In the SuperCreativity™ podcast, creativity expert and innovation keynote speaker James Taylor interviews leading thinkers, innovators and performers and has them reveal their strategies and techniques to help you unlock your own creative potential. If you enjoy listening to conversations with creative thinkers, innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, authors, educators, and performers then you’ve come to the right place. Each week we discuss their ideas, life, work, successes, failures, creative process and much more. As a leading creativity and innovation keynote speaker James teaches and interviews creative leaders including Seth Godin, David Allen, Jonathan Fields, Amy Edmondson, Amanda Palmer, Chris Guillebeau, Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Ries and Donald Miller on subjects including; how creativity works, the creative process, what is creativity, how to generate ideas, creativity exercises, creativity research, creative block, creative personality types, theories of creativity, creative thinking, educational creativity, divergent thinking, organizational creativity, creative cultures, and innovation. His work builds on other leading creativity experts including Julia Cameron, Sir Ken Robinson, Michael J Gelb, Eric Maisel, Scott Barry Kaufman, Twyla Tharp, Todd Henry, Jeff Goins, Richard Florida, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Steven Pressfield, Tina Seelig, Josh Linkner and many others. James Taylor shows us how we can all learn to be more creative.
In this enlightening episode of the Super Creativity Podcast, James Taylor interviews Robert Hannigan, former director of GCHQ and author of "Counter-intelligence - What The Secret World Can Teach Us About Problem-Solving and Creativity" Hannigan shares insights from his extensive career in cyber security and intelligence, discussing what the secret world of counterintelligence can teach us about problem solving and creativity. They delve into the history of Bletchley Park, the importance of neurodiversity in intelligence work, and how to foster a creative and effective work environment. Full show notes and links at https://link.chtbl.com/scp Key Takeaways: Creative Problem Solving: Lessons from Bletchley Park on fostering creativity and innovation in high-pressure environments. Neurodiversity: The critical role of neurodivergent individuals in intelligence and cybersecurity and how organizations can support them. Team Dynamics: The importance of diverse teams and creative pairs in solving complex problems. Ethical Discussions: The necessity of open discussions on ethics and politics within intelligence organizations. Environmental Influence: The impact of the physical and cultural environment on fostering creativity and innovation. Quotes: "I was trying to answer the question of how was it that Bletchley Park... created the world's first digital programmable computer." - Robert Hannigan "Tolerating that kind of eccentricity frankly is one of the interesting challenges for an organization, particularly a company, trying to engender creativity." - Robert Hannigan "It's really important that people can express any ethical concerns and discuss them and have them addressed." - Robert Hannigan "The blend of these different types of thinking and ways of looking at the world is massively powerful in creativity." - Robert Hannigan Timestamps: [00:09] Introduction to Robert Hannigan and his career highlights. [01:41] Robert Hannigan discusses his current focus and the fast-changing landscape of cyber security. [02:16] Insights from Bletchley Park and the ingredients for successful counterintelligence work. [06:07] The role of neurodiversity and eccentricity in fostering creativity at Bletchley Park. [10:41] The importance of teamwork and creative pairs in intelligence work. [13:38] Discussion on the impact of Elizabeth and William Friedman on US codebreaking. [17:18] The role of neurodiversity at GCHQ and the value of different perspectives. [20:06] Advice for managing diverse teams in large organizations. [23:13] Modern equivalents of Bletchley Park’s 'tea parties' and fostering collective problem-solving. [24:38] Open discussions on ethics and politics within intelligence organizations. [27:15] Balancing optimism and caution in technology advancements. [30:33] Robert Hannigan's personal sources of creative inspiration and the importance of the environment. [32:01] Recommended reading for those interested in creativity and innovation. [34:02] Conclusion and where to learn more about Robert Hannigan and his work. https://link.chtbl.com/scp
7/1/24 • 34:42
