The Curious Advantage Podcast

FBF -- Flashback FridayIn this episode, global HR and HR technology analyst Josh Bersin, Founder & CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, joins the authors of The Curious Advantage — Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones — to explore curiosity in the flow of work.They discuss the role of curiosity in learning and people development, how curiosity supports adaptability in a digital-first world, and why curious leaders are critical during periods of disruption.This episode was originally published on 5th May 2020. Want to go deeper?Get your copy on AmazonThe Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on audible#FlashbackFriday #CuriousAdvantage #CuriosityAtWork #Learning #7Cs

FBF — Flashback FridayIn this episode, Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School, explores curiosity, leadership, and psychological safety in the digital age.Drawing on The Right Kind of Wrong (named the Financial Times’ #1 Business Book), she shares practical insights on productive failure, learning, and building high-performing teams.This episode was originally published January 2024.Want to go deeper?Discover Amy Edmondson’s work in Right Kind of Wrong or  3 book collection of the Right Kind of Wrong, Leader as Healer & Staring Down the WolfFollow Amy Edmondson on LinkedIn hereGet your copy of The Curious Advantage on AmazonThe Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on AudibleFollow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram

In this episode of the Curious Advantage podcast, hosts Simon Brown and Garrick Jones talk with Christian Kressman, an actor, systemic coach, and PhD holder in creativity. The conversation explores how curiosity fuels creativity and problem-solving, the importance of asking the right questions, and the role of diversity in fostering innovative solutions. Christian shares his personal journey, including a life-changing misdiagnosis that led him to embrace creativity in overcoming challenges. The discussion also touches on the impact of AI on learning and the importance of immersive environments in education. Christian LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiankressmann/ Christian Website https://christian-kressmann.de/podcast About The Curious Advantage The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com. The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation. The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast, Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft speak with Radhika Dutt, author of Radical Product Thinking, about how traditional goals can limit curiosity and drive organisations into the performance trap. Radhika introduces OHLs — Objectives, Hypotheses, and Learnings — a practical alternative that fuels creativity, psychological safety, and better problem-solving. Through real-world examples, she shows how curiosity can transform teams, leadership, and product thinking. Find out more: Radhika Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhika-dutt/ Radical Product: https://www.radicalproduct.com/  Radical Product Thinking: The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Product-Thinking-Mindset-Innovating/dp/1523093315 About The Curious Advantage The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com. The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation. The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, hosts Garrick Jones and Simon Brown sit down with Jonathan Besser, co-author of 50 Ideas That Changed the World of Work, to explore how curiosity, leadership, and emotional intelligence shape the future of learning and innovation. From classic frameworks like SWOT and the Eisenhower Matrix to the impact of Black Swans and White Rhinos, the conversation examines how leaders can navigate uncertainty with a growth mindset and foster psychological safetywhere creativity, feedback, and experimentation thrive. Jonathan shares insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, using feedback for growth, and creating emotionally intelligent workplaces that inspire trust and collaboration. Discover how curiosity fuels adaptability in a post-COVID world and why questioning assumptions remains essential for effective leadership and continuous learning. Find out more: Jonathan LinkedIn Intrepid Leadership 50 Ideas That Changed the World of Work About The Curious Advantage The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com. The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation. The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

Reimagining Education with Ted Dintersmith In this episode of The Curious Advantage, Ted Dintersmith joins Garrick Jones, Paul Ashcroft, and Simon Brown to explore why education — especially how we teach math — must evolve. Ted calls for creativity, curiosity, and real-world relevance in learning, arguing that schools should teach skills that truly matter in today’s AI-driven world. Discover how curiosity can reconnect students to meaning, innovation, and the joy of learning. Learn more: https://www.teddintersmith.com/ https://www.whatschoolcouldbe.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-dintersmith-0211985a/ https://www.multiplechoicefilm.com/ Keywords: education, math, creativity, AI, learning, reform, curiosity, skills, Ted Dintersmith, school About The Curious Advantage The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com. The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation. Credits The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis.  Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with Shannon Minifie, CEO of Box of Crayons, about overcoming fear, taming the “advice monster,” and building trust, psychological safety, and connection at work. Discover why curiosity is a power skill for leaders and how it shapes the future of learning and AI. Learn More Read the full white paper: Navigating a Fractured Workplace: https://46434064.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/46434064/Navigating_a_Fractured_Workplace_Box_of_Crayons.pdf  A short quiz: which advice monster are you? https://boxofcrayons.com/advice-monster-habit/ Visit the Box of Crayons website: https://boxofcrayons.com/ About The Curious Advantage The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com. The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation. Credits The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis.  Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

