Would you like to unlock the creative, imaginative and innovative potential in your team or organisation…BUT…don’t want to listen to another serious podcast which offers 7 steps, 5 habits, 3 mantras, and a hard sell in a pear tree?
Then join ‘The Occupational Philosophers’, a ‘not-so-serious’ podcast with Simon Banks (middle-aged Australian surfer man, artist and published author) and John Rice (middle-aged British man with a love of curiosity and philosophy) as they chat with a ‘clowder’ (great word!) of curious cats from the fields of Comedy, Academia, Philosophy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Design, Marketing, and Business, to explore how you, your team, and your organisation, can develop your curiosity, spark your creativity, and free your imagination, so you can grow your business and your people….sounds great huh?!
But don’t just take our word for it, read what our listeners think:
“Worth a listen, one of them has a strange Australian accent”
“They’re not philosophers, they’re idiots”
“If you like business, philosophy, humour, creativity, and imagination, then have a listen - if not, then I would leave well alone”
http://www.occupationalphilosophers.com
Episodes
Monday Jan 31, 2022
Monday Jan 31, 2022
In Episode 19, The Occupational Philosophers chat with the Amazing Entrepreneur Danielle Chiel.
Danielle's story is a great yarn (pun intended). Danielle Chiel is an Australian entrepreneur who founded KOCO (Knit One Change One). She has a Ph.D. in Musicology, sits at the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurialism, creativity, and joy, and making a more beautiful, creative, and happy world and real difference in literally thousands of women's lives.
Danielle, through KOCO, is seeking to change lives one hand-knitted garment at a time.
She currently employs 200 Indian ladies from various villages in India, to hand-knit garments for her; but her dream is to expand the business and employ 10,000 women. KOCO hand-knits garments for global fashion brands – they produce fashions and homewares that customers love, by working with women in the rural villages in the south of Tamil Nadu. At the same time as giving these ladies employment, KOCO provides them with an education and all the training they need, in order to become world-class hand knitters.
"What I admire about the art of knitting are the same qualities that I admire in music: endless creative possibilities made possible by skilled and passionate hands and a perfect score, or pattern".
Connecting fashion brands, customers, and artisans through the art and science of handknitting, along with being one of the most amazing curious problem solvers we have ever had on the show, this is a chat you won’t want to miss!
Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellechiel/
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/headline-20160409-go2k7y.html
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Monday Jan 17, 2022
Despite speaking regularly, The Occupational Philosophers realised that they missed each other greatly in 2021. As such, they have decided to catch up more regularly - which brings us to this episode.
Whilst all of the above is true, The Occupational Philosophers have decided they need to drink their own Kool-Aid and explore what's possible with micro experiments, trying new things, understanding how things work and embracing a curious, imaginative and creative mindset each and every day.
In this 15-minute inbetweener episode, they explore:
- The impact of a curious and creative exercise every day
- Why small steps can help to make a big impact (and most likely essential to achieving big goals)
- How creating nudges and visual cues can get you closer to being a creative cat
- Why John's January advent calendar is a very successful experiment
- Why Simon is no closer to being on a Beer Commercial
Watch our for a short, sharp inbetweener episode every second Monday (yes, that's right, that makes The Occupational Philosophers now a weekly show)
www.occupationalphilosophers.com
Friday Jan 14, 2022
Friday Jan 14, 2022
In Episode 16, The Occupational Philosophers chat with the very talented and very funny, Neil Mullarkey. Neil co-founded the world-famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players in the UK with Mike Myers, later appearing with him in the fabulous Austin Powers movies. He has appeared on TV over many years, including Have I Got News For You, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Saturday Live and QI. He has also won awards for his alter ego - L. Vaughan Spencer, (L-Vo for short), A Life Coach, Self-Help Guru and Gangsta Motivator.
Neil has become highly accomplished in the field of management training, running many workshops and hosting conferences for a wealth of private and public organisations where he uses the techniques of theatre improvisation to inspire business people to embrace their creativity and enhance their communication skills.
In this episode, they explore:
- How Improv comedy can teach us how to work more effectively in teams and organisations
- Why listening is the critical skill we all need to master
- Why constraints and restrictions can liberate our creativity
- What leaders need to do to provide the extraordinary leadership required in today’s VUCA world
- Who in your business needs to take responsibility for ensuring meetings have impact
- And what to do when faced with an electric drill and a wombat
As always, there are some great thought experiments such as:
- What’s in the box?
