Podcasts and other contributions
All my podcast appearances and writing I’ve contributed to other websites or journals.
Podcasts
March 2025
Biz Book Pub Hub
Hosted by Robbie Samuels
We dig deep into the ins and outs of book publishing, the power of reviews, and balancing books with business goals. Chris shares his transformation from working in senior roles to becoming a successful solo author and trainer, with over 50,000 copies sold and translations in 15 languages. Chris reveals his three-year marketing strategy for his books, focusing on experimentation, data-driven decisions, and long-term success.
November 2024
Edtech Tuesdays
Hosted by Ewa Hutmacher
Improve your training sessions and outcomes significantly when you add some post-training support. Training doesn’t end when people leave the room. Discover what leaders can do to support and accelerate learning and increase the chance of valuable outcome.
November 2024
SELinEDU
Hosted by Krista Leh and Tammy Musiowsky-Borneman
Why do some educational conversations hit a wall while others build bridges? This episode discusses practical strategies for fostering collaboration and maintaining clear communication in educational settings.
October 2024
The Minimalist Educator Podcast
Hosted by Tammy Musiowsky-Borneman and Christine Arnold
In this episode, discover the secrets to effective communication and ensure your training sessions leave a lasting impact! We dive into strategies from his seminal works, “The First Minute” and “39 Ways to Make Training Stick,” revealing practical tips on reinforcing learning through repetition, feedback, and simplification.
September 2024
Reframe & Reset Your Career
Hosted by Harsha Boralessa
Chris and Harsha talk about focusing on gaining new skills & experience to help you stand out in your current role and to potential new employers. Not having to be an extrovert to be a good communicator. How communication can help you build your personal brand. Strategies to help you ace your next interview, and more.
September 2024
Speak With People
Hosted by Jason Raitz
Discover how to avoid common communication pitfalls, build strong professional relationships, and implement clear communication frameworks that boost productivity and understanding. Chris will show you how to bridge the gap between experts and non-experts, ensuring your messages resonate across all levels of your organization.
August 2024
Speaking With Confidence
Hosted by Tim Newman
In this episode, Chris and Tim dive deep into various aspects of communication—both verbal and written. Chris shares his personal journey of overcoming public speaking anxiety and the transformation he underwent to become a confident communicator. We discuss the significance of clear communication in project management and how to overcome the need for excessive information sharing.
July 2024
You’re Worthless
Hosted by Nic Nierras
In this unconventionally titled show, Chris Fenning and Nic Nierras discuss the importance of understanding the context and purpose of communication in order to achieve desired outcomes. Chris also shares the impact of a personal experience on his sense of self-worth and shares his mantra of taking action instead of just talking about it.
April 2024
The Tech Leader’s Playbook
Hosted by Avetis Antaplyan
In this conversation, Chris Fenning and Avetis Antaplyan discuss effective communication in the workplace and in personal relationships. They explore topics such as brevity in emails, the balance between providing sufficient details and being concise, the importance of framing conversations, and the challenges of communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
April 2024
Writer on the side
Hosted by Hassan Osman
Writing and marketing books is a core part of Chris’s business and he has a novel way of how he thinks about those tasks. On this episode, Hassan talks with Chris about he wrote and marketed his books.
April 2024
Work From The Inside Out
Hosted by Tammy Goeler Loob
Discover something new about Chris in this deep dive into his childhood and early career. If you’re interested in what makes Chris tick, and how he got to be where he is today, this is definitely worth a listen.
April 2024
How to Be Awesome At Your Job
Hosted by Pete Mockaitis
Do you want to know how to capture your audience’s attention in 15 seconds? Why meetings feel like a waste—and how to fix that? Or the one question that’s ruining your reputation? To find out, listen to this episode on a show that has more than 25 million downloads.
April 2024
Plan Grow Do
Hosted by Rob Taylor
Discover how The First Minute can help improve the outcomes of B2B sales conversations. Use GPS to discover your customers goals and problems, and then to share solutions that will help them.
March 2024
Dads In Business
Hosted by Rob Taylor
Uncover the value of prioritising solutions over problems, and see how thorough preparation and consistent practice can significantly enhance your ability to communicate at work.
March 2024
Champions Uncovered
Hosted by Carla Wasserfall
Dive into Chris’s award-winning book, The First Minute. Discover the frameworks from the book and how you can apply them to daily work communication.