Sam Dixon, Chief Innovation Officer of law firm Womblebond Dickinson, discusses the role of AI in the legal profession and the challenges of driving innovation in a traditional industry. He shares his journey from online retail to law and how he became involved in innovation. Dixon explains the different applications of AI in the legal sector, such as document automation and machine learning for document review. He also discusses the buy vs. build argument and the potential impact of AI on pricing and billing in law firms. Dixon emphasizes the importance of developing social intelligence and complex problem-solving skills to remain relevant in the evolving legal landscape. Takeaways Generative AI is a major focus in the legal profession, with applications in document automation and machine learning for document review. Law firms need to strike a balance between buying and building AI tools, leveraging existing software and integrating different systems. The role of lawyers is evolving, and skills such as social intelligence and complex problem-solving are becoming increasingly important. The pricing and billing models in law firms may need to adapt to incorporate the use of AI tools and technologies. Creating a culture of innovation is crucial in law firms, where traditional mindsets and billable hours can hinder progress. Sound Bites "Generative AI is able to do a lot of that work without the need for lots and lots of examples." "The key for me is creating that culture of innovation where it is part of the conversation and where people are enabled to suggest ideas and implement ideas." "I don't think lawyers need to be coders. I mean, query in the modern world of low and no code, how much coders need to be coders?" Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sam Dixon and Womblebond Dickinson 03:33 Focus on Restructuring in Commercial Law 06:17 Applications of AI in the Legal Profession 08:06 Overcoming Resistance to Innovation in Law Firms 09:56 Two-Tier Approach to Innovation 11:56 Deciding Between Buy and Build in AI Adoption 15:23 Impact of AI on Pricing and Billing in Law Firms 22:04 Exploring the Potential of Data Licensing 24:52 Parallels Between AI in Law and Music 28:09 The Changing Role of Lawyers in the AI Era 30:00 Using Generative AI as a Sounding Board 31:53 Book Recommendation: Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom Bio Sam is the Chief Innovation Officer of law firm Womble Bond Dickinson in the UK. He is also a practising lawyer in the firm's restructuring team. His innovation journey started in online retail in the early 2000s and led him to law via a brief detour through the world of DJing.
6/24/24 • 33:02
John Craske, the director of innovation at CMS, discusses the firm's AI strategy and the role of innovation in the legal industry. He emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of curiosity and experimentation. The firm has implemented an innovation department and introduced innovation hours to encourage employees to pursue their ideas. Craske believes that AI can enhance the efficiency of legal work and sees opportunities for collaboration between humans and machines. He also highlights the need for foundational legal skills and human skills like empathy and creativity. Takeaways Fostering a culture of curiosity and experimentation is crucial for innovation in the legal industry. Implementing an innovation department and introducing innovation hours can encourage employees to pursue their ideas. AI can enhance the efficiency of legal work, but collaboration between humans and machines is essential. Foundational legal skills and human skills like empathy and creativity are still valuable in the age of AI. Sound Bites "We're using our computers more like electronic typewriters for many years." "Innovation hours are like seed funding for ideas." "AI has captured the imagination of people in a way that lots of other technology has never had." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to John Craske and his role at CMS 03:04 The Development of Innovation Departments in Law Firms 06:44 Overcoming the Tension between Billable Hours and Innovation 09:26 Building a Team and Aligning Innovation with Firm Strategy 12:08 The Opportunities and Challenges of AI in the Legal Industry 15:23 The Importance of Human Skills in the Age of AI 27:23 Final Quickfire Questions Bio John Craske is responsible for the innovation and knowledge functions at CMS, with the aim of helping their clients and business to work smarter: to find the right balance between client satisfaction, cost effectiveness, profitability and opportunities for our people. He leads their dynamic Legal Innovation, Legal Operations and Project Management, Legal Tech, Managed Legal Services and Knowledge teams. He's passionate about fostering a culture of innovation and encouraging people to be curious, ask questions and experiment. John is currently leading our firmwide AI strategy as tjeu look to use AI to supercharge our digital transformation programme. He regularly works with clients (and others in the legal industry) to help design / implement practical (and innovative) solutions to their challenges.