Stefaan van Hooydonk, founder of the Global Curiosity Institute and former Chief Learning Officer at Cognizant, dives into the impact of curiosity on growth and leadership. He discusses a framework for fostering curiosity across organizations, as well as surprising insights from research revealing how environments and language influence inquisitiveness. Stefaan also contrasts curiosity with conformity, examines the pitfalls of AI, and shares his unexpected journey into farming that fuels his resilience and curiosity.

In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast, Simon Brown, Garrick Jones, and Paul Ashcroft are joined by Scott Blanchard, CEO and co-owner of Blanchard. Drawing on more than 30 years of leadership experience, Scott shares why the success or failure of any business can be traced directly to its leaders — and why leadership is a sacred responsibility. From his early curiosity (and fear) about technology to leading through the pandemic shift to virtual learning, Scott reflects on how curiosity shapes resilience and adaptation. He explores the essential ingredients of great leadership: building trust, creating psychological safety, and asking simple but powerful questions like “How do you add value here?” Scott also discusses the traits of leaders who succeed versus those who fail, the importance of unconditional trust, and why love and humanity are at the core of leadership. Finally, he shares his curiosity about AI and its impact on coaching, work, and the human side of leadership. A must-listen for anyone curious about the future of leadership, trust, and technology. Follow Scott on LinkedIn at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-blanchard-leadership/  Get your copy of The Curious Advantage on Amazon The Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on Audible Follow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram About The Curious Advantage Podcast Join the authors of The Curious Advantage in an exploration of how individuals and organizations can harness the power of curiosity to drive success in our new digital reality. In each episode, they engage in enlightening conversations with world-leading experts from a diversity of disciplines to bring to life the latest understanding of curiosity in a way that’s useful to anyone looking to embark on a journey of discovery, navigate challenges, and unlock opportunities. About The Curious Advantage Book The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the idea of Curiosity and its increasing importance for thriving in the digital age. Taking the widest possible exploration of things Curious – historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural, semantic and business-focused. At the heart of the book is our model of Curiosity, called ’Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’. This model provides individuals with a practical framework for how to be successfully Curious and use Curiosity as a power skill to unlock their own potential. To find out more visit: curiousadvantage.com The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing is done by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, and Garrick Jones speak with Kentaro Toyama, W.K. Kellogg Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information and author of Geek Heresy. Together they explore the limits of technology in driving social change, why AI and digital tools often amplify human intent, and the urgent need for ethics and regulation. From AI in education to inequality, the future of work, and questions of consciousness, this is a thought-provoking conversation on how curiosity can help us navigate the digital age. Get your copy of The Curious Advantage on Amazon The Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on Audible Follow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram About The Curious Advantage Podcast Join the authors of The Curious Advantage in an exploration of how individuals and organizations can harness the power of curiosity to drive success in our new digital reality. In each episode, they engage in enlightening conversations with world-leading experts from a diversity of disciplines to bring to life the latest understanding of curiosity in a way that’s useful to anyone looking to embark on a journey of discovery, navigate challenges, and unlock opportunities. About The Curious Advantage Book The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the idea of Curiosity and its increasing importance for thriving in the digital age. Taking the widest possible exploration of things Curious – historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural, semantic and business-focused. At the heart of the book is our model of Curiosity, called ’Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’. This model provides individuals with a practical framework for how to be successfully Curious and use Curiosity as a power skill to unlock their own potential. To find out more visit: curiousadvantage.com The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing is done by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham.