The Curious Advantage Podcast

What really drives the way we eat? In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, and Garrick Jones are joined by Dr. Giles Yeo —geneticist, author, and professor at the University of Cambridge to explore the science behind appetite, genetics, and weight loss. Dr. Giles Yeo explains how our eating behaviours are more biological than we think, shaped by the brain’s r...

"AI needs humans as much as we need AI" - Alexia Cambon In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown, Paul Ashcroft, and Garrick Jones are joined by Alexia Cambon, Senior Director of Research at Microsoft , to explore how AI is reshaping the workplace and what it means to be a Frontier Firm . The discussion dives into key trends from Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, including the eme...

In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft speak with Ari Popper, Founder & CEO of SciFutures, to explore the intersection of science fiction, innovation, and leadership. Ari shares his journey from experiencing a midlife crisis to founding SciFutures, where he helps organizations envision and prepare for the future through storytelling and strategic foresi...

In this episode of the Curious Advantage podcast, Alison Coward discusses the concept of workshop culture and its significance in fostering collaboration and creativity within teams. She shares her journey from the creative industries to becoming a facilitator and author, emphasizing the importance of intentional collaboration and the role of curiosity in team dynamics. The conversation explores p...

What if your brain isn’t just reacting to the world, but actually helping to create it? In this episode, Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones are joined by world-renowned cognitive philosopher Andy Clark to explore the fascinating ideas behind his latest book, The Experience Machine . Together, they dive into how the brain acts less like a camera and more like a prediction engine, constantly guessing w...

In this episode of the Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones talk with Charles H. Green, a renowned expert on trust. They explore the concept of trust, its importance in personal and professional relationships, and how it can be cultivated. Charles shares insights on the trust equation, which includes credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation. The conversation als...

In this episode Simon Brown, Paul Ashcroft, and Garrick Jones are joined by futurist Bob Johansen, who brings nearly five decades of experience in forecasting what’s next. Together, they dive into the power of curiosity and "future-back" thinking in navigating today’s uncertain world. From VUCA to BANI, Bob unpacks the frameworks shaping how we understand complexity—and why generative AI is a game...

In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with renowned author and speaker Margaret Heffernan about curiosity, leadership, and organizational culture. She shares insights from her diverse career, exploring the impact of questioning conventional wisdom, the dangers of wilful blindness , and the role of playwriting in research. Heffernan discusses how curi...

In this episode, Indy Johar, co-founder of Dark Matter Labs, discusses the democratization of city-making and the need to address the structural dark matter questions that impact our society. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the root causes of global challenges such as climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. Indy also explores the need for a different set of language and constructs w...

In this episode Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with Alexia Cambon, Senior Director of Research at Microsoft, to explore the evolving landscape of work influenced by AI.  Alexia shares her journey from law to corporate research, highlighting her pivotal role in the Work Trends Index and the insights gained about AI's integration into the workplace. The conversation delves into t...

Join Simon Brown and Garrick Jones for a one-hour deep dive about the future of work and environments with architects and design innovators Key Portilla-Kawamura and Ali Ganjavian of Studio Banana Design. In this episode, they explore the impact of physical spaces on collaboration, community building, and serendipity. Discover the importance of intentional design, the role of play in fostering cre...

In this episode, we dive deep into the role of curiosity in driving organizational change and innovation with Chris Smart, Chief Learning Officer at MetLife. Chris shares his career journey and how curiosity has shaped his leadership and decision-making. He discusses how MetLife fosters a culture of curiosity through initiatives like the experimentation fund, campaigns, and hackathons, all designe...

In this episode, Garrick Jones sits down with Sir Michael Craig-Martin , a monumental figure in contemporary British art, whose career spans over six decades. From his iconic transformations of everyday objects to his pioneering role as an educator, Craig-Martin shares fascinating insights into his creative journey and artistic philosophy. Explore his upcoming major retrospective at the Royal Acad...

