Radio Future Skills Academy

Jim Kalbach is the Chief Evangelist at Mural 00:00:08 Intro / Chatting / Holiday Reflections 00:02:40 Introducing Jim Kalbach 00:04:20 The Influence of Jazz  00:04:25 Comfort with Uncertainty 00:07:26 The Role of Language 00:09:48 The Nature of Truth 00:10:20 The Importance of Art 00:13:42 Jim's Journey to Mural 00:14:43 Defining Creativity 00:18:28 Music as a Creative Process 00:21:13 Embracing Nonlinearity 00:22:50 The Future of Organizations 00:26:54 Managing Uncertainty in Business 00:33:11 Neurodiversity in the Workplace 00:36:31 The Shift Towards Imagination 00:42:04 The Impact of AI 00:50:38 The Need for Balance 00:57:49 Navigating Change 01:01:57 Personal Growth and Change 01:17:44 Rethinking Business Structures 01:23:26 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

With Duncan Wardle, the former head of innovation and creativity at Disney, we delve into the essence of creative leadership. Duncan shares insights on unlocking creativity in everyone, emphasizing the importance of playfulness and personal narratives. We explore interactive exercises that highlight the relationship between lived experiences and creativity, while discussing his newly published book that offers practical tools for nurturing creative potential. Duncan challenges traditional education paradigms and advocates for a mindset that embraces empathy, curiosity, and intuition. This engaging discussion promises inspiration for anyone eager to enhance their creative abilities and rethink leadership in today's evolving landscape.

Anderson Gomes da Silva, Head of Product Design at Bol.com, shares his journey from a Brazilian gaming enthusiast to a design leader. He introduces the "Flower Analogy," illustrating the dangers of over-organization in teams, warning that too much structure can stifle creativity. Anderson intertwines his love for gaming with leadership techniques, emphasizing the balance of chaos and order. He also delves into the evolution of design principles in problem-solving and the transformative role of automation in fostering innovation.

Curiosity and Authenticity: Foundations of Modern Leadership leaders are increasingly challenged to balance innovation with empathy. Ewelina Polińska Nadra, an innovation manager and mother, exemplifies how curiosity and authenticity can serve as the cornerstones of effective leadership. Her journey offers valuable insights into integrating personal values with professional practices. Curiosity: The Catalyst for Growth Ewelina’s life is a testament to the transformative power of curiosity. From exploring the depths of marketing to spontaneously diving into triathlons, her inquisitive nature propels her forward. For leaders, this relentless drive to ask questions, explore new avenues, and embrace the unknown fosters creativity and adaptability—qualities essential in industries undergoing constant change. Authenticity in Leadership Equally central to Ewelina’s philosophy is authenticity. She believes in bringing her whole self to work, acknowledging the inseparable link between personal and professional lives. By sharing her vulnerabilities—whether admitting to a bad day or drawing parallels between parenting and management—she creates an environment where others feel safe to be themselves. This approach humanizes leadership and fosters trust and openness among team members. Lessons from Parenting Ewelina’s experiences as a mother deeply influence her leadership style. She has learned to adapt her communication, offer tailored support, and respect individual differences—skills directly transferable to managing a diverse team. Her emphasis on creating a “brave space” encourages team members to take risks, voice dissenting opinions, and grow. The Future of Leadership As workplaces evolve, leaders must embrace a more holistic approach. Curiosity drives innovation, while authenticity builds connection and trust. Together, they form a powerful combination that enables leaders to navigate complexity while empowering their teams. Ewelina’s story reminds us that leadership is not about perfection but about presence, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous learning—both about the world and oneself. As she succinctly puts it, “You can’t be authentic if you don’t know yourself.” In a world that demands both innovation and empathy, her insights offer a roadmap for leaders seeking to inspire and lead with integrity.

Serious Attention to Touch When screens often mediate our interactions, the profound significance of touch in our lives can easily be overlooked. Ari Elefterin, a transdisciplinary designer and somatic researcher, is passionately exploring this very terrain. Through their project “Touch Starved,” Ari delves into our intrinsic need for tactile connection, aiming to reintegrate touch into our daily experiences.   “Touch Starved” isn’t just a project; it’s a movement. It encompasses workshops like “Being in Touch” and introduces innovative tools such as the “SAT: Serious Attention to Touch” seating device. These initiatives offer designers and technologists a framework to recognize and address their physiological needs, encouraging them to become “body innovators.”   At the heart of Ari’s work lies the concept of embodied cognition—the idea that our thoughts and behaviors are deeply influenced by our physical experiences and interactions with the environment. This perspective challenges the traditional separation of mind and body, suggesting that our cognition is not just housed in our brains but is a dynamic interplay between our bodies and surroundings.   Ari’s approach resonates with themes from Annie Murphy Paul’s “The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain,” which explores how tools, environments, and social interactions extend our cognitive processes beyond the confines of our brains. By emphasizing touch and bodily engagement, “Touch Starved” exemplifies how design can harness embodied cognition to create more holistic and human-centered experiences.   Incorporating touch into design practices addresses the sensory deprivation prevalent in modern workplaces and promotes well-being and creativity. By acknowledging and integrating our innate human needs, initiatives like “Touch Starved” pave the way for environments that are more responsive to the full spectrum of human experience.   Ari’s work serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of touch in our lives. By reconnecting with this fundamental sense, we can foster deeper connections with ourselves and others, leading to more meaningful and fulfilling experiences.

