Vas Narasimhan , the Novartis CEO and Steven Baert , Novartis’ Ex-Chief People and Organization Officer join the authors of The Curious Advantage Simon Brown , Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones , to discuss the importance of Curiosity in Business. They talk about how Novartis has worked to ‘unleash the power of their people’ and change the culture driven by an ‘Inspired’, ‘Curious’ and ‘Unbossed’ people strategy. Why is curiosity becoming more important in the digital age? Why is it important to h...
May 08, 2026•34 min
Join Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft as they explore Tara May's inspiring journey from journalism to leading Aspirtech, a company championing neurodiversity and harnessing the unique strengths of autistic adults. Discover how curiosity drives innovation, leadership, and social impact in the digital age. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Neurodiversity and Leadership 02:59 Tara's Journey: From Journalism to CEO 06:06 Understanding Aspirotech's Mission and Model 08:48 Defining Autism and Neurodiversity...
Apr 22, 2026•40 min•Ep. 98
Unlock the secret to building an authentic, high-quality brand in a saturated market. In this episode, we’re joined by Finn Hall, CEO of Headstrong and former Team GB cyclist, who is redefining the functional mushrooms space through an uncompromising focus on quality, design and curiosity. Finn shares his journey from elite sport to young entrepreneurship, revealing how a personal discovery sparked a mission to challenge industry standards and build a brand people can genuinely trust. He opens u...
Apr 01, 2026•37 min•Ep. 97
In this episode, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with leadership expert Shawn Vanderhoven about how curiosity, and the often overlooked power of pausing, can transform leadership, decision-making, and team performance. In a world that rewards speed and constant action, Shawn challenges the assumption that great leaders need to move faster. Instead, he explores how creating space, through better questions, clearer priorities, and intentional pauses, can unlock stronger thinking and more meani...
Mar 18, 2026•44 min•Ep. 96
In this episode of The Curious Advantage , former Navy SEAL officer and human performance expert Rich Diviney joins Simon Brown and Garrick Jones to explore what truly drives leadership, performance under pressure, and the neuroscience behind stress and fear. Drawing on two decades in the SEAL Teams, Rich breaks down why attributes and not skills determine success in high-pressure, high-uncertainty environments. Rich explains how elite performers build situational awareness, adaptability, and ne...
Feb 25, 2026•43 min•Ep. 95
Today we are joined by Salvatore Manzi , a communication and leadership coach who helps data-driven leaders turn expertise into influence. For over 20 years, Salvatore has guided executives and founders through high-stakes moments, from boardrooms and investor meetings to global stages such as SXSW and the United Nations, and even a U.S. presidential campaign. His work focuses on one critical shift. Moving from information delivery to human connection. In this episode, he explores why empathy is...
Feb 11, 2026•39 min•Ep. 94
In this episode of The Curious Advantage , Art Kleiner — author of The AI Dilemma — joins Simon Brown & Garrick Jones for a conversation about what it really means to build Responsible AI. Together, they explore the tensions at the heart of today’s AI landscape: rapid innovation vs accountability, efficiency vs empathy, and the risks of bias, misinformation and unintended consequences. Drawing on the “five fundamental principles” from The AI Dilemma , Art explains why responsible technology ...
Jan 28, 2026•59 min•Ep. 93
FBF -- Flashback Friday In this throwback episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Simon Brown, Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones speak with Alexia Cambon, Senior Director of Research at Microsoft, about how AI is transforming work and what sets today’s Frontier Firms apart. They explore insights from Microsoft’s Work Trend Index—including Agent Bosses, digital labour, and Intelligence on Tap—and discuss how curiosity, leadership, and HR are evolving in an AI-powered world. 🎧 Listen & explo...
Jan 23, 2026•49 min
FBF -- Flashback Friday In this episode, global HR and HR technology analyst Josh Bersin, Founder & CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, joins the authors of The Curious Advantage — Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones — to explore curiosity in the flow of work. They discuss the role of curiosity in learning and people development, how curiosity supports adaptability in a digital-first world, and why curious leaders are critical during periods of disruption. This episode was originally pu...
Jan 16, 2026•33 min
FBF — Flashback Friday In this episode, Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School, explores curiosity, leadership, and psychological safety in the digital age. Drawing on The Right Kind of Wrong (named the Financial Times’ #1 Business Book), she shares practical insights on productive failure, learning, and building high-performing teams. This episode was originally published January 2024. Want to go deeper? Discover Amy Edmondson’s work in Right Kind of Wrong or 3 book collec...
