The Dr. Rod Berger Channel - Stories That Meet The Moment

The Narrative Edge Podcast, hosted by Dr. Rod Berger.

A middle school administrator once told a boy from Liberty City, "Rod, you may not see adulthood." Rodney C. Adkins became the first African American senior vice president in IBM's history and is now Chairman of Avnet. He calls his story "imperfection at its best."

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with the other Rod to talk about the promotion he did not get, the left tackle nobody notices until he misses a block, and why AI "is a thought partner, but it's not a substitute." Then...

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

In ninth or tenth grade, a boy from a pepper and coconut village in Kerala wrote an essay about his ambition and landed, almost by accident, on "general." He spent the next four decades proving the essay right.

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson, who grew up in a Syrian Christian farming family on the banks of the Manimala River. His maternal grandmother judged him "a little indisciplined" and pushed for military school, so at 10 he traded village mischief for 5 a...

HeadRoom, hosted by Dr. Rod Berger.

Barbra Banner spent 14 years on a women's crisis hotline and a decade or more in a hospital ER. Then she joined the Los Angeles Crisis Response Team, the people police call to a scene when a family arrives and someone they love is already gone. She was good at it. If she needed to cry, she waited for the drive home.

This is HeadRoom, where we uncover the why behind the what and who impacting our lives. Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Barbra Banner, a psychic and evidential...

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

Before every run into the badlands of south-central Iraq, David Holdridge sat in the back of a beat-up car and rehearsed his own execution.

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with David Holdridge for a second conversation, more than two years after their first. Holdridge led an infantry platoon outside Chu Lai in 1969 and came home wounded. He spent 18 months in hospitals and neuropsychiatric wards until a Hartford neurosurgeon found the nerve behind his causalgia and cut it. Then came 40 years of humanitarian work among people...

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

The first face-to-face meeting between Israeli and Syrian negotiators in Madrid was set for 10:30 in the morning. By Josef Olmert's account, the Syrians showed up at 10:30 at night.

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Josef Olmert, Middle East scholar, former Israeli government spokesman and member of Israel's delegation for talks with Syria. Olmert's family story runs through Russia, China, Israel and the United States. His father's family fled revolutionary Russia for Harbin, in Manchuria, where his parents, both Zionists, lived before leaving for Mandate Palestine...

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

At five or six, Jean-Daniel Ruch asked his mother what comes after death. She told him there is nothing, and he spent the next two decades looking for a better answer.

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Jean-Daniel Ruch, former Swiss ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, Israel and Turkey, and author of Crimes, Hate and Tremors. He grew up in the Bernese Jura during the fight over Moutier's future, a fight he remembers in tear gas, broken windows and posters that read "Moutier equals Belfast."...

Episode Title: Live from CultureCon: Build a Human Business with Glenn Bostock

Episode Description:

Some of the best leaders aren’t shaped by fitting in. They’re shaped by remembering exactly what it felt like not to.

Live from CultureCon 2026, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Glenn Bostock, founder and CEO of SnapCab and author of “A Human Business: The People First Model for Lasting Success”. Glenn shares how struggling in school, finding confidence through craftsmanship, and learning to work with his hands ultimately influenced the culture he built as a CEO. Today, that cul...

Dr. Rod Berger talks with Dr. Stephen Zunes on activism, civil resistance, and Western Sahara storylines. 
This conversation explores how Dr. Stephen Zunes’ upbringing in a Christian pacifist, politically engaged household shaped his lifelong focus on human rights, international law, and nonviolent resistance. Host Dr. Rod Berger, editor at large at Fair Observer, and Zunes also discuss Western Sahara, Israel-Palestine, democracy, polarization, and why Zunes still believes large-scale civic action can change history.

Guest
Dr. Stephen Zunes — Professor of politics and director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, speaking about his backg...

Sometimes the most important leadership shift starts with changing the song in your own head.

