Sustainability Network Speaker Series – Leadership storytelling: communicating for influence and impact

One of the greatest challenges facing today’s leaders - particularly those working in sustainability - is the ability to influence others toward meaningful, positive change. Evidence and rational argument alone are often not enough, especially when progress requires challenging established mindsets and long-held ways of working. Creating real change demands new approaches to how we engage, persuade, and inspire.

In this interactive session, Zoë Arden will draw on her career spent at the intersection of leadership development, storytelling and sustainability, alongside insights from her new book Story-Centred Leadership, to explore how storytelling can become a powerful lever for influence and impact. She will show how stories can be used to engage, motivate, and mobilise others - moving beyond information to enable transformation.

Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of their own levers of influence and how to tap into a stronger sense of personal agency. The session highlights the importance of story listening - learning to truly walk in the shoes of stakeholders - as well as how the stories we tell about ourselves can be quietly self-limiting. Zoë will also explore “stuck stories,” such as the assumption of endless growth, and why these narratives need to be unstuck to create space for new ways of thinking and acting.

At its heart, the session offers a simple but powerful insight: change starts with every conversation.

Zoë’s book will be available for purchase after the event at a special event-only discount.

Note: this is a hybrid event, hosted at the Vincent Building Auditorium (Building 52a), Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL and also online via Zoom.

Speaker

Zoë Arden

Zoë works at the intersection of leadership and storytelling. She is a Fellow at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and has supported thousands of business leaders globally to strengthen their capability, confidence, courage and commitment to lead change through her training programmes and influence and impact coaching.

Her book Story-Centred Leadership – Crafting Cultures of Change (Routledge, 2026) illuminates how our stories can engage, motivate and mobilise others. More than ever, we need stories that help us build healthy, productive workplaces and communities – stories that grow our sense of agency as citizens, grounded in the belief that every voice and every action matters.

Zoë designs and delivers leadership programmes for many global businesses. She is the co-author of CISL’s Leadership Capabilities for the 21st Century: Thriving in an Age of Disruption (December 2025) and her online courses including Communicating for Influence and Impact and Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership have a global alumni.

Previous business roles include Director at telecoms giant BT where she developed BT Retail’s responsible business strategy, reporting into the CEO; European Managing Director at global communications firms Weber Shandwick and Golin; Director of advisory firm SustainAbility, and Vice President of US agency Access Communications, working with Apple. In her spare time, she treads the boards at her local theatre and swims in the River Thames, whatever the weather. For more information about Zoë book and her leadership programmes, visit www.zoearden.com.

Who should attend?

This is an open event to Cranfield University staff, students, businesses and sustainability enthusiasts alike.

How to register 

Register for an online space via Zoom

Or attend in-person (no need to register) at the Vincent Building Auditorium (Building 52a), Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL.