About Jordan Bower
Evolving leadership with story, systems, and soul.
A masterful indie Future of Work consultant, systems change facilitator, narrative advisor and creative leadership coach, Jordan Bower helps business leaders develop the insights and abilities to shape the future.
(It’s totally OK if you don’t know what any of those words mean.)
My Background at a Glance
A few inflection points that have shaped who I am and how I work.
🎓 2003 — Graduated from Business School with a specialization in business systems and a deep fear of working 9-5 the rest of my life.
🌍 2006 — Left everything to live, work, and backpack across 40 countries. Saw how big the world was — and how small I was by comparison.
🚶♂️ 2010 — Walked the West Coast of the USA. 12 months alone, 1,800+ miles on foot. Learned more from interactions with strangers than any job could have taught me.
✍️ 2012 — Studied the art and science of storytelling. Began facilitating workshops about the intersection between business, narrative, and the inner journey of change.
🗣️ 2016 — Built a storytelling consultancy. Worked with more than 200+ clients, from Fortune 500s to governments. Spoke at events on 4 continents. Racked up a lot of frequent flier miles.
🌀 2020 — COVID hit. Burned the whole thing down. Rebuilt my work around systems thinking, resilience, and sensemaking.
🔮 Today — I help leaders re-align their organizations for a world that won’t sit still.
What I Bring
My work involves:
Narrative Intelligence — understanding the deeper stories that shape how people think, feel, and act
Facilitation & Alignment — creating containers for difficult, creative, future-oriented conversations
Backcasting & Visioning — helping you work backward from an imagined future toward practical next steps … instead of basing our assessment of the future on what has happened in the past
Organizational Resilience — designing communication, leadership, and culture systems that adapt and endure
Emotional & Social Intelligence — knowing how to navigate unspoken dynamics with care, not control
My Frameworks
You might hear me talk about:
Phase Zero — a fast, high-value diagnostic to uncover misalignment and generate traction
The 7 Blockages — a pattern language of what gets in the way of real change
Transformational Intelligence™ — the integration of analytical, emotional, creative, and social intelligences
Backcasting for Leaders — planning from the future, not the past
Rocket Science for Organizations — a visual thinking tool for understanding complex transformation
Podcast Interviews
🎙️ Creating Connection
Podcast: Sell True with Damien Woodfull (Ep. 14, Feb 22, 2024)
Summary: Jordan explores how to build authentic connection within high-performing teams — even under pressure. Topics include embracing uncertainty, cultivating adaptability, navigating personal growth, and leading with purpose in modern sales and workplace culture.
🎙️ What is Here Goes Nothin’?
Podcast: Here Goes Nothin’ with Matt Landau (July 15, 2024)
Summary: A role reversal conversation in which Jordan interviews host Matt Landau about the origin of the “Here Goes Nothin’” retreat. Together, they unpack the creative risks, personal transformations, and founding of Rocket Science that sparked a new kind of leadership experience.
🎙️ Rethinking Facilitation — A Means of Corporate Therapy
Podcast: Workshops Work with Myriam Hadnes (Ep. 150, Feb 1, 2022)
Summary: Jordan and Myriam explore how facilitation can function as a kind of corporate therapy — surfacing emotion, navigating unspoken dynamics, and building trust in teams. Jordan introduces the concept of “accidental facilitators” and reflects on why presence, emotional safety, and relational intelligence matter more than any facilitation tool.
🎙️ How Stories Truly Connect Humans in Today’s World of False Connection
Podcast: Business of Story with Park Howell (Ep. 94)
Summary: Jordan reflects on the deeper purpose of storytelling — not just to persuade, but to create real human connection. Drawing on his Four Pillars of Storytelling and lessons from his West Coast walk, he shares how emotionally honest narratives foster trust and cut through today’s performative noise.
Who I Am Behind the Work
🌊 I live in Vancouver, BC — just a few blocks from the ocean.
☠️ My wife is a counselor specializing in grief and loss.
👑 Our dog is a too-cute princess who is the real boss of our household.
🥏 I’m exceptionally skilled with a frisbee. I’ve competed at the World Championships of Ultimate (twice a silver medalist!) and attended nine national championships as a player — and two more as a coach.
🪩 I love expressive movement practices, like 5Rhythms dance.
☕ If you drop by Vancouver, you’ll probably find me sitting in front of an americano at Café Lokal.