March 2024
Marketer of the day
Hosted by Robert Plank
Hear Chris’s insights on growing a business from scratch, writing books, recording audiobooks, and the nuances of podcasting. Plus a dive into some of the more common communication challenges we face at work.
March 2024
Candid Conversations
Hosted by Charles Hsuan
Fear of selling, the journey from terrible communicator to communication trainer, and some specific tips for communicating better at work. Listen as Charles takes Chris on a journey through these topics and more.
March 2024
EdTech Speaks
Hosted by Sher Downing PhD
In this episode Chris discusses his book, 39 Ways to Make Training Stick. Where the book idea came from, what’s in it, and how trainers and instructors can support learners after the training room lights go out.
March 2024
Effective ERP Communication
Hosted by Dr Jack G. Nestell
In this episode, we explore the essential tactics and strategies to bridge the gap between IT and business teams, ensuring successful ERP implementations and organizational change.
March 2024
The Writing Docs
Hosted by Elizabeth & Sarah
It starts with the subject line. Improve your work emails, spend less time chasing people, and reclaim control of your inbox. Discover practical techniques that make emails shorter and clear, all from my award-winning book, Effective Emails.
January 2024
Beyond Hard Skills
Hosted by Hrideep Barot
Beyond degrees and technical skills, success often hinges on the ability to engage in meaningful dialogue. Unlock the secrets of effective communication with me as I shares my expertise on navigating conversations that yield tangible results in the professional arena.
January 2024
Six Figure Speaker Spotlight
Hosted by Kelley O’Hara
Discover how I transformed from a corporate cog to a masterful speaker and author. In this talk I candidly open up about the hurdles I’ve faced, from battling impostor syndrome to the practical woes of cash flow and client acquisition. This story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the art of mastering one’s craft.
January 2024
Ways To Change The Workplace
Hosted by Prina Shah
Transform the way you think about workplace meetings and discover the keys to making every sit-down a springboard for team success. We delve into the nitty-gritty of why meetings often miss the mark, and look at practical tools that make meetings better.
January 2024
The Guiding Voice
Hosted by Naveen Samala
If IT and business teams can learn to speak each other’s language there is no limit to what they can achieve together. Discover how organizations can foster an environment where technical and business teams collaborate seamlessly, breaking down the ‘Us vs. Them’ mentality to communicate better and achieve common goals.
January 2024
Financial Freedom For Physicians
Hosted by Dr Christopher Loo
Get a glimpse into my unconventional perspectives on communication, shedding light on why I choose to veer away from traditional topics like body language and active listening. Instead, I focuses on practical strategies that anyone, especially technical professionals, can apply in their daily work interactions.
December 2023
The Happy Engineer
Hosted by Zach White
Turn your understanding of communication upside down in this wide ranging talk. What if communication skills aren’t really skills? And if communication is not a skill, then what is it? How can engineers learn to communicate with non-technical leaders better? All this, and much, much more,
November 2023
Speak Up
Hosted by Laura Camacho
Listen to the very first repeat guest appearance on Speak Up – the #2 rated communication podcast in the world. Laura and I discuss practical ways to handle everything from cognitive overload to communicating in complex situations.
October 2023
On the Schmooze
Hosted by Robbie Samuels
Get a behind the scenes look at my early life and career. Robbie’s artful questions walk through my unique journey from a childhood of solitude to a project management and communication training career, offering valuable insights into my perspective on leadership and personal growth.
October 2023
Brunton Media
Hosted by Carlton Brunton
Video is a powerful communication tool we should be using in our businesses. Carlton and I talk about the different ways in which video impacts our work. You’ll hear why it takes time to build the skills and confidence necessary to become comfortable on camera, as well as get tips on improving your onscreen communication.
October 2023
97% Effective
Hosted by Michael Wenderoth
Who writes more effective emails: ChatGPT or you, after you read my book? You be the judge. Enjoyed discussing (and showing live) how to improve your written communication, in my lively interview with Michael Wenderoth on @97% Effective.
September 2023
How to Talk to Wierdos
Hosted by Jeremy Doran
A walk through some of the key lessons from my book The First Minute. Jeremy and I talk about how to get people interested in what you have to say to them, and how to keep them interested. Plus, we throw a little bit of neuroscience and a few stories into the mix.
November 2022
Knowledge Talks
Hosted by Abhishek Sengupta
A wide ranging discussion including how communication impacts employee engagement and productivity; communication up, across, down, and outside your company; the consequences of bad communication and more.
