling looks at the recent row over Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary's language about competing airlines, which she also discussed on Ireland AM. This incident is a perfect example of how a deliberate communications stunt can turn into a reputational crisis, and how refusing to acknowledge the harm keeps the story alive.
Aisling explains why the original misstep is rarely the most important part of a crisis. How you respond decides how far the damage spreads. She also draws on a recent PwC study on Irish business disruption, and lays out what every leader should have in place before pressure arrives: a credible apology, a named spokesperson, a crisis communications plan and a real-life test of that plan.

In this episode, you'll discover:
Why a crisis can begin with a single sentence, and how a message about low fares became a debate about leadership and culture
How to define a crisis, and why you don't have to do anything 100% wrong for a grey area to destroy trust in your brand
Why meaning is created by the audience as well as the speaker, and why.
Why intent is relevant but doesn't erase impact.
Why doubling down is so often mistaken for strength, and how admitting a mistake is the real strength
The four things a credible apology must do.

If you're new here, make sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and if you're watching on YouTube, hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode.

Make sure to check out our YouTube!
YouTube

If you would like to get involved in the podcast or work with The Communications Coach email us: hello@thecommunicationscoach.ie
Editing is by Amanda Fitzgerald

Connect with Aisling:
Website
Email
Instagram
LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.