SPEAKING & WRITING
Every age needs its storymakers. Drawing from two decades leading teams through earthquakes, social shifts, technology change and creative development, I show audiences how unique perspectives become superpowers in times of profound change. I'm also occasionally funny.
I'm open to inquiries for speaking engagements in 2025, across Australasia and Asia. Please get in touch to learn more, or explore some of my favourite talks, workshops and podcast conversations below.
Speaking Topics
- Navigating through chaos and uncertainty
- ​​Neurodiversity as a superpower in an AI age
- Horror, creativity, and processing transformation
- Game industry trends and futures
The Storytelling for Leaders Workshop series is about shaping living stories that bring teams and organisations together.
​​In a world of constant change, the ability to craft and share compelling stories is a crucial leadership competency. We’ve all experienced the transformative power of a leader who tells great stories: the clarity it brings, the vision it paints, and the profound impact it has on a team’s motivation and performance.
Facilitated by Jo Fitzgerald and Colin Rowsell, leaders and communicators who’ve supported teams through some of the biggest challenges imaginable. From the ancient fundamentals of storytelling in human history and ritual, to insider case studies from cutting-edge startups and the worlds of film, tv, and video game development, we will take you on a journey of applied narrative mastery.
For more information, testimonials and booking inquiries see the Storytelling For Leaders website.
Talks and podcast conversations
'Hello Chaos My Old Friend: Learning from the Messiest Projects' - NZ Game Developer's Conference 2024.
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Game development has sometimes struggled to learn from other fields as it evolves. But areas as diverse as disaster recovery, startups, SaaS scaling, and public sector rollouts offer fascinating (and sometimes hilarious) comparison points for the age-old question: how do you manage when things are completely off the rails? ​
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You can also read this in essay form at The Tangle.
'Lovecraft's Letters and Influence, S.T. Joshi' - Project Tempest Podcast
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A conversation with the great S.T. Joshi, H.P. Lovecraft scholar and bibliophile. Explore the full Project Tempest archives and subscribe on the listening service of your choice.
'Narrative, Story Worlds, and Transmedia, Jeff Gomez' - Project Tempest Podcast
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A deeply personal conversation with Jeff Gomez, modern mythologist and innovator of the collective journey. Explore the full Project Tempest archives and subscribe on the listening service of your choice.
'Interactive narrative and pursuing the writer's dream, Sarah Beaulieu' - Project Tempest Podcast
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A conversation with Sarah Beaulieu, Narrative Director on the Assassin's Creed video game franchise. Explore the full Project Tempest archives and subscribe on the listening service of your choice.
'One of the most exciting times in the history of media, Simon Pulman' - Project Tempest Podcast
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A conversation with Simon Pulman, leading entertainment dealmaker working across games, film, tv and complex rights deals. Explore the full Project Tempest archives and subscribe on the listening service of your choice.
What a revelation this was, Colin was funny, humble, insightful and energetic. That was NOURISHING.
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Audience feedback | NZ GDC 2024 talk 'Hello Chaos My Old Friend'