Live from CultureCon 2026, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, USA Today bestselling author of “Be Yourself at Work”, and a pioneer of people-first leadership. Claude shares how a 93-day Outward Bound experience helped her find her voice, challenge the limiting beliefs she carried for years, and ultimately recognize the kind of leader she was meant to become.

From building a culture rooted in empathy to taking accountability for how we show up, Claude expl...

Show Notes

In this episode of the Dr. Rod Berger Show, presented by Fair Observer, Rod sits down with sociocultural anthropologist Professor John Friedman to discuss his sudden dismissal from a university position, the broader crisis facing higher education, and why the humanities still matter more than ever. John shares the story of being let go during a shocking campus purge, what it felt like to lose a long-built academic home, and why he refused to return to the same classroom without first acknowledging the harm done. From there, the conversation expands into a wider examination of...

The Dr. Rod Berger Show is presented by Fair Observer.

Understanding one's family history can provide deep insights into personal identity. The impact of historical events on family dynamics is profound. Symbolic objects, like watches, can carry significant emotional weight across generations. The stories of those who lived through wartime are invaluable and unique. Generational trauma can shape perspectives and experiences in profound ways. The importance of storytelling in preserving family legacies. Modern society often lacks the context of historical struggles. Rapid news cycles can hinder our ability to process information meaningfully. Personal connections to history can...

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Sebastian Schäffer, who wrote a book with his mentor arguing that the Balkans belong in Europe. Not eventually. Immediately. The mentor, former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Erhard Busek, died in March 2022, weeks after Russian tanks crossed into Ukraine and the argument the two of them had spent years making became the most urgent question on the continent. Schäffer is still making it.

Born in Munich, he gave his career to somebody else's neighborhood. He directs the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe in Vienna, a think tank founded in 1953 an...

Something feels off in 2026, and you already know it. Maybe you can't name it precisely, but there's a tilt to the world right now, a sense that the ground beneath familiar systems is shifting in ways that resist easy explanation. If you've caught yourself staring at headlines with a mix of dread and curiosity, wondering whether this stretch of uncertainty is just noise or something more structural, this conversation is for you.

I sat down with Natasha Weber, the award-winning Australian astrologer known as Astro Tash, to explore a question that's been circling my mind for months...

In this episode, we explore how mental health, purpose, and human connection are evolving amid rapid technological and societal shifts. Jarrod Hoffman, a Memphis-based licensed professional counselor, shares insights into working with teens and families facing uncertainty, especially in the age of AI and a changing educational landscape.

Key Topics Covered:

The role of purpose and stability in mental health during unpredictable times

The impact of AI on relationships, therapy, and youth development

The metaphor of uphill and downhill riding as a reflection of life's challenges

How connection, not...

Navigating Voice, Trust, and Advocacy in a Divided World

In this episode, Rod Berger sits down with Jim and Tiffany Drastic—creators of The Dangerous Ones & Eleven Films—to explore the journey of finding and using their voices amid societal chaos, personal trauma, and the ongoing fight for justice. Discover how authenticity, modulation, and community-building shape their impactful work.

Key topics:

"From the Classroom to the C-Suite: Greta Jackson on Culture, Storytelling, and the Human Hum of Organizations"

In this episode of the CultureCon Catalyst podcast, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Greta Jackson, Employee Engagement and Culture Enrichment Director at Tegria, and a CultureCon Culture Catalyst. Greta's journey — from third-grade dreamer to middle school English teacher, high school AP Lit instructor, principal, recruiter, and now culture strategist — is a masterclass in following your instincts and letting storytelling lead the way.

What we cover:

The Power of Storytelling in Leadership: Insights from Dr. Marcus Conyers

Discover how storytelling shapes leadership and innovation. Learn key insights from Dr. Marcus Conyers, founder of BrainSmart, on enhancing organizational effectiveness.