October 2022
97% Effective
Hosted by Michael Wenderoth
Poor communication is one of the top reasons people don’t get promoted. So it was a pleasure to speak with Michael about my book The First Minute. We walk through before-after examples, showing how to structure your business communication for maximum impact.
October 2022
The Power of Story and Science
Hosted by David Otey
If you happened to be an engineer who is comfortable speaking not only the language of engineering, but also the language of business, sales, and marketing, you would likely find some interesting doors opening for you. And that is precisely the story of today’s guest, Chris Fenning, who has spent much of his career in such boundary-spanning roles. Want to hear his four keys to success? Listen in.
March 2022
Video for All
Hosted by Julian Mather
A conversation about using video for communication in business. We talked about when video came on my radar, what the first videos were like (not good!), if video is an essential career skill and what others can do to lessen their anxiety about video presenting, and lots more.
November 2021
Motivational Monday
Hosted by Jim & Lucy
Digital body language. Cross generational communication. The pitfalls of giving detail in chronological order. Tone of voice when writing.
August 2021
The Savvy Dentist
Hosted by Dr Jesse Green
The difference between being a communicator and conversationalist. The power and benefits of reframing. The importance of frameworks and how the structure of a framework can guide you through a conversation. Tips for becoming more intentional. Understanding cultural overlay in communication.
August 2021
Conversations About Collaboration
Hosted by Phil Simon
How communication enables our species to develop. The impact of interrupting people throughout the day. Why core hours at work are always good. The benefits of incremental feedback in the moment. Does changing the medium of communication make things clearer? Why education doesn’t include communication and the glee my wife feels when she finds typos in my social media posts.
July 2021
Toastcaster
Hosted by Greg Gazin
A deep dive into starting effective conversations using the frameworks in The First Minute. Get a new perspective on some familiar topics as Greg asks questions and makes connections between The First Minute and the real conversations we have every day.
July 2021
Podfluence
Hosted by John Ball
How speaking from the stage highlights poor skills, being brief as an airline steward, techies can communicate, introverts aren’t always quiet, being brief, and putting the podcast host on the spot.
April 2021
Communications Czars
Hosted by Roseann Galvan
Transform time-sucking meetings into productive updates, streamline all of your communications, and summarize complex information quickly.
April 2021
The Art of Communication
Hosted by Greg Rice
Bridging the communication gap (business vs IT), starting your communication clearly, impactful conversations.
March 2021
Communication at Work – Ethical Marketing Service
Hosted by Thomas Green
Thomas and I dive into the techniques in my book The First Minute.
March 2021
How to Start Conversations That Get Results
Hosted by Peter George
Peter and I go deep into my book The First Minute and talk about why we aren’t taught how to communicate at work.
March 2021
Speak Up!
Hosted by Laura Camacho
Laura and I dive into a few topics – including how to start conversations, the techniques in the first minute, communicating with remote teams, the status of communication training in education and how technical professionals have so much to learn just to keep up with the pace of change in their fields.
February 2021
The Heart of Dad
Hosted by Matt Fox
A step away from communications, this episode focuses on the pain and challenges of infertility. A journey that so many people are on, but isn’t talked about openly.
February 2021
The Good Enough Project
Hosted by Will Taylor
Starting a business. Overcoming imposter syndrome. Finding our work passions.
Other contributions
December 2024
CBC Toronto
Out-of-office emails are getting a refresh — and helping employees set work-life boundaries
June 2024
TD Magazine
One-Size Post-Training Template That Fits All
March 2024
Managementboek.nl
Introduction and overview of The First Minute, Dutch language edition
January 2024
Toastmasters Online
5 ways to elevate your emails, the do’s and don’t’s of electronic communication at work.
January 2024
The Training Magazine
Leadership Development Has Never Been More Challenging or More Important. Quoted on the future of training.
October 2023
The Fast Company
How to make training stick. Great ways to support trainees after they leave the room.
March 2023
Reworked.co
Communication breakdown at work? Here’s what to do.
June 2022
Harvard Business Review
How to deliver bad news to your boss.
October 2021
Non-Fiction Authors Association
How do you locate speaking opportunities?
August 2021
Non-Fiction Authors Association
Expert round-up: For non-fiction authors who’ve already been published, what would you do differently next time?
August 2021
Industrial Process News
British business author recognised at prestigious American book awards
March 2021
ClearPoint Strategy
10 key project management communication strategies
October 2019
Framing: How to start effective conversations every time