Have you ever wondered whether your biggest roadblock is not the idea itself, but the way people see you before you ever open your mouth? This week, we take a very human turn on the Innovation Storytellers Show as I sit down with Lirone Glikman, CEO, global business development leader, and the author behind The Super Connectors Playbook.

Lirone has spent two decades helping people understand something many of us overlook. Your brand is already setting the tone for every meeting, every pitch, and every moment when you try to move an innovation forward.

Our conversation moves from the deeply personal to the highly practical. Lirone shares how she teaches leaders to understand the strengths and values that truly define them, how to find the gap between who you believe you are and how others read you, and why authenticity paired with strategy is the foundation for any successful relationship at work.

My guest explains her six-pillar approach to becoming a super connector, and shows how innovators can use these principles to navigate corporate silos, involve the right allies early, and communicate with greater clarity and presence. Her stories bring workplace dynamics to life, from collaborating with overloaded teams to protecting your ideas in rooms where voices can be overshadowed.

We also talk about the future. Lirone offers a candid view on how AI is reshaping personal branding, how to use these tools without losing your human signature, and why relationships remain the real currency inside complex organisations. For listeners working in innovation, product, or transformation roles, this conversation provides the language to understand your place in the system and the practical steps to raise your visibility intentionally.

So the question becomes, what story is your brand telling before you even enter the room, and how ready are you to shape it with purpose?