6/17/24 • 29:20
JD Meier, high performance and innovation coach, discusses his focus on using AI to advance high performance and change how the world innovates. He emphasizes the power of one person businesses to impact and influence a billion minds. Meier shares his two-track transformation model for innovation, which involves sustaining innovation in the current business while also working on disruptive innovation for the future. He also highlights the importance of productivity and offers strategies such as setting three wins each day and reflecting on weekly achievements. Takeaways AI can be used to advance high performance and enhance senses One person businesses have the power to impact and influence a billion minds The two-track transformation model involves sustaining innovation in the current business while working on disruptive innovation for the future Productivity strategies include setting three wins each day and reflecting on weekly achievements Sound Bites "I'm all about trying to use AI to advance high performance" "I call it billion dollar solopreneur, not because you're going to make a billion dollars, but it's about impacting and influencing a billion minds" "You have your current business, which is your current business model... and then you have your future business model" Chapters 00:00 Introduction 05:07 The Billion Dollar Solopreneur 08:58 The Two-Track Transformation Approach 15:03 Improving Productivity with Three Wins and Reflection 31:07 Conclusion Biography JD Meier is a High Performance & Innovation Coach who has 25 years of experience changing the world at Microsoft. JD was the former head coach for Satya Nadella's innovation team at Microsoft and is also the author of the bestselling book Getting Results the Agile Way. His WHY is to advance human potential and to help people realise their potential in work and life while his specialty is to provide proven practices combined with information models to advance a space. People at Microsoft know JD for innovation, productivity, and changing the world because he always took on big challenges and moved the ball forward.
6/11/24 • 33:37
Professor Sir David Omand, former UK security and intelligence coordinator, shares insights from his book 'How Spies Think: 10 Lessons in Intelligence'. He discusses the importance of critical thinking, the SEES model used by intelligence analysts, and the role of creativity in decision-making. He also explores the impact of biases, the Bayesian approach to probability, and the challenges of decision-making in high-stress environments. Omand emphasizes the need for diversity of thought and expertise, especially in the face of emerging technologies like AI and biotechnology. He concludes with the importance of ethical decision-making and recommends the book 'The Three-Body Problem' by Cixin Liu. Takeaways Developing critical thinking skills is crucial for making better decisions and avoiding biases. The SEES model (Situational Awareness, Explanation, Estimate, Strategic Notice) provides a framework for intelligence analysis. Creativity plays a role in intelligence work, particularly in finding innovative ways to uncover secrets and address challenges. Understanding biases and creating a safe space for diverse perspectives is essential for effective decision-making. Emerging technologies like AI and biotechnology require careful consideration and preparedness for potential risks. Ethical decision-making is important, and doing what is genuinely believed to be the right thing provides a solid defense. Sound Bites "We have a polluted information environment, which AI, I'm afraid, adds to with the ability to make deep fakes and to provide misleading information." "You can spot trends in technology, international affairs, domestic affairs and social attitudes, and then have the imagination to say, well, if that were to happen, what would it look like?" "The Reverend Bayes was an 18th century cleric in Tunbridge Wells, and he amateur mathematician. And he came across this rule, which we call Bayes rule named after him, which essentially relates the likelihood of something happening to which you've worked out to how you should then recalculate that likelihood when new evidence arrives." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background of Sir David Omand 02:32 The Polluted Information Environment and AI 06:18 The Bayesian Approach to Probability 09:00 The Importance of Explanation in Intelligence Analysis 11:34 The Role of Creativity in Intelligence Work 15:34 Navigating Biases and Creating a Safe Space for Decision-Making 23:29 Teamwork and Decision-Making in High-Stress Environments 25:25 The Importance of Expertise in Crisis Management 29:23 Preparing for the Challenges of Emerging Technologies 32:09 Ethical Decision-Making and Doing What Is Right
6/3/24 • 33:11
The World’s Most Creative People With Debbie Millman – #337 Named as “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, Debbie Millman is a designer, author, educator, curator and host of the podcast “Design Matters,” one of the world’s first and longest running podcasts. In the 16 years since its inception, “Design Matters” has garnered a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, six Webby nominations, and an Apple Podcasts “best overall podcast” designation. In 2009 Debbie co-founded with Steven Heller the world’s first graduate program in branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her writing and illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Print Magazine, Design Observer and Fast Company. She is the author of seven books, including her latest, Why Design Matters, a book she describes as ‘a love letter to creativity, a testament to the power of curiosity. It features nearly 60 interviews curated from her podcast show with guests including Brené Brown, Tim Ferriss, Anne Lamott, Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell, David Byrne and Maria Popova. These conversations explore what it means to design a creative life, the creative process, dealing with rejection, and the relationship between humanity and creativity. Welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast Debbie Millman.
6/29/22 • 35:36
The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley With Jimmy Soni – #336 Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, Yelp, Palantir and LinkedIn. What do all of these companies have in common? They were all formed, funded, or advised by a small group of men who founded or worked at one company, PayPal. Members of the PayPal Mafia as it’s sometimes called, and who include Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Max Levchin, and Reid Hoffman, have gone on to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in the 21st Century. Yet for all their influence, the story of where they first started has gone largely untold. In The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley, award-winning author and biographer Jimmy Soni explores PayPal’s turbulent early days. He also reveals the stories of countless individuals and hidden figures who were left out of the front-page features and banner headlines but who were central to PayPal’s success. Jimmy Soni’s previous book, A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age, won the 2017 Neumann Prize, awarded by the British Society for the History of Mathematics for the best book on the history of mathematics for a general audience. Welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast, Jimmy Soni.
6/23/22 • 59:06
The New Leadership Playbook with Andrew Bryant – #335 Being an effective leader in a post-pandemic world goes beyond being good at what you do; it requires balancing empathy with accountability. In The New Leadership Playbook, self-leadership coach Andrew Bryant provides a practical guide to being human and understanding people, whilst simultaneously driving for accelerated results. For nearly 25 years Andrew Bryant has been transforming individuals and organizations with his Self-Leadership Methodology and has delivered training, coaching and keynotes on five continents in 20+ Countries to 200,000+ Executives.
6/14/22 • 49:26
The Creative Brain With Dr Iain McGilchrist – #334 My guest today says that in order to understand ourselves and the world we need science and intuition, reason and imagination. Dr. Iain McGilchrist is a psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher, and literary scholar. He is a Quondam Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, an Associate Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and a former Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director at the Bethlem Royal & Maudsley Hospital, London. He is the author of a number of books but is best known for The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. In his latest book The Matter With Things he argues that we have become enslaved to an account of things dominated by the brain’s left hemisphere, one that blinds us to an awe-inspiring reality that is all around us.
6/8/22 • 27:03
How Emotions Shape Our Thinking With Leonard Mlodinow – #333 How can you make better decisions? How can you improve your relationship with others? What can you do to live a happier life? My guest today argues that the answers to all these questions and more lie in understanding our emotions. Leonard Mlodinow is a theoretical physicist and author of five best-selling books including Subliminal, The Drunkard’s Walk, and the #1 New York Times bestseller ‘The Grand Design’, co-authored with the late Professor Stephen Hawking. His latest book Emotional: How Feelings Shape Our Thinking explores the new science of feelings and offers us an essential guide to making the most of one of nature’s greatest gifts.
5/31/22 • 46:07
Lean Innovation Problem Solving With Peter Newell – #332 Peter Newell is a nationally recognized innovation expert whose work is transforming how the government and other large organizations compete and drive growth. He is the CEO of BMNT, a Palo Alto-based innovation consultancy and early-stage technology incubator that helps solve some of the hardest real-world problems in national security, state and local governments, and beyond. He is also a founder and co-author, with Lean Startup founder Steve Blank, of Hacking for Defense (H4D)®, an academic program that engages students to solve critical national security problems and gain crucial problem-solving experience while performing a national service. Pete is a retired US Army colonel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. From 2010 through 2013 he was the Director of the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force (REF) charged with rapidly finding, integrating and employing solutions to emerging problems faced in the battlefield. This experience gave him a unique perspective on how to anticipate competitive challenges and head them off quickly, whether on the battlefield or in the board room.
5/24/22 • 29:42
Innovation Is All About People With Alison Hawks – #331 Dr. Alison Hawks is the CEO of BMNT, Ltd and Executive Director of the Common Mission Project in the UK, and a recognized expert in military strategy and sociology. Ali was previously the Director of Research of the Section 809 Panel, a US congressionally mandated commission tasked with streamlining and codifying defense acquisition. She was a Lecturer at King’s College London, Defence Studies Department, Assistant Professor at the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Security Studies, King’s College London. She has also taught at Brunel University and the Department of War Studies, King’s College London. Her doctorate thesis was in military sociology and Ali received her Ph.D. from the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, and her MA in Strategic Studies from the University of Leeds. She holds a BA in Political Sciences from the University of California, San Diego. Welcome to the SuperCreativity podcast Alison Hawks…
5/18/22 • 42:22
Overcoming Resistance To Innovation with Jim Euchner – #330 Many large companies today have begun to adopt the principles of Lean Startup, a methodology first adopted among Silicon Valley tech startups in order to become more innovative and agile in implementing new products, services and business models. However large corporations are not just bigger versions of startups. My guest today, Jim Euchner has studied how the Lean Startup concept can be applied to innovation within established businesses and has shared his findings in a new book called 'Lean Startup In Large Organisations'. Jim was Vice President of Global Innovation at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where he led the development of new businesses and incubated and launched five businesses on three continents. Prior to his work at Goodyear, Jim held positions as Vice President of Growth Strategy and Innovation at Pitney Bowes, Inc. and Vice President, Network Systems Advanced Technology at Bell Atlantic (now Verizon). Today his is Editor in Chief at the Research-Technology Management journal, Honorary Professor at Aston University in the UK, a member of the Scientific Advisory Council for the Nissan autonomous vehicle program and a co-founder of the MIT Innovation Laboratory, a consortium of companies interested in user and community innovation.
5/12/22 • 31:43
Human Creativity in the Age of Analytics With Chris Jones #328 Chris Jones is a long-time journalist and short-time screenwriter. He has written extensively for Esquire, The Atlantic, WIRED, the New York Times Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, and has won two National Magazine Awards for his feature writing. He was also a producer on Away, the Netflix series starring Hilary Swank. His latest book The Eye Test makes the case for human creativity in the age of analytics. The book seeks to serve as a reminder that if beauty is less of virtue in the age of analytics, a good eye still is. Welcome to the show Chris Jones.
5/7/22 • 40:34
The Lean Startup Approach With Steve Blank #327 To say that Steve Blank has led an interesting life would be an understatement. He’s had three careers: First, in the U.S. Air Force for four years during the Vietnam War. Next, as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur in 8 startups in two decades (with four IPOs). Currently as an academic teacher at Stanford, Berkeley, Columbia, and NYU. Steve Blank has changed how startups are built; how entrepreneurship is taught worldwide; how science is commercialized in the U.S., and how companies and the government innovate. He is the author of “The Four Steps to the Epiphany,” credited with launching the Lean Startup movement, and the bestselling Startup Owner’s Manual. Welcome to the SuperCreativity podcast, Steve Blank…
4/26/22 • 34:50
Project Management And Leadership With Anh Dao Pham – #326 How many books have you read on project management? What about leadership? The problem is these topics don’t exist in silos. My guest today says we need to combine the practice of project management and leadership into one balanced approach – project leadership. Because as we emerge from the pandemic, organizations need leaders who can unlock creativity, get projects done, and engage their teams by building strong, personal emotional connections. In Glue: How Project Leaders Create Cohesive, Engaged, High-Performing Teams, Anh Dao Pham vividly brings compassionate, positive, nimble leadership to life, demonstrating with actionable guidance, the power of caring and connection to inspire outstanding results.
4/19/22 • 36:01
How to Find What You Love With Marcus Buckingham Did you know that less than 16 percent of us are fully engaged at work, with the rest of us just selling our time and talent and getting compensated for our troubles? Meanwhile, many leaders' energy levels are depleted; employees are burning out at an alarming rate, and parents met their breaking point long ago. When it comes to work my guest today argues that we are getting something terribly wrong. He believes we've designed the love out of our workplaces so that they fail utterly to provide for or capitalize on, one of our most basic human needs: our need for love. Marcus Buckingham is a global researcher and the world’s authority on what the most effective leaders and highest-performing people do differently. He is the New York Times best-selling author of two of the most popular business books of all time, First, Break All the Rules, and Now, Discover Your Strengths. Marcus is the creator of the StandOut strengths assessment and the co-creator of StrengthsFinder - his strengths assessments have been completed by over 25 million people worldwide. Building on two decades of experience as a Senior Researcher at The Gallup Organization, he leveraged his data-based discoveries to build a $100 million tech company focused on helping people find and contribute their strengths at work. Beginning with First, Break All the Rules, and continuing through his latest book Love and Work he is known for using reliable psychometric data to get to the core of what drives engagement, resilience, and productivity. Welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast Marcus Buckingham.
4/12/22 • 39:56
Sebastian Mallaby: Venture Capital and the Art of Disruption Innovations rarely come from “experts". When it comes to improbable innovations, one legendary tech Venture capitalist told my guest today that the future cannot be predicted, it can only be discovered. Sebastian Mallaby is the Paul Volcker Senior Fellow in International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Washington Post columnist. In his new book The Power Law - Venture Capital and the Art of Disruption, he has parlayed unprecedented access to the most celebrated venture capitalists of all time—the key figures at Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, Accel, Benchmark, and Andreessen Horowitz, as well as Chinese partnerships such as Qiming and Capital Today—into a riveting blend of storytelling and analysis that unfurls the history of tech incubation, in Silicon Valley and ultimately worldwide.
3/29/22 • 35:24
Elaine Pofeldt: Strategies for Creating a High-Revenue Business Whether you’ve launched your own e-commerce endeavor, built your own professional services firm, sold online courses or membership programs, or are just itching to flex your entrepreneurial muscles, starting a small business – a company with 20 employees or fewer – is a rewarding way to earn a living and get creative. In Elaine Pofeldt’s new book ‘Tiny Business, Big Money’ she reveals the strategies for creating a high-revenue microbusiness. In it, she reveals insightful profiles of nearly 60 micro-businesses that hit $1 million in annual revenue including 49 that hit seven figures with either no payroll or very small teams. Elaine is a journalist specializing in entrepreneurship and is also the author of The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business. Her work has appeared in CNBC, Fortune, Forbes, Money, and the Tim Ferriss Show
3/22/22 • 33:18
The Art And Business of Turning Your Ideas into Gold – #321 There has never been a more crucial time than now to develop your creativity and your ability to innovate. In her new book ‘How Creativity Rules The World‘, New York-based contemporary art advisor and curator Maria Brito illustrates how creativity is merely a series of habits, actions, and attitudes that anyone can develop—regardless of who you are or what you do. Maria Brito has helped build the art collections of hip-hop moguls, Oscar-winning actors, and Fortune 500 CEOs and in this new book shares stories of the art and business of turning your ideas into gold.
3/15/22 • 45:20
David Schonthal: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas. David Schonthal is an award-winning Professor of Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management where he teaches courses on new venture creation, design thinking, healthcare innovation, and creativity. Along with his colleague Loran Nordgren, David is one of the originators of Friction Theory – a ground-breaking methodology that explains why even the most promising innovations and change initiatives often struggle to gain traction with their intended audiences – and what to do about it. This work is popularized in David’s bestselling new book, The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas.
3/8/22 • 32:43
How to achieve your worthy goals – #319 Perhaps you’ve already achieved things in your career, but now feel it’s time to “climb that second mountain” and think about your legacy. Or maybe you’re unhappy with how the world is working out right now, and you want to change your part of it for the better. You want to start doing something that matters. My guest today would like to help you find that ‘something’. That Worthy Goal, that big project, that next chapter of your life. Michael Bungay Stanier has a gift for distilling big, complex ideas into practical, accessible knowledge that helps anyone become a force for good. As well as writing the million-selling bestselling book The Coaching Habit he also founded Box of Crayons, a learning and development company whose clients include Microsoft, Salesforce, TELUS, and Gucci. Welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast, Michael Bungay Stanier…
3/1/22 • 44:01
The Future Of Office Work With Julia Hobsbawm – #318 As remote working becomes the norm rather than the exception for many office workers around the globe, my guest today proposes a radical new way of thinking about work both now and in the future. Julia Hobsbawm is an entrepreneur, writer, and consultant who addresses the challenges of the hyper-connected age, in particular remedies of what she has called Social Health for organizations. She is Chair of The Workshift Commission and is Founder and Chair of the content and connection business Editorial Intelligence. Her bestselling book The Simplicity Principle: Six Steps Towards Clarity in a Complex World won two US Awards for Best Business Book and Best Self-Help Book of 2020. Her latest book ‘The Nowhere Office’ offers a strategic and practical guide to negotiating this pivotal moment in the history of work, including the challenges of remote working, repurposing offices for more creative interaction, managing WFH teams, and satisfying the demand for more purposeful work with greater work/life balance.
