Bloc Thinking

My recent conversation with Meg Bolger, the creator of Facilitator Cards, provided a fascinating look into the world of facilitation, its underlying principles, and practical applications. Meg shared the accidental origin of Facilitator Cards from a need to rapidly plan a facilitation training, emphasising the crucial distinction between content and process. We delved into the design and purpose o...

I went live on the 27th of March for a conversation with Stephen P. Anderson! We explored the fascinating world of "playful things to think with" and how they transform the creative process. We discussed how we can better give form to our ideas, manipulate them tangibly, and collaborate effectively to solve complex problems together. We explored the comparative advantages of physical too...

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Nick Kellet, the visionary behind Deckible! Discover how card decks are being reimagined for the digital age, blending creativity, mindfulness, and innovation. From the award-winning creator of GiftTRAP, Nick shares his journey and insights and how Deckible is transforming workshops, coaching, personal growth - and more!

Join me for a live interview with Jens Mühlstedt, the creative mind behind Inspiration Wild Cards. We delve into the world of design thinking and creativity… as related to design tool geekery, of course. Tune in for an insightful discussion exploring Jens’ journey in creating this innovative tool. ** Creative Coffee Break is a Bloc Thinking Production

Running a business is not for everyone - but designers face an even steeper uphill battle. So why are some of us so ill-equipped when it comes to transitioning into business leadership roles?  German Leon is the Founder and Chief Experience Officer at GESTOOS, where they enable cameras and sensors to see, understand and respond to human movement and behaviour using Artificial Intelligence. &n...

What if you could stop looking for work and let your next job find you?  Jeff Gothelf is a recognized Lean thinking and design evangelist and a global Lean UX movement founder.   Now, imagine you could repurpose the principles Jeff has been championing and apply them to your career? That’s exactly what he has done in his time in the corporate world and the businesses he established....

Thought leadership is a phrase used to describe any number of activities, but few have been able to master its potential. These pursuits can build bridges between ideas and action, driving business results, according to Bill Sherman.  Bill is the COO at Thought Leadership Leverage and co-host of the podcast "Leveraging Thought Leadership". He and his team develop strategies to rescue innovati...

Curiosity is one of our innate superpowers. It powers the human race and fuels innovation. It's what drives us to create new things and explore the world around us.  More than often, Curiosity can be less present or move to the background.  Anthony Rocco, an Experience Designer & Strategist, joins me this week to talk about Curiosity and how to go about re-igniting it. You can find m...

A story is a way for people to talk about what they know and what they care about. It's a way to connect with an audience. And it's a way to build trust.  Fei Wu is a content creator and digital marketer who helps small businesses and creative entrepreneurs tell better stories, find more customers and create new revenue streams.   Join the conversation this Thursday the 20th at 1 pm...

Shifting the traditional concept of mentorship into reverse to gain forward momentum. Reverse mentorship is a new concept in the workplace that will change the way we do things. According to this week's guest on the Creative Coffee Break, this approach allows senior team members to learn from junior ones and vice versa. How can you leverage the unique strategic and cultural perspective of junior t...

One of the best ways to improve your business is to research your customers and prospects. Research can be a huge time suck, complicated, and sometimes expensive.  Research is rocket-fuel, not a phase, according to, Kasia Gawlik a seasoned strategist, experience design leader, and guest on this week’s Creative Coffee Break.   Kasia shares her tips on how you can do research with eve...

Are you interested in building a more sustainable business? Join us this week for a discussion with Dennis Geelen, author of the 'The Zero In Formula' and Customer Experience & Innovation Consultant. We discussed what it takes to build a more effective and sustainable business, along with some practical principles from Dennis to guide the discussion.  You will leave this session with a be...

Can you find fulfilment in your career? What does the word "career" mean to an entrepreneur? Or, if you're getting a little grey like me, how can I go about looking for new challenges after so many years in the market? What's even worse. We only start thinking about these things when we're looking to make a change - leaving us frustrated and overwhelmed.  I know someone with the answers and s...

Have you booked that meeting recently? Two or more people on the invite? Guess what, you are an event owner. However, event design is more than agendas and aesthetics – they need to drive meaningful change and deliver measurable results.    Anthony Vade, North America Director of the Event Design Collective, sharing thoughts on how to design events that drive meaningful change.  Des...

My guest is on a mission to help 1 Million people to innovate. It’s brave. It’s bold. It’s Jens Heitland!  Jens is a former global head of Innovation at IKEA, has taken on this ambitious goal as a consultant, coach and entrepreneur. I’ll be twisting his arm this Friday at 1 PM CET to teach me a few innovation tricks and how he aims to reach the audacious goal by the end of the year.   Im...

Have you noticed how we have become so used to equating walls of sticky notes with innovation and design-related activities? Tamara and Shawna say it's time to burn those walls of sticky notes and focus on outcomes by unlocking your team's creative potential.   Shawna and Tamara Eberle are Partners at Traction Strategy as well as co-founders of the Traction Toolbox. You can find me, Wern...

According to Jeff Parks, we should remove our associations and experiences with certain "objects" to consider other possibilities.   Jeff Parks is a User Experience and Product Design Leader and one of the OG's of Information Architecture and User Experience Design.   We explore what it means to move your "Thinking Beyond the Factory"   #creativecoffeebreak #design #design...

This is a shared episode from the Jens Heitland Podcast. The "Innovation breakfast" format, where Jens meets with previous guests to explore specific topics related to entrepreneurship and innovation.   Today's topic is leading cultural transitions Jens Heitland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-heitland-2b309a44/ Dennis Luijer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennislui... Joshua Nuttall: https:/...

This is a shared episode from the Jens Heitland Podcast. The "Innovation breakfast" format, where Jens meets with previous guests to explore specific topics related to entrepreneurship and innovation. Today's topic is Entrepreneurial Culture Jens Heitland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-heitland-2b309a44/ Dennis Luijer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennislui... ​ Joshua Nuttall: https://www.linke...

We're catching up with a quick update as we navigate the pandemic. A lot has changed, but just as many things have changed, some even for the better. Important Links: Werner's side project Podcast - https://www.findingfrequency.show Wall Street: https://www.wsj.com/articles/shipping-container-shortage-gives-commodity-prices-extra-boost-11613648648 Talk: https://youtu.be/yvsudnk_nlU Prof G: https:/...

Werner and Jonathan sat down earlier last week to catch-up and discuss the current state of the world and how it is impacting them. They didn't realize at that point the flood gate they were opening.

In this episode, Werner and Jonathan start by talking about their never-ending quest to find balance in their separate lives. In addition to an update of the status of their respective work situation, they discuss the importance of taking breaks, especially in a context where travel is not encouraged.

Do you feel constantly having too many things that you absolutely have to do? We feel you... So many of us could fill their entire time awake only with tasks, whether they are professional, personal, or from hobbies. The paradox of that condition is that it gets in the way of actually achieving any of those tasks. Not only because of analysis-paralysis but also because it leads us to spend a consi...

What is not to like about reading? What other media can engulf you in the wilderness of Alaska or the mind of a world leader at a critical moment of history, all from any place you would find fit for it. However, at a time when it's never been easier to have access to written content, it's also particularly difficult to commit to long-form reading due to distractions and the lack of habits. The In...

The world has been upside-down for some months now as COVID-19 is transfigurating whole communities and creating a dreadful sense of fear in our collective psyche. So, in that context, what could happen in the mind of two solo-entrepreneurs at the dawn of the most important sanitary crisis of the past century? Hey there, how are you doing? It's the question that Werner and Jonathan ask each other...