In today’s fast-paced world, understanding the power of storytelling in leadership is crucial. How can narratives shape our leadership styles and foster innovation within organizations? In this blog post, we’ll dive into the insights shared by Dr. Marcus Conyers during his conversation with Dr. Rod Berger on "The Narrative Edge." You’ll discover how to leverage storytelling to create impactful connections and dr...

A powerful conversation with the incomparable Tom Junod brought to you by Dr. Rod Berger.

In the world of memoir writing, the question of identity often looms large. How we define ourselves, the names we carry, and the stories we tell shape our experiences and the narratives we create. In this post, we dive into the profound discussions that emerged from my recent conversation with Tom Junod, a celebrated writer whose memoir, *In the Days of My Youth, I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man', uncovers the complexities of identity through the lens of...

Building a Thriving Workplace Culture: Insights from Todd Wuestenberg

Learn how to cultivate a vibrant workplace culture from Todd Wuestenberg, Chief Culture Officer at Haverkamp Group. Discover strategies for fostering connection and development in organizations.

Creating a thriving workplace culture is essential for any organization aiming for long-term success. In this blog post, we delve into insights shared by Todd Wuestenberg, Chief Culture Officer at Haverkamp Group, who believes that culture is not just a side project but a crucial component of any successful business strategy.

Understanding Culture: The Kitchen Table Perspective

There's a moment Jhamal Robinson describes that stopped me in my tracks. He's on a global town hall panel at Warner Bros. Discovery, thousands of employees watching on Zoom, and someone asks him point blank: Do you feel like you have to tailor yourself when you walk into a room? His answer comes immediately. Yes. He code-switches. He adjusts. He becomes a version of himself calibrated to make others comfortable. And then, almost in the same breath, he adds the part that carries the real weight: But not when he walks into the Oprah Winfrey Network room. Not there...

Embracing Uncertainty: How to Navigate Life and Work in a Changing World

Discover strategies for thriving amidst uncertainty. Learn from Matthew Caldwell's journey in HR and personal growth, and find your path to resilience.

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us grapple with uncertainty—both in our personal lives and within our careers. How can we embrace this uncertainty and transform it into opportunity? In this blog post, we will explore insights from Matthew Caldwell, an organizational development director who shares his journey through personal and professional challenges. From his humble beginnings in a groc...

How to Harness the Power of Storytelling in Your Life: Insights from Dr. Darin Eich, a CultureCon Catalyst

Learn how to leverage storytelling for personal growth and connection. Dr. Darin shares insights that resonate with anyone looking to enhance their narrative skills.

Storytelling is not just for authors or filmmakers; it’s a powerful tool that can enhance your life and career. I sat down with Dr. Darin, a renowned expert in innovation and storytelling, to explore how we can all harness the power of narrative to foster connection and personal growth.

About Dr...

There's a moment in every room, every strategy session, every family dinner where someone finally says the thing everyone has been circling. Not a new idea, necessarily, but the buried one. The one that was always there, underneath the decks and the dashboards and the nervous small talk. CJ Casciotta has built a career around finding that moment, and in this episode, we sit down to talk about what happens when you stop treating storytelling as decoration and start treating it as the essential work of making sense of a world that refuses to slow down.

CJ...

THE NARRATIVE EDGE

A Podcast with Dr. Rod Berger

Presented by RIGGG Productions 

GUEST: TARYN SMITH

Solo Ocean Rower|  The World’s Toughest Row

46 Days, 3 Hours, 37 Minutes  |December 14 – January 29

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Taryn Smith, who completed a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the World’s Toughest Row—spending 46 days, 3 hours, and 37 minutes alone on a 24-foot boat. What unfolds is a conversation about courage, vulnerability, the surprising difficulty of preparation...

