The Charlene Gisele Show Reigniting Creativity in Business and Life with Duncan Bruce
In this creative disruption episode, I sit down with Duncan Bruce, brand innovation expert who's worked with hundreds of the world's most iconic brands, to expose why corporate environments are killing creativity and how releasing intuition can transform burnt out teams into passionate innovators.
From revealing why the best lawyers and bankers are actually highly creative people to explaining how a simple medicine walk can reboot jaded thinking, Duncan destroys the myths around creativity and shows you how co-creative experiences can turn skeptical teams into evangelists for change.
Whether you're a burnt out professional who thinks creativity isn't for you, a team leader watching your people lose their spark, or a corporate executive who cares about the bottom line more than touchy-feely workshops, this conversation will revolutionize how you think about innovation and show you that creativity isn't a talent you're born with but a muscle you can train.
What we cover:
The creativity myth: why "I'm not creative" is the biggest lie we tell ourselves
Lawyers and bankers as creatives: how the best professionals are highly creative thinkers
Permission and intuition: releasing the dam of possibility in corporate environments
The school music trauma: how childhood criticism kills lifelong creative confidence
Happy accidents and listening: Native American wisdom for noticing what's always there
Location matters: why disconnection from the office unlocks creative breakthroughs
The medicine walk technique: one hour that changes how you see the world forever
Co-creation power: why creating together beats individual creativity every time
Surrealist principles: random connections and disruption as innovation tools
Hierarchy breakdown: how non-hierarchical events release unexpected brilliance
Burnout and creativity: why creativity is the first thing to go under stress
Bottom line impact: proof that creative disruption drives millions in revenue
Duncan doesn't just run workshops. He proves that with the right environment, permission structure, and experiential techniques, even the most cynical corporate teams can reconnect with their innate creativity and transform both culture and profitability.
Timestamps:
03:18 – Creativity defined: the release of intuition and flow
05:09 – Why lawyers and bankers are actually highly creative people
12:04 – How corporate roles constrain us and kill creativity from childhood
17:19 – Happy accidents: the Polaroid camera story and learning to listen
26:10 – Location disruption: why workshops must happen outside the office
34:20 – The medicine walk: Native American wisdom in under an hour
40:24 – Co-creative art: collaborative murals and permission to interfere
51:02 – Diagnosing lack of creativity: burnout, attrition, and gray clouds
54:25 – Anxiety and creativity cannot coexist: the neuroscience of creative flow
58:27 – Breaking hierarchy: the dead important speech that changes everything
01:01:05 – Debunking "I'm not creative": everyone can sing in harmony
Resources:
The Dream Cafe book on Amazon: https://amazon.com/dream-cafe
Duncan Bruce on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/duncanbruce
📲 Connect with Me:
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charl%C3%A8ne-gis%C3%A8le-bourliout/