2/22/22 • 30:42
Daniel Lamarre: Cirque du Soleil Executive Vice-Chairman - #317 Without creativity, there is no business. That is an idea that has guided Cirque du Soleil Executive Vice-Chairman Daniel Lamarre as he helped grow and pilot a billion-dollar business through stormy waters. In his new book ‘Balancing Acts‘, Daniel shares what it takes for anyone, regardless of position or industry, to embrace the value of creative leadership. Because Cirque du Soleil is an unusual business. It has no physical products, no factories or inventory, no pricey real estate. Instead, they have something far more valuable: the limitless creativity that springs from the minds, hearts, and bodies of their artists. Welcome to SuperCreativity Podcast, Daniel Lamarre.
2/15/22 • 27:50
Fredrik Haren Dream-Inspired Creativity – #316 Fredrik Haren is The Creativity Explorer. He has spent the last 25 years traveling the world to learn as much as he can about human creativity. He is the author of ten books – including “the idea book” which was included in “the 100 best business books of all time” and Fredrik has been invited to speak more than 2000 times in 70 countries on 5 continents. As The Creativity Explorer, he aims to discover more about human creativity, be it from innovators in Silicon Valley or nomads in the desert of Mongolia. His latest project is a novel, published on Penguin, called “The Unvisible” about an invisible human race living next to us. – Where did the idea for the book come from? (a dream) – How did you approach writing fiction after many years and success writing non-fiction? Where did the ideas in the book come from (subconscious)? – What is the difference between writing fiction and non-fiction – The ability to listen to your subconscious for ideas – Taking time off to focus on your most valuable ideas The creative process – The value of doing something very different from what you know
2/8/22 • 33:28
Daniel Pink: The Power Of Regret – #314 The Power Of Regret Regrets, I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention. These lines from the Frank Sinatra hit 'My Way' can often be heard at funerals across the Western world. And according to one study of the common emotions that people feel each day, the two mentioned most often were love and regret. So it's surprising that while there are over 200,000 books on Amazon with love in the title there are only 30,000 with the word regret. So what is this thing called regret and how can looking backward in our lives help us move forward. That's what our guest today will help us explore. Daniel Pink is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books including Drive, To Sell Is Human, A Whole New Mind, and his latest, THE POWER OF REGRET. These books have sold millions of copies around the world, been translated into forty-two languages, and have won multiple awards. His ability to combine deep research and inspire audiences has led Daniel Pink to become one of the top keynote speakers and foremost business minds of our day. Welcome to the show Daniel Pink. You call the idea of one having 'no regrets' as 'a delightful but dangerous doctrine'. Why do you believe this? You have a background in politics and before we came on the call today I was watching a politician apologize for something he claimed he had no knowledge of happening and wasn't responsible for. So can we only truly feel regret for those situations that we are directly responsible for? For example, can I feel regret for actions my great-great-grandfather took? I was reading a blog post recently written by a palliative care nurse. She was recounting the most common regrets that patients share with her in their final days. In your book you describe the four most common categories of regrets, we have in our lives. What are those? Someone was telling me the other day that elephants, dogs, and rats display emotions of regret. For example, elephants cover those animals and humans with branches that they have killed in rage. Do you think that other non-humans, like machines with artificial intelligence, could learn to regret their decisions? I'm thinking here of the concept of 'reinforcement learning' in where a computer uses feedback from its actions and experiences to improve its algorithms. In your book 'A Whole New Mind' you explored creativity. Which ideas and techniques in that book did you use when writing 'The Power of Regret'. In creativity, we often hear of the concept of creative pairs. Jobs & Wozniak, Lennon & McCartney. In your creative work who is that person that helps you take your work to a higher level and how do they do that? For the Power of Regret, you undertook extensive research and I'm assuming this required a team of people. Can you tell me what regrets you have had when it comes to creating with a team, and how reflecting on this has improved your decision-making in future projects? How do you keep your thinking fresh? What influences do you try to surround yourself with? Do you use technology in any ways that either free up your time for creativity or help you to augment your creativity? How so?