Richard Browning, founder of Gravity Industries and creator of the world's first human jet suit, explores how his late father's garage workshop and unfinished dreams shaped his approach to innovation. The conversation centers on why society must embrace what Browning calls recoverable failure, making inevitable setbacks survivable financially, reputationally, and physically, so that dreaming and experimentation can persist across generations. He also examines how social media and cultural intolerance for mistakes are quietly eroding the curiosity and creative agency young people need most.

Dr. Rod Berger is a keynote speaker, moderator, producer, author, and expert in...

Join me as I capture, live on stage, the story of Dr. Emad Rahim during Quantum Leap 2026, presented by N2N Services, Inc. and LightLeapAI. 

Emad Rahim — born in a concentration camp during the Khmer Rouge Genocide in Cambodia, raised as a stateless refugee in Brooklyn, and now a three-time doctorate holder, Fulbright Scholar, TEDx speaker, and award-winning educator — sits down for a fireside chat with N2N's Storyteller in Residence, Dr. Rod Berger, about the intersection of technology, education, and the power of human storytelling.

Key Topics Covered:

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rod Berger — journalist, education analyst, global interviewer, and author of The Narrative Edge. Rod has spent years traveling the world, sitting across from leaders, innovators, and everyday people with extraordinary stories. But what stands out most isn’t the résumé — it’s the way he listens, the way he honors people, and the way he finds meaning in the moments most of us overlook. We talk about the craft of storytelling, the responsibility that comes with asking questions, and the path that led him from education work to interviewing global figures. R...

Do you really know your characters, or are you just moving them around the page?

Real character depth doesn't come from a bio sheet—it comes from treating your characters like real people and finding their breaking point.

In this episode of The Author's Mind, Shilo Creed sits down with Dr. Rod Berger to discuss how to "interview" your characters to find their hidden truths. We explore the critical technique of establishing a character's "normal" specifically to shatter it, and the mindset shift every author needs to build confidence and survive the editing process.

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Episode Summary: Welcome to The Narrative Edge! In this episode, Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Emmy Award-winning editor Max Partain for a candid conversation about storytelling, creativity, authenticity, and the evolving landscape of content creation. Max shares his journey from childhood challenges with OCD and ADHD to finding his voice as a creative professional. Together, they explore the nuances of editing, the impact of AI on storytelling, and the importance of radical candor and vulnerability in both personal and professional relationships. Whether you're a storyteller, creative, or simply curious about the art of narrative, this episode offers valuable...

Esther Choy is the author of the book Let The Story Do The Work and is working on a second book about story discovery. Her company, Leadership Story Lab, has worked with leaders from top-tier organizations such as Comcast, Allstate, Chicago Public Schools, United Airlines, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.

"Esther Choy isn’t just smart and wise and sensible, but she also imbues her work with a spirit of kindness and positivity. The result is a book that’s rousing in both its practicality and its encouragement. You should read it immediately. "

'Make Your Day Richer'

Rod Berger joins me for a rich, reflective conversation about the power of story, the art of the interview, and the emotional tango of writing his new book, The Narrative Edge. With over 4,000 interviews under his belt, Rod shares how storytelling has shaped his life, deepened his relationships, and helped him find meaning in moments both ordinary and extraordinary.

From Nickelodeon-meets-Carson vibes to train rides through Scandinavia, this episode is a masterclass in authentic connection.

Connect with the host, Richard Wilmore!

Dr. Rod Berger is a...

This week on Partnerships for Profit, we welcome Dr. Rod Berger, Psy. D., a strategic storyteller, keynote speaker, and media contributor whose 4,000+ interviews have spanned figures like Magic Johnson and Sammy Hagar of Van Halen to an audience with the late Pope Francis. A TEDx speaker, Pangea International Literacy Prize winner, and host of The Narrative Edge podcast - part of the Dr. Rod Berger Channel, Rod shares insights from his upcoming Wiley book on how authentic, unpolished stories cut through the noise to connect, influence, and inspire.

His new book, The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That...

