Radio Future Skills Academy

We easily celebrate biodiversity in nature, so why do we struggle to accept cognitive diversity in the office? In this episode of Brains at Work, we strip away the misconceptions and return to the foundation of the movement. We explore the work of sociologist Judy Singer, who coined the term "Neurodiversity." This perspective shifts our focus from medical deficits to a simple, powerful truth: diff...

When we deliver a harsh critique at work, we think we are touching a spreadsheet. In reality, we might be triggering the same brain circuits that register physical pain. In this episode of Brains at Work, we dissect the paralyzing mechanics of Anticipatory Anxiety and how it morphs into chronic perfectionism. For many neurodivergent individuals, this goes a step further into Rejection Sensitivity...

I'm the guy who starts a bonfire on the beach. I get the music going and the energy high, but then I move down the shore to start the next one. The future belongs to the wanderers who find value in the connections between things. Don't disappear into a single label. Move lightly between fires.

A business is just a structure; a movement is a magnet. Why build a pyramid of control when you can lead a pancake of trust? When you move, the right people join you. What do you believe in so much that people would follow you for free?

Navigating office politics is hard enough. Navigating them across different global cultures? For a neurodivergent brain, it can be an absolute minefield. In this episode of Brains at Work, we cross international borders to examine how different corporate cultures share information. From the highly explicit, structured communication style often found in US business (low-context) to the deeply nuanc...

Design Thinking isn't a workshop recipe or a six-step certification. It's an evolving language. If you're just ticking boxes, you aren't designing, you're just rearranging the furniture. It's time to move beyond the label and humanise the system… Stop being a recipe follower. Start being a chef.

When a colleague shares something personal, our instinct is to reach for a protocol. But what they often need is a presence. In this episode of Brains at Work, we analyze a common failure in leadership and HR: the rush to provide solutions. Whether it's a disclosure of neurodivergence, a personal struggle, or a workplace challenge, jumping straight to "next steps" and "company protocols" creates a...

Innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum; it happens in the space between two minds. But what happens when those minds speak different neurological languages? In this episode of Brains at Work, we explore the Double Empathy Problem, a theory proposed by Damian Milton in 2012. We move away from the outdated idea that neurodivergent individuals "lack empathy" and instead look at the breakdown of recipr...

Today, our focus is on human centric tech futures, robotics and AI. AI and Robotics is topic most of us are thinking and worried about and so it is great to have an expert like Cristina Andersson on the podcast.

In a world of shrinking attention spans and digital burnout, the phrase "everyone is a little bit neurodivergent" has become a common refrain. But is it accurate? And more importantly, is it helpful? In this episode of Brains at Work, we tackle one of the most persistent myths surrounding neurodiversity. We draw a clear, binary line between experiencing "symptoms" of a modern, fast-paced world and...

We are often taught what to learn, but rarely how we learn. Understanding your cognitive learning style is the ultimate career cheat code. In this episode of Brains at Work, we explore the mechanics of individual learning. We dive into why self-awareness in learning isn't just a personal growth tool, but a fundamental business asset. If you don't know how you learn, you can't accurately define whe...

We've been told that being able to "do it all at once" is a badge of honor. The truth? Your brain is physically incapable of it. In this episode of Brains at Work, we dismantle the urban legend of multitasking. Whether you are neurotypical or neurodivergent, the cognitive mechanics are the same: your brain cannot perform two high-level cognitive tasks simultaneously. What we call multitasking is a...

We've been told that being able to "do it all at once" is a badge of honor. The truth? Your brain is physically incapable of it. In this episode of Brains at Work, we dismantle the urban legend of multitasking. Whether you are neurotypical or neurodivergent, the cognitive mechanics are the same: your brain cannot perform two high-level cognitive tasks simultaneously. What we call multitasking is a...

When a team member says, "I've just received a neurodivergent diagnosis," they aren't just sharing medical news. They are extending a hand of trust. In this episode of Brains at Work, we tackle one of the most delicate and vital moments for any modern leader: how to respond when a colleague or direct report discloses their neurodivergence. Whether you are a manager or the CEO of an entire organiza...

When we sign a job offer, we agree to a salary and a set of tasks. But what about the "hidden" expectations we never actually discussed? In this episode of Brains at Work, we explore the concept of the Psychological Contract—the unspoken partnership between an employer and an employee. Just like in a personal relationship, discovering you aren't "on the same page" usually happens too late. For neu...

Undercurrents of Change is a podcast about the signals beneath the surface of change. In each episode, Marc Bolick and Arne van Oosterom explore the deeper shifts shaping business, leadership, and innovation, beyond the headlines and the hype. Through conversations with entrepreneurs, builders, and thinkers, we look at what people are actually experiencing as they navigate uncertainty and transfor...

Every professional wears a mask, but for some, the weight of that mask is unsustainable. In this episode of Brains at Work, we explore Masking—the conscious or subconscious suppression of natural responses to conform to social expectations. We start with a universal truth: in the business world, everyone masks to some degree. However, for neurodivergent individuals, this isn't just "office etiquet...

Time management is often treated as a skill to be learned, but for many, it is a sensory experience that differs at a neurological level. In this episode of Brains at Work, we break down the concept of "Time Blindness" and the Now vs. Not Now binary that defines the ADHD and neurodivergent experience. If you've ever wondered why some professionals thrive under last-minute pressure while struggling...

How does your brain build a map of the world before you make a choice? In this episode of Brains at Work, we dive into the fundamental cognitive divide in the workplace: the difference between Top-Down and Bottom-Up information processing. While these terms are often used in management, they have a profound neurological basis that dictates how neurotypical and neurodivergent professionals navigate...

In this inaugural episode of Brains at Work, I delve into the profound relationship between human cognition and our work environments. As a designer and researcher with a focus on psychology and neuroscience, I explore how understanding the intricacies of the brain can revolutionize the way we approach work. We uncover the significance of decision-making processes, recognize inherent biases, and h...

We often meet people through their professional surface. The roles they've held. The companies they've built. The neat story their CV tells. It's efficient. It helps us place each other quickly. But it also skips a more interesting question. Who are you when the career story goes quiet? That question sits at the heart of a this conversation Morgan Duta had with Jakob Knutzen. Not as a quote machin...

Every now and then you meet someone who comes from a world so far from your own that you expect the conversation to be polite, distant, and maybe a bit abstract. That's what I thought when Warren Yu joined us for Creative Leaders Unplugged. He carries decades of experience inside one of the most rigid and hierarchical systems imaginable, the U.S. military and government. I come from design, creati...

The Real Work of Building Community Talking with Todd Nilson reminded us how misunderstood community building still is. We often treat it like marketing: launch a platform, create some content, hope people show up. But the way Todd talks about community is much closer to psychology, art, and human behavior than to funnels or metrics. What stood out most is his idea of the "woolly mammoth factor."...

In this episode of  Creative Leaders Unplugged , Morgan Duta and Arne van Oosterom speak with Dara Douglas , who leads the Co-Design Lab at PwC in the UK. Dara describes her work as a kind of corporate therapy, helping senior leaders align, make decisions, and connect beyond their roles. Listening to her, it's clear this comes from somewhere deeper: growing up as one of nine siblings, learning ear...

In this episode, we chat with Creativity Strategist Natalie Nixon about the connections between dance, creativity, and personal growth. She shares transformative insights from her experiences in ballet, modern dance, and open water swimming, emphasizing the importance of embracing vulnerability and imperfection. We discuss her upcoming book, " Move, Think, Rest ," which advocates for a cyclical ap...