Bloc Thinking - podcast cover

Bloc Thinking

Werner Puchert, Jonathan Gallwww.creativecoffebreak.live
Let's explore ideas and concepts that make designers and entrepreneurs like us tick. Join us as we feed our insatiable curiosity seeking answers to the questions relevant to our listeners from inside and outside Central Europe.
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Episodes

Don't just say it - Facilitate it ft. Meg Bolger

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 of the cards as a distilled guide for facilitators of all levels, organised by colour-coded categorie...

Apr 18, 20251 hr 21 min

Playful things to think with ft. Stephen P. Anderson

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 tools (like cards, of course!), dove into rich approaches to creative thinking and collaboration techniques, and—...

Mar 29, 20251 hr 10 min

'Dealing' Innovation ft. Nick Kellet founder of Deckible

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!

Jan 24, 20251 hr 28 min

Behind the Deck — Shatter convention with wild perspectives

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

Jun 21, 20241 hr 4 min

Breaking through - Making the transition from Designer to CEO - German Leon

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. With roots in interaction and user experience design, German has embraced his new role as a business leader....

Mar 15, 202249 min

Let your next opportunity find you, Forever employable - Jeff Gothelf

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. In his new book, Forever Employable, he demonstrates how to create your content, use it to develop your expertise, an...

Mar 01, 202258 min

Building bridges between ideas and action - Bill Sherman

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 innovative business ideas often suffocating beneath layers of ambiguity. Explore how you can build a bridge betwee...

Feb 15, 202250 min

Reignite your Curiosity: There is always something new to learn - Anthony Rocco

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 me, Werner Puchert, on LinkedIn and Twitter . Catch my design tool reviews on YouTube and keep up with my latest ...

Feb 01, 202253 min

Find your voice: How to Tell a Story that Builds Trust and Converts Customers - Fei Wu

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 ET to hear her story and ask questions about how you can find your story and share it in a way that connects with you...

Jan 18, 202253 min

Reverse Mentorship, The New Way to Get Ahead - Joshua Nuttall

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 team members to stay relevant? Come drink at the fountain of youthful insights with my guest, social ...

Jan 11, 202252 min

Research Rocket-fuel for Your Business - Kasia Gawlik

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 even a small investment, and if you make it wisely it can lead to some really great results. You can find me, Werner Puch...

Dec 28, 202152 min

Can a business be disruption proof? - Dennis Geelen

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 better understanding of how you can apply the Zero In Formula in your own business and create an experience ...

Dec 14, 202140 min

How to Find Fulfilling Work - Tammy Gooler Loeb

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 some guidance! Executive and Career Coach Tammy Gooler Loeb is on a quest to inspire you to engage in fulfi...

Nov 30, 20211 hr 31 min

Design your event: How to make your meetings matter - Anthony Vade

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. Design your event: How to make your meetings matter ft. Antony Vade. #eventdesign #experiencedesign #eventprofs #virtualev...

Nov 16, 20211 hr 14 min

An innovation coaching session, over coffee - Jens Heitland

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. Important Links from the session, https://www.onemillioninnovateurs.com https://www.heitlandinnovation.com https://...

Nov 02, 202159 min

Burn the Sticky Notes! Ft. Tamara and Shawna Eberle

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, Werner Puchert, on LinkedIn and Twitter . Catch my design tool reviews on YouTube and keep up with my latest live st...

Oct 19, 20211 hr 7 min

Remove associations with certain "objects" to consider other possibilities - Jeff Parks

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 #designleadership #innovation You can find me, Werner Puchert, on LinkedIn and Twitter . Catch my design tool reviews on YouTube and keep ...

Oct 05, 202152 min

Innovation Breakfast No. 02 - Leading cultural transitions

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://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-nu... Werner Puchert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wernerpuc... Jump into my per...

Apr 06, 20211 hr 13 min

Innovation Breakfast No. 01 - Entrepreneurial Culture

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.linkedin.com/in/joshua-nu... ​ Werner Puchert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wernerpuc... ​...

Mar 22, 20211 hr 7 min

The Good Place

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://www.section4.com Peter Thiel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18050143-zero-to-one Educated: ht...

Mar 01, 202156 min

A candid discussion about the color of our skin

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.

Jul 06, 20201 hr 3 min

How not to run a podcast, but keep things going

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.

Jun 03, 202025 min

How to (re)design your life

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 considerable amount of time balancing our focus between them all. And unfortunately, we end up disappoint...

Apr 27, 202030 min

How to read without forgetting key concepts

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 Internet has predisposed to fast-food reading, making long-form more difficult to digest or even inges...

Apr 14, 202021 min

How are you doing?

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 after a few were both were amending their own lives and businesses. This is what this episode is abo...

Mar 30, 202029 min

How to write a winning proposal without anxiety and stress?

As an independent, either solo-entrepreneur, freelance or consultant, you constantly have to negotiate and prove your value to your (potential) clients. It is a painful exercise that very few are prepared to face at the start of their adventure. Unfortunately, this quickly can become the main culprit for the anxiety and stress that characterize too often the solo experience.

Mar 16, 202033 min

How to cope with remote work without losing your mind?

This week, we all discovered that the simple detail that was missing for companies around the world to suddenly discover the wonderful advantages of remote working was... a global pandemic. Now, millions of workers are supposed to become immediately productive in an environment that they, often, never associated with work.

Mar 14, 202033 min

How to turn distraction into action?

Every single January, most of us go through the same ritual: full of hope, we set up ambitious goals for ourselves for the new year. Then comes the installation of new productivity apps encouraged by pervasive App stores, persuading us that this is the solution. We all know what happens too often next. A few months later, we wither in disappointment and self-doubt.

Mar 02, 202031 min

How to avoid a painful start to your solo-entrepreneurship adventure?

Ah, the freedom of freelancing, of being your own boss! The concept of running your own business is enthralling, however, very few take the steps towards self-employment. And of those, a good amount drops out of the adventure after just a few months. Are you wondering if you had what it takes to become a successful solo-entrepreneur? Then, this episode is for you. Werner and Jonathan discuss the lessons they learned during their entrepreneurship journey, reflecting on both their successes and fa...

Feb 17, 202028 min

How to create a winning podcast?

And we’re back! 2020, new year and new iteration for our beloved show Bloc Thinking. Starting today, during each episode, we will focus on a question that you asked us, during more focused shows that will last less than 30 minutes. Short, focused, efficient but with the same energy that characterised our duo.

Feb 03, 202029 min
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