The Occupational Philosophers - A not-so-serious business podcast to spark Creativity, Imagination and Curiosity

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://eyeyah.com 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/

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

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

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 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

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. www.occupationalphilosophers.com

In Episode 9, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Eleanor Tweddle - a podcaster, an entrepreneur, and author, with a best-selling book, Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you! (and she is also an amazing coach, consultant, and very funny) After 23 years of corporate life, working for brands such as Costa Coffee, RAC, Virgin Atlantic, and Vodafone, Eleanor found herself redundant and so began a journey of self-discovery - getting really curious and asking herself questions about who she was and how she wanted to be, reimagining a new way of working and living, and connecting with lots of people - and now Eleanor helps other people thrive in the face of redundancy with her own business ‘Another Door’. Eleanor has been featured in The Guardian, The Financial Times, Glamour, and Grazia. In this episode, they explore: Why staying curious about yourself and what’s possible is key to reimagining your world The better question to ask yourself when deciding a way forward What individuals, teams, and organisations can learn about providing space for reflection Why you should think about what you want to be, rather than what you want to do They also discover: How Lego provides the perfect analogy for life Why you should just stop giving a shit And why you should never look a penguin in the eye, unless you have a plan As always, there are some great thought experiments such as: Twoddle or Tweddell? Is this saying real or utter hogwash? Guess the ‘RE' song and artist Links https://www.eleanortweddell.com https://www.anotherdoor.co.uk https://www.anotherdoor.co.uk/read-the-book The Wombles ​​https://www.womblesofficial.com/meet-us

In Episode 8, The Occupational Philosophers dive into the business, life, and leadership lessons we can learn from three very well-known artists. Starting at the rebirth of humanism, creativity, and curiosity, and a general 'coming out of the dark' (also known as the Renaissance), they take us through the minds of two of the Renaissances shining lights, Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci. Keeping a very non-linear history line, they then scoot forward 400 years and spend some time getting to know the amazing Frieda Kahlo better Along the way they explore: The importance of embracing your uniqueness and not hiding away what makes you different (as that's where your talents lie) Why we should all be lifelong learners and remembering that not everything is taught in school How innovation happens when we join the dots and make connections from wildly different things Why it's important to record your ideas and putting them into the world and not just let them idly float by How curiosity and asking why can change the way you see the world and the life you live Why all leaders need to allow the unique Leonardos' in their teams to shine and thrive As with all episodes, The Occupational Philosophers discuss what Mona Lisa might have been thinking and conduct some great thought experiments. Are you ready for "Art or Shart?" As always, there are some great lessons and ways to bring more imagination, creativity, and curiosity into your workplace and how to live a most interesting life in the process. They hope you enjoy the show. www.occupationalphilosophers.com

In Episode 7, The Occupational Philosophers chat with global humanitarian, childhood conservationist, lifelong play enthusiast and founder of The Flying Seagull Project, Ash Perrin. Since 2008, The Flying Seagull Charity Project has brought love, light and laughter to more than 200,000 children in 23 countries across four continents in challenging and desperate situations, including hospitals, orphanages and refugee camps. They use clowning, magic, games and arts workshops to replace fear and uncertainty with positive human connections based on respect, happiness and laughter. Ash is the author of ‘The Real Play Revolution’, a Ted Speaker and an all-around creative and joyous person. In this episode, they explore: How play is a universal feeling of liberation, creativity and expression and a safety net for learning Why the world is just waiting for your amazing ideas How to bring 'play' into the workplace that doesn't make you feel like an idiot That the best ideas and the most stupid ideas come out of the same well If you are below the age of 99, being asked to grow up is an act of violence They also dive into: The emergence of the Monkey Christ Why neck ties should be banned unless fluorescent The board of brilliance and the bucket of goodbyes As always, there are some great thought experiments such as: If I were Prime Minister..... Is this a real job or not? (Surf barista anyone?) Links The Flying Seagull Project https://www.theflyingseagullproject.com/ The Real Play Revolution (book) https://www.amazon.com/Real-Play-Revolution-Need-Silly/dp/1786782235 Ash Perrin Ted Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/ash_perrin_the_power_of_play?language=en Check out the Bus https://www.facebook.com/flyingseagulls/posts/3741712149233070

In episode 6, The Occupational Philosophers get really curious about questions (and questions are what this show is all about). Questions come in all shapes and sizes and John and Simon have a good look at them all. Importantly, they explore how great questions can have a positive impact on both the world of work AND living a most inspiring life. Amongst other things, The Occupational Philosophers leave no stone unturned as they traverse the world of curiosity and questions and discover: Curiosity did not kill the cat, it made it super cat (who would have thought?) How great questions can do the heavy lifting when solving problems Why Albert Einstein may not be the right person in the Presidents crisis room The importance of changing the constructions and the scope of your questions How big questions can change your life Along the way, they also conduct some thought experiments including: Imagine Aliens arrive and they..........What would you do? John dives deep into Simons mind, personality and values as he takes him through a relational psychology experience called "walking in the woods" As ever, The Occupational Philosophers give you some key tips to fulfill your potential to be the curious, creative, and imaginative star that you are, or would like to be - at work, at home or in the bath. Links Silos art project https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2021/jul/20/australias-silo-murals-make-a-road-trip-an-art-odyssey-in-pictures Jeff Bezos rocket - https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/20/jeff-bezos-rocket-design-an-inquiry Walking in the woods - https://iheartintelligence.com/ Herding wild cats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE

In Episode 5, The Occupational Philosophers chat with glorious, amazingly talented, and hilarious performer Tamara Campbell. Tamara has literally performed all over the world: 23 countries in 6 different languages for over a million people in her 18-year career. Tamara believes that "laughter should be a force for good. Bringing humans together to share and connect, breaking down the barriers and masks that inhibit our progress as a race. I also believe that it is fundamental that we have a bloody good time together as often as possible." In this episode we explore: What it means to be human How vulnerability comes before trust rather than the other way around (leaders, take note!) Why it's important to look “something awesome about you” in other people The different alter egos we all have and how to ensure the right one turns up Where creativity comes from - and it takes a lot of practice Breaking out of comfort zones and how to make people feel amazing How the human race is evolving to have herd immunity against arseholes Lessons learned from performing all over the world and training at the world-renowned Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre As with all episodes, we have some great thought experiments as we explore Famous Love Parents and have some great listener questions. Tamara is an absolute star and there is so much joy and wisdom in this episode. Enjoy! Links Laughterhouse Entertainment https://www.laughterhouseentertainment.com/ Brag sheet (places Tamara has performed) https://www.laughterhouseentertainment.com/about/places-performed/ Tamara Campbell https://www.tamaracampbell.com.au/ Kikki Bittovabitsch https://www.facebook.com/KikiBittovabitsch/ Dell'Arte School of Physical Performance https://dellarte.com/ MONA Gallery https://mona.net.au/

In episode four, The Occupational Philosophers explore a history of chin strokers (AKA Philosophers) throughout time from Socrates through to Voltaire, and even the more modern Seth Godin. Importantly, as a not-so-serious business podcast, they dive into what we can learn from this ancient and more recent wisdom to enable us to thrive in our more modern times. The Occupational Philosophers explore: The importance of always asking great questions (unless you're a certain philosopher who didn't know when to stop!) How positive micro habits can drive big change in our lives The rise of the 'miserabilists' (and wasn't that a fun time??) Why we should stay curious and be open changing paths as new information comes our way The importance of having a go at life and ripping the s#*t out of it How leaders can embrace some philosophy to positively change the culture in their organisation All the great chin stroker aphorisms and quotes that still hold true today including, "Curiosity is the lust of the mind" (A favourite Occupational Philosophers quote) As with all episodes, they conduct some thought experiments covering: Which philosopher would do you take to Ibiza? Do I really have nothing to lose but my socks? As always, there are some great lessons that you can apply to the world of work and leading a more curious, interesting and creative life.

In their first guest episode, The Occupational Philosophers talk with Dr. Peter Lovatt, a Dance Psychologist, multi TED speaker and best selling author, who through his work on the psychology of movement and dance, is more widely known as 'Dr. Dance'! Listen in as Peter shares: 3 top tips for everyday living from his new book 'The Dance Cure' How teams and organisations can use movement to fuel innovation & creativity How individuals can 'move to improve'! They also explore: Why dance and movement is fundamentally about communication What type of movement is best to help your children revise for their exams! What stops us dancing (apart from when we're drunk at wedding...)? How school shaped Peter's life and success....it's quite a journey Whether movement is a "gateway drug" to dancing....... And as ever, the Occupational Philosophers will also engage in some (not so serious) 'Thought Experiments' which delve into topics such as "Did someone really say that?" and "What dance should I do if I get mugged?". Finally, as discussed in the show, please check out: Dr.Peter Lovatt - https://www.peterlovatt.com TEDx Observer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihCh5wzNjYY Derek Sivers: Leadership Lessons from the Dancing Guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ Tame your Ogre Guide - https://www.occupationalphilosophers.com

In their inaugural episode, The Occupational Philosophers dive into: The no.1 thing that kills your creative potential, whether that's at work, at home, or in the bath Some tactics on how to deal with it Some key ways to have a little less of this creativity killer at work that doesn't make you look like a free loving, sandal-wearing hipster that says stuff like, "Let's get in the flow brothers and sisters, don't hold back, release your inner animal and lets' freestyle" They also explore: The importance of a philosopher's mindset Being OK with dangerous ideas Spending time out of our comfort zones and.... Ping pong balls on crack The importance of always asking questions Dealing with negative self-talk Some simple ways to bring more curiosity and into your workplace (and your life) They will also introduce you to thought experiments (as done by Philosophers throughout the ages) as they explore 'Would you rather...?' and 'True or not' Most importantly, there is plenty of inspiration to ensure you become the creative beast you were designed to be. As discussed in the show, check out Ken Robinson's Ted Talk - Do schools kill creativity?

Would you like to fulfill your potential to be the curious, creative, and imaginative star that you are, or would like to be? You already know in your bones that you are a creative beast, but maybe you just don't quite know how to unleash it – perhaps it’s an ignored talent in writing, leading innovation at work, or simply underwater basket weaving. Every fortnight, John, a mild-mannered, middle-aged British man with a love of curiosity and philosophy, and a slightly louder, middle-aged Australian surfer man, artist, and published author on creativity chat with guests drawn from many walks of life who have woven creativity, curiosity and play into their everyday lives - and thrived in the process. So, if you would like to listen to a “not so serious business podcast” and would like some thoughts, tools, and tips on staying curious, creative, and asking those really great questions (and leading a most interesting life in the process) then this is the podcast you have been waiting for all your life. Well, maybe not all your life, but for a while…