- Listeners Dilemmas
Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmullarkey
Learn more about Neil:
https://neilmullarkey.com/sevensteps
References
http://www.provocativetherapy.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Rogers
https://gestaltcentre.org.uk/what-is-gestalt/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel
https://hbr.org/2015/02/how-to-revive-a-tired-network
https://www.leadershipcentre.org.uk/artofchangemaking/theory/complexity/
https://comedystoreplayers.com/
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Monday Jan 10, 2022
In possibly their loosest episode ever (and the bar is pretty low.....), The Occupational Philosophers met up in the time vortex that is the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve where time stands still and people eat leftovers and drink wine from 9 am and feel no guilt whatsoever.
As such, they found themselves wading into unusual territory - setting and achieving new year's goals and some of the common (from experience) pitfalls along the way.
In this time vortex, The Occupational Philosophers explore:
- Why a January advent calendar may be good for your curiosity
- Why habits, not resolutions will help you achieve your goals
- How a goal helps you embrace serendipity
- Why joyous and passionate goals may be the answer to getting your resolutions
- Why you should never say “Cheshire Cat” too quickly after 2 glasses of sherry with a mince pie in your mouth
- Why the word "fervently" should be part of your goal making vernacular, especially for Organisations
- (And slightly more woo-woo than usual)....How the universe will send you good things - if you're not constantly grumpy and in the shits
As per usual, there are thought experiments and for this episode, it's "Filthy Habit or Monk's Habit"?
If you have gotten this far....we can't wait to bring you some more great shows this year that will help you to be the creative, imaginative, and curious cat you were designed to be in 2022 (and apologies in advance for this episode!)
Links
Camel Botox https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-09/camel-beauty-pageant-disqualified-over-botox-injections/100685840
Celebrity Apprentice Australia https://9now.nine.com.au/celebrity-apprentice-australia
Derek Sivers https://sive.rs/goals
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
In episode 15, The Occupational Philosophers explore imagination - what it is, why it's so important and why we have oodles of it, ready and waiting for us to use.
So what is it?
“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and, therefore, the foundation of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.” J.K. Rowling
In this episode, they explore:
- What it is (see above)
- The different types of imagination (it's everywhere!)
- Why it is absolutely essential - in life, in teams, for leaders and organisations
- How to create environments at work that allow people to imagine
- The importance of synchronous and asynchronous work
- How innovation = imagination + action
- Where imagination sits with its best friends of curiosity and creativity
- How to spark your imagination and become unblocked (mentally)
- Why imagination is an essential work and life skill
And, importantly.....Why an imaginative life is SO MUCH FUN
As always there are some great thought experiments including "Imagination Badger"
Here's to a world filled with imagination.
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
In Episode 14, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Tanya Chua, a creative and design powerhouse. She is on a mission to bring more creativity into both education and the greater world. Tanya sits at the intersection of art and design, advertising, visual storytelling, and inspiration. She has been headhunted more times than Mad Men's Don Draper and in a former role, travelled to 35 countries to oversee on-ground PR and be the point of contact for the world-famous DJs that headlined the platform, including Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, and Pete Tong!
In this episode, they explore:
- The mindset and habits you can adopt to help fuel your own curiosity and creativity
- Why employees having a ‘side hustle’ can be great for your organisation
- How creativity can be a force for good and help solve BIG world problems
- The benefits of visual learning and visual literacy to help foster greater critical thinking
- Why the greatest risk for organisations and leaders is in not being creative
As always, there are some great thought experiments such as:
- Bond Villan Lair or University Island?
- Dessert Island Discs
Links
Tanya Chua@Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-chua-2a29877/
Learn more about Tanya’s work at:
https://theunusualnetwork.com/
https://podcast.theunusualnetwork.com/
GIF Festival Singapore
https://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/first-gif-festival-singapore-take-place-october
Visual Literacy with Brian Kennedy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E91fk6D0nwM
The Night Tiger
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Tiger-Yangsze-Choo/dp/1250175453
Creating Innovators
https://www.tonywagner.com/creating-innovators/
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
In episode 13, The Occupational Philosophers explore the concept of FLOW......
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was the Godfather of Flow State (and just recently passed away in Oct 2020)
Csikszentmihalyi started his initial observations and studies on artists. He noted that the act of creating seemed at times more important than the finished work itself and he was fascinated by what he called the “flow” state, in which the person is completely immersed in an activity with intense focus and creative engagement. He set his life’s work to scientifically identify the different elements involved in achieving such a state.