2/1/22 • 35:43
Natalie Nixon: The Creativity Leap - #314 Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work I'm James Taylor and you're listening to the super creativity podcast a show dedicated to inspiring creative minds like yours. Natalie Nixon is a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker, and author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work. As President of figure8thinking, she advises leaders on transformation by applying wonder and rigor to amplify growth and business value. Her clients have included Comcast, Citrix, living cities, VaynerMedia, and Bloomberg, and as a hybrid thinker. Now to talk about what hybrid think is a hybrid thinker. Natalie consistently applies her background in cultural anthropology and fashion. Her Curiosity has also led her to live around the world and work as a professor. And as an early-stage investor to social impact ventures. It's my great pleasure to have Natalie Nixon on the show with us today.
12/10/21 • 38:46
Maxine Bedat: Fashion Industry’s Impact On Climate Change- #313 I’m James Taylor and you’re listening to the super creativity podcast a show dedicated to inspiring creative minds like yours. This month witness cop 26 in Glasgow a summit that brings the world together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. To mark the occasion, we decided to record a special series of the super creativity podcast that will focus on sustainability and climate change. For this series, I’ll be joined by a co-host for the first time ethical futurist, lawyer, engineer, actor, jazz singer, and sustainability keynote speaker Allison burns. Together, we’ll be having conversations with leading thinkers on topics as diverse as sustainable food, fashion, and ESG. Those environmental, social, and governance issues affect business today. Our guest this week is Maxine Beda, the founder, and director of the new standard institute a think and do tank dedicated to turning the industry into a force for good. She is a former lawyer and the co-founder of the ethical fashion brand, ZD. She is also an ambassador at the Rainforest Alliance and has spoken at the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and the Clinton Global Initiative. Her groundbreaking book unraveled chronicles the birth and death of a pair of jeans, and at the same time, exposes the fractures and global supply chains and our relationship to each other, ourselves. And the planet. Enjoy the show. So Maxine, fantastic to have you with us today.
11/30/21 • 35:08
Animal Ethics Tony Milligan is an author and academic whose main research area is ethics with a particular focus upon otherness are the humans are the creatures are the places, and how the shift between here and there alters our sense of what matters. In addition to his books on space ethics, including the ethics of space exploration, and nobody owns the moon, his other writings have looked at the topic of animal ethics. He believes his work on space exploration is actually closely connected to an understanding of what it takes to be human, what it is like to see ourselves as part of a moral community, and the associated duties that we may have to humanity. He is currently a senior researcher in philosophy of ethics with the cosmological visionaries project at King’s College London. In addition to his own books, he has also been published in a number of academic and popular journals, including philosophy ratio, the Journal of Applied Ethics, think, and philosophy now, please welcome onto the show. Tony Milligan.
11/25/21 • 48:01
I’m James Taylor and you’re listening to the super creativity podcast a show dedicated to inspiring creative minds like yours. You’ve probably don’t realize this but every working day you replay and reenact complex dynamics and relationships from your past. Whether it’s confusing an authority figure with the parent avoiding conflict because of a past squabble with siblings, or suffering from imposter syndrome, because of the way your family responded to success when it comes to working, we’re all trapped in our own upbringings and the patterns of behavior we learned while growing up. In her debut book, The Man Who Mistook His Job For His Life fantastic title, business psychotherapist Naomi Sugai will make you reevaluate how you think about yourself and your working life. Naomi has more than 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist and family therapist in private practice and now specializes in helping businesses and individuals resolve psychological obstacles that cause work-related problems. As a freelance journalist, she has also written for the times the Guardian and since 2008, has been a regular contributor to The Financial Times where she writes predominantly quite psychological aspects of working life. Please welcome to the super creativity podcast, Naomi Shragai.
11/16/21 • 28:22