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with composer and producer Luke Tomlinson for a one-of-a-kind podcast interview combining the power of song with the power of story. You can learn more about Luke's work at, https://www.impropod.com/

Author and host Rod Berger has conducted over 4,000 interviews, including those with NBA great Magic Johnson and the Crown Princess of Sweden. He's documented stories on behalf of WaterAid in refugee camps across Africa.

They discuss the power of storytelling. Rod recounts an interview with Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, and his longing...

Dr. Rod Berger sits down with Daniel Lucas of Abstract Essay to talk about storytelling in our lives. 

The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling that Meets the Moment

Discover the potential of a compelling story―and how to craft one―with expert help from an experienced storyteller

In The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling that Meets the Moment, celebrated writer, interviewer, and speaker Dr. Rod Berger delivers an inspiring and practical discussion about the rebirth of stories in our society's collective consciousness. The author explains how great stories are woven into corporate strategy, educational curricula, socia...

How do you tell your story in a way that truly connects? In this episode of Writer Unblocked, I sit down with Dr. Rod Berger—global interviewer, communication architect, and author of The Narrative Edge—to explore how storytelling shapes not just our books, but our identities as authors.

Rod has interviewed over 4,000 people worldwide, from Pope Francis to NBA legend Magic Johnson and F1 Champion Jenson Button. With his debut book releasing November 12, he shares why storytelling isn’t just a writing skill—it’s a tool for self-worth, connection, and building an authentic author brand.

We ta...

I never expected a story about artificial intelligence to hit me right in the gut—but Rich Tu’s “Human Response” did just that. This episode goes beyond tech headlines, unraveling how personal grief, cultural identity, and creative exploration can mingle to spark wholly new ways of experiencing art.

We unpack the emotional backbone of Rich’s acclaimed exhibit: how, after losing his father, he used AI to remix the narrative of a life, creating a digital tapestry woven from memory, possibility, and vulnerability. Rich shares why the cold logic of machine learning sometimes exposes what’s most tender...

In this inspiring episode of Healed and Chilled, Coach Yana sits down with master storyteller and interviewer Dr. Rod Berger — a man who has captured the voices of NBA icons Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, world leaders, rock legends, and even royalty. With over 4,000 interviews for outlets like Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Los Angeles Magazine, Dr. Berger’s stories span continents and cultures, from refugee camps in Africa to boardrooms in the Nordics.

We dive deep into the art — and power — of authentic storytelling, exploring why it’s the ultimate currency for leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Dr. Berger sha...

Check out my latest interview on Simple Conversations.

Dr. Rod Berger boasts an Illustrious Portfolio of interviews, featuring notable guests such as Pope Francis, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Metta World Peace, Guy Fieri, Jenson Button, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Many More. Join Dr. Rod Berger as he shares the Top 5 life-changing lessons he’s learned from conducting over 100 expert interviews with leaders, innovators, and visionaries from around the world. In this exclusive video, Dr. Berger reveals powerful insights on success, leadership, personal growth, and resilience — distilled from years of conversations with some of the most influential minds in busi...

I am not often thrown a creative curve ball, though when I am, I hope I can quote, pick it up, before it slides over the proverbial plate - I had no idea how powerful Chris and Jim are as hosts of Dealcasters Live! I hope that the energy comes through in this podcast episode. I encourage listeners to check out Dealcasters (links below) and review this episode and their show. They are absolute pros! 

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If you're struggling to connect authentically with your audience through storytelling, this episode reveals the psychology behind content that converts.

Dr. Rod Berger has interviewed over 4,000 people and just wrote his first book, "The Narrative Edge", but his real expertise is in finding the human behind the talking points. In this episode, we explore what makes storytelling important, how Rod breaks through people's scripted responses to get to an authentic connection, and his philosophy that "if you're not telling your story, someone else is."

Rod shares how his "Forrest Gump-like" career of saying yes to unexpected opportunities led him from psychology to refugee work to becoming a master interviewer. We dig into the vulnerable process of writing...