He introduced flow theory in the 1970s and designed 9 key steps to achieve a state of flow and the theory of flow has continued to grow and expand on hos great work.
In this episode they explore:
- What flow is
- Why flow matters
- How to be in the flow (or a more modern-day version of in the groove)
- How to create the conditions where an intersection of challenge and activity will enable flow to thrive
- The importance of setting goals to achieve flow
- Why happiness can come from unusual places
- How leaders in organisations can create an environment of flow
- The importance of letting go of ego in finding flow
- Key steps for teams to find their flow
Enjoy the show!
Links
Candi Stanton https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/oct/07/candi-staton-i-was-in-a-few-relationships-where-id-think-should-i-kill-them
Candi Stanton "Open my eyes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stUHKSEB-qE
9 steps to create flow https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_mel_brooks_can_teach_us_about_group_flow
Team Flow https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_mel_brooks_can_teach_us_about_group_flow
https://www.stevenkotler.com/rabbit-hole/frequently-asked-questions-on-flow
TED TALK: https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_flow_the_secret_to_happiness?language=en
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
In episode 12, The Occupational Philosophers dive into the world of Accidental Mashups, Insatiable Curiosity and how they drive Innovation.
- Why an insatiable curiosity is at the heart of entrepreneurialism (and it's how they see opportunities that other people miss)
- How being open to surprises, coincidences and mistakes we can deliver some fantastic insights that can drive innovation
- Why innovation is never linear (as much as we would like it to be!)
- The importance of asking curious questions and how two key questions kicked off two of the worlds most innovative companies
- How some of our most famous inventions are the result of accidents and unexpected mashups
- Why the most exciting phrase in science is "Mmmmm, that's funny"
- How unexpected incidences can bring around amazing insights - if you are open to them
- Why you should always take the laundry out ahead of answering the telephone
- Maybe it's time to rethink the ven diagram
They also explore such job interview questions such as:
- Why are manholes round?
- Are you a hunter or gatherer?
- What type of tree are you?
As always there are some great thought experiments including:
- Word mashups
- A deep dive into the psychology of choices (and what it says about your life)
Come visit at www.occupationalphilosophers.com
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
In Episode 11, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Dr. Brock Bastian - Professor, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne. Brock is a social psychologist whose research focuses on pain, happiness, and morality.
His book, The Other Side of Happiness, was published in January 2018.
Brock completed his PhD in 2007 and since then has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.
His work has been featured in outlets such as The Economist, The New Yorker, TIME, New Scientist, Scientific American, Harvard Business Review, and The Huffington Post, among many others.
He has delivered popular talks, such as at TEDx StKilda, The Ethics Centre Sydney, and Effective Altruism Australia; and appeared on radio shows such as The Minefield.
In this episode, they explore:
- Why pain is good for us
- How believing in the role luck plays in life allows you to take more risks
- How being curious is really important in managing our emotional world
- Why leaders need to share their failures more often
- What helps teams build trust
- How to lead organisations through tough times
As always, there are some great thought experiments such as:
- Guess the source of my pain
- Defend, Live, Party! What hybrid animal would you choose?
Links
http://www.brockbastian.com/book/the-other-side-of-happiness
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/aboutus/news/2021/september/lego-rebuild-the-world-2021
https://tim.blog/2021/09/08/henry-shukman/
What Human Animal Hybrid would you rather fight/hang out with/have at home? Read his article https://theconversation.com/wary-of-human-animal-hybrids-its-probably-just-your-own-moral-superiority-72720
https://www.adamgrant.net/book/think-again
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
In episode 10, The Occupational Philosophers celebrate hitting their 10th anniversary episode (who said you shouldn't celebrate the small stuff) and they dive back into the big ideas, themes and curious moments from their guests so far.
On the way they explore:
- Why being human is anything but perfect (and that's OK)
- How creativity and laughter drives connection and those lovely human moments that make life special
- Why we all need to make a mark
- That everything in life doesn't need to be outcome-based
- Why we shouldn't be shy about the 'V' word
- How we should all see the AWESOME in other people
- Why our ability to reimagine is at the heart of an interesting life
- How self-belief and creativity can change the world
- Why a curious mind and a good question can completely change the world we see
They also introduce a new app that can help us all make the most out of life and as always, there are some great thought experiments including a corporate 'would you rather?'
As always, stay curious, make stuff and play more.