Creating a Brave Space for Creative Minds In the latest episode of the Creative Leaders Unplugged Podcast, we explored an inspiring concept for fostering creativity: the “brave space.” Unlike a “safe space,” which aims to protect participants, a brave space encourages individuals to bring forward their unique perspectives and unconventional ideas. This kind of environment is critical, especially for highly creative people, who often find themselves navigating a world that doesn’t fully accommodate their varied interests or unique ways of thinking. Creativity often comes with a wiring that’s, as our guest Rachel Davis put it, a bit “neuro-spicy.” Many creative professionals resonate with having diverse hobbies, passionate interests, and, sometimes, neurodiverse characteristics like ADHD. While this wiring can feel out of place in structured, traditional environments, it can thrive in a brave space where differences are celebrated and collaboration is encouraged. In the episode, we talk about how “making thoughts visible” plays a central role in creative work. For creatives, turning ideas into tangible forms allows them to better communicate with others and refine their concepts. This brave space environment nurtures self-acceptance and continuous curiosity, which allows these individuals to do their best work. When creative thinkers have the freedom to explore their interests without pressure to conform, the result is often powerful, transformative innovation. The brave space is not only a mindset but a culture that creative organizations can build. It’s a reminder that fostering an atmosphere of openness, acceptance, and courage to express “weirdness” could be the secret ingredient to groundbreaking ideas.

Join hosts Morgan and Arne in this episode of *Creative Leaders Unplugged* as Alan Moore explores beauty as a transformative force. He emphasizes personal responsibility and regenerative practices, inspiring listeners to enhance beauty in their lives. A quick yet impactful conversation on redefining creativity awaits!

In this episode of Creative Leaders Unplugged, we converse with Karen Hold about her unique journey connecting design and business. We explore how her husband’s grandfather influenced her perspective on innovation through empathy-driven problem-solving during World War II. Karen discusses the barriers to learning within organizations and the importance of embracing uncertainty and experimentation. She introduces a framework of behaviors that foster vital innovation skills, encouraging teams to navigate challenges confidently. Finally, we draw parallels between personal growth in hiking and the innovation process, emphasizing the transformative power of design, empathy, and narrative.

In this episode, we dive deep into a conversation with Alizée Bollen, a socially conscious designer and the founder of Crampy, a project centered around menstrual equity and the importance of community in fostering open conversations about uncomfortable topics. Alize's background is richly woven with her multicultural upbringing—half Congolese and half Belgian—and an upbringing in Tanzania, which shape her perspective and approach to design and social issues. 

In this episode, we speak with facilitator, innovator and philosopher Miikka Leinonen about using AI in workshops, his book "The Intangible Future," and community building. We discuss evolving education roles, challenges in translating physical interactions to digital spaces, and redefining productivity and fulfillment in a changing professional landscape. Our conversation concludes with reflections on simplicity, harmony, and optimism in designing a future based on intentional actions and forward-looking perspectives.   00:00:00 Introduction to Miikka Leinonen 00:00:53 AI Facilitation Workshops 00:02:39 The Intangible Future Book 00:09:09 Student Enthusiasm vs. Vulnerability 00:11:52 Student Responsibility in Education 00:18:04 Importance of Social Learning 00:21:29 Building Communities through Open Space 00:24:16 Defining a Functional Community 00:28:50 Value of Community Experiences 00:30:09 Integrating Communities in Corporations 00:33:39 The Intangible vs. Tangible in Business 00:35:38 Audience vs. Community 00:36:56 Work in the Intangible Realm 00:39:24 Digital Tools Replicating Physical Tools 00:40:48 The Future of Communication 01:01:30 Embracing the Role of the Outsider 01:12:12 Recognizing Harmony and Beauty 01:15:59 Directing Companies Towards Intangible Value 01:18:27 Navigating an Optimistic Future 01:20:40 Reimagining the Structures of Society