In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , we speak with Dr. Diane Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Tonerra, and author of the new book Curiosity Unleashed: Achieving Business Excellence by Challenging the Status Quo . Dr. Hamilton shares her insights on how curiosity has shaped her journey and why it's a crucial driver for business success. Discover the strategies used by companies like Googl...

STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES. In this episode, Garrick sits down with John Harris Dunning, the brilliant mind behind graphic novels like "Salem Brownstone," "Tumult," and the newly released "Summer Shadows" from Dark Horse Comics. John shares his journey from aspiring writer to acclaimed graphic novelist, offering a glimpse into the creative process that brought his vivid stories to life. We d...

Join us as we explore the art of questioning with Warren Berger, a questionologist, author, and speaker. Warren shares his career journey and insights from his twelve books, including "A More Beautiful Question." He discusses how to foster a culture of enquiry within organizations, the five enemies of effective questioning, and how to overcome them. Discover the importance of nurturing a questioni...

Unlock the secrets of improvisation and transform your communication, creativity, and confidence! Join us as we chat with Lisa Rowland and Dan Milton-Klein, two improv experts from Stanford University. Lisa shares her journey from scripted theater to global improv performer and workshop designer. Dan reveals insights from over 20 years of teaching improv at Stanford and working with top global cli...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with David Carney, a business transformation leader with over 30 years of experience advising Fortune 500 executives.  David shares his journey, including the challenges of being part of the LGBTQIA+ community in the US Navy when it was illegal to be openly gay. Discover how curiosity has driven his success and fueled diversity and inclusion within large organ...

Join hosts Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, and Garrick Jones as they dive into the world of artificial intelligence with Jaeden Schafer, the visionary behind the top AI podcasts, "AI Chat," "AI Applied," and "AI Hustle," collectively boasting over 2 million annual listens. In this episode, discover the origins of Jaeden's passion for AI and the journey that led him to become a trailblazer in the field...

In this insightful podcast episode, we're joined by Abhijit Bhaduri, a seasoned talent management advisor and former General Manager Global L&D manager for Microsoft. With a remarkable career trajectory marked by accolades such as being named the No. 1 HR Influencer by the Society for Human Resource Management and authoring bestselling books like "Career 3.0: Six Skills You Must Have to Succee...

In this podcast episode, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak to Lisa Danels, author of "The Human Edge Advantage" and Executive Director of Human Edge in an insightful episode where we explore leadership mastery.  Lisa discusses integrating head, heart, and gut in leadership, emphasizing curiosity, self-awareness, and personal power. Discover key ways to navigating burnout, cultivat...

In this podcast episode, we delve into the captivating world of Noga Arikha, a philosopher, historian of ideas, and science humanist. She takes us on a journey from her childhood in Paris to her experiences working with neuropsychiatric patients and her current endeavor—writing a biography of anthropologist Franz Boas for the Yale University Press, set to be released in 2025. Arikha holds the posi...

In this podcast episode, Amy Edmondson, the top-ranked Thinkers50 management thinker and Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School, takes us on a journey through the dynamic intersection of curiosity, leadership and the digital era.  Renowned for her seven books and over 60 scholarly papers, Edmondson discusses the crucial link between curiosity and psychological safety in the workplace. She s...

Join the hosts of The Curious Advantage as they dive into the world of innovation and growth with the incredible Rita McGrath . Rita, a seasoned author, speaker, and Professor at Columbia Business School, shares her journey from CEO to academia, unveiling insights from her latest book, Seeing Around Corners . In this episode, Rita unpacks the concept of inflection points, discussing the eight prac...

Some of us maybe living in a version of the future now. Doug Belshaw and Laura Hilliger from “We are Open”, a cooperative structure that supports multi-dimensional non-corporate organisations, know what it takes to make a very different way of working work. We caught up with them to explore there ways of doing things, it spans the globe and is based on models that are fast becoming popular. We are...