Say What They Can't Unhear with Tamsen Webster

In this insightful episode of The Happiness Practices, host Phil Gerbyshak welcomes Tamsen Webster, author of Say What They Can't Unhear, for an engaging conversation about connection, storytelling, and transformational change. Tamsen shares her journey as a master storyteller, exploring the importance of building bridges of belief and creating arguments that resonate with your audience on a deeper level. She also delves into the personal aspects of her life, from overcoming anxiety to her work as a Weight Watchers leader, and how her experiences have shaped her approach to lasting change.

Together, Phil and Tamsen discuss how stories shape our decisions, why making lasting change requires more than just motivation, and the science behind belief and action. Tamsen also introduces her concept of creating “thousands of little yeses” to inspire transformational change, both in business and personal settings. This episode is packed with actionable advice on how to communicate more effectively, build meaningful connections, and lead change in a way that sticks.

NOTE: After you listen to the episode above (or below in the video), Tamsen has a free resource for you: The Compact Case. It's a simple worksheet that helps readers follow the guidance of the book to develop their own case for change. Then go get your copy of the book at https://littlechangebook.com

Key Discussion Points:

1. The Power of Connection
   Tamsen shares how her love for connecting ideas, people, and shiny new insights fuels her work. Her philosophy that true connection stems from compatibility, whether between ideas or people, helps explain her unique approach to communication.

2. The Genesis of Say What They Can't Unhear
   Phil and Tamsen dive into her latest book and the process behind it. Tamsen reveals her passion for lasting, transformational change, sparked from her own experiences overcoming panic attacks and working in change management and marketing. She explains how the book was born out of her belief that real change happens on an individual level before it can affect larger systems.

3. A Story is an Argument
   One of the central ideas from Tamsen’s book is that every story is an argument. She discusses how stories create an internal narrative for the decisions we make, and why the key to inspiring lasting change is building a stronger story than the one already in place.

4. Building Bridges of Belief
   Tamsen introduces her powerful concept of “building bridges of belief,” emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are in their belief system, instead of asking them to take a leap of faith. She explains how this strategy, combined with “thousands of little yeses,” can create incremental but impactful change.

5. Smart, Capable, and Good
   A core concept in Tamsen’s work is that people want to be seen as smart, capable, and good. Phil and Tamsen discuss how understanding this simple but profound idea can shift the way we approach communication and change, both personally and professionally.

6. Lessons from Weight Watchers
   Tamsen reflects on her 13 years as a Weight Watchers leader and how the lessons she learned about helping people achieve personal transformation have informed her professional work in storytelling and communication.

7. Practical Tools for Messaging and Change
   As a bonus, Tamsen gives listeners a preview of her upcoming Message Design Institute, where she’ll teach practical methods for applying the principles of effective messaging and transformational change in both professional and personal contexts.

Quotes from the Episode:

• “The longer someone holds a belief, the stronger that belief becomes, and our job isn’t to change that belief, but to build on it.” – Tamsen Webster

• “A story is an argument. It's a case for how to get what you want or need.” – Tamsen Webster

• “Change can only happen when the story behind it is stronger than the one that stands in its way.” – Tamsen Webster

• “Little yeses, not big leaps of faith, are the foundation for transformational change.” – Tamsen Webster

• “We have to start by seeing people as smart, capable, and good—before we ask anything of them.” – Tamsen Webster

Call to Action:
Feeling inspired to make a lasting change? Be sure to pre-order Say What They Can't Unhear at LittleChangeBook.com and check out Tamsen’s Message Design Institute launching soon at MessageDesignInstitute.com for more practical tools on transformational communication.

Connect with Tamsen Webster:

• Website: TamsenWebster.com

• Pre-order Say What They Can’t Unhear: LittleChangeBook.com