Jan 09, 2026•42 min
In this episode of the Curious Advantage podcast, hosts Simon Brown and Garrick Jones talk with Christian Kressman , an actor, systemic coach, and PhD holder in creativity. The conversation explores how curiosity fuels creativity and problem-solving, the importance of asking the right questions, and the role of diversity in fostering innovative solutions. Christian shares his personal journey, including a life-changing misdiagnosis that led him to embrace creativity in overcoming challenges. The...
Dec 17, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 92
In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft speak with Radhika Dutt , author of Radical Product Thinking , about how traditional goals can limit curiosity and drive organisations into the performance trap. Radhika introduces OHLs — Objectives, Hypotheses, and Learnings — a practical alternative that fuels creativity, psychological safety, and better problem-solving. Through real-world examples, she shows how curiosity can transform teams, leadership, and prod...
Nov 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 91
In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, hosts Garrick Jones and Simon Brown sit down with Jonathan Besser, co-author of 50 Ideas That Changed the World of Work , to explore how curiosity, leadership, and emotional intelligence shape the future of learning and innovation. From classic frameworks like SWOT and the Eisenhower Matrix to the impact of Black Swans and White Rhinos, the conversation examines how leaders can navigate uncertainty with a growth mindset and foster psychological s...
Nov 11, 2025•48 min•Ep. 90
Reimagining Education with Ted Dintersmith In this episode of The Curious Advantage , Ted Dintersmith joins Garrick Jones, Paul Ashcroft, and Simon Brown to explore why education — especially how we teach math — must evolve. Ted calls for creativity, curiosity, and real-world relevance in learning, arguing that schools should teach skills that truly matter in today’s AI-driven world. Discover how curiosity can reconnect students to meaning, innovation, and the joy of learning. Learn more: https:...
Oct 29, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with Shannon Minifie , CEO of Box of Crayons , about overcoming fear, taming the “advice monster,” and building trust, psychological safety, and connection at work. Discover why curiosity is a power skill for leaders and how it shapes the future of learning and AI. Learn More Read the full white paper: Navigating a Fractured Workplace: https://46434064.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/46434064/Navigating_a_Fractured_Workplace_Box_of_Crayons.pdf A short qui...
Oct 15, 2025•47 min•Ep. 88
In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, Garrick Jones is joined by Stefaan van Hooydonk , founder of the Global Curiosity Institute . Together, they explore how curiosity fuels personal growth, leadership, and organizational success. From permission, awareness, and intentionality in building a culture of curiosity, to surprising data insights, the role of language, and the impact of environment — this conversation unpacks the forces that spark or stifle curiosity. They also discuss the...
Oct 01, 2025•39 min•Ep. 87
In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Simon Brown, Garrick Jones, and Paul Ashcroft are joined by Scott Blanchard, CEO and co-owner of Blanchard. Drawing on more than 30 years of leadership experience, Scott shares why the success or failure of any business can be traced directly to its leaders — and why leadership is a sacred responsibility . From his early curiosity (and fear) about technology to leading through the pandemic shift to virtual learning, Scott reflects on how curiosi...
Sep 17, 2025•43 min•Ep. 86
In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, and Garrick Jones speak with Kentaro Toyama , W.K. Kellogg Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information and author of Geek Heresy . Together they explore the limits of technology in driving social change, why AI and digital tools often amplify human intent, and the urgent need for ethics and regulation. From AI in education to inequality, the future of work, and questions of consciousness, this is a t...
Sep 03, 2025•46 min•Ep. 85
In this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, hosts Garrick Jones and Paul Ashcroft sit down with organizational psychologist Vyla Rollins to explore how leadership is evolving in today’s digital age. Together they discuss why the psychological contract between employers and employees is central to engagement and how leadership is shifting from a title to a set of behaviors. Vyla highlights the practices modern leaders need most - resilience, reflection, curiosity, and context and explains h...
Aug 20, 2025•41 min•Ep. 84
In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , futurist Jamais Cascio introduces the BANI framework —Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible—as a powerful alternative to the outdated VUCA model . Joined by hosts Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft , the conversation explores how leaders, organizations, and individuals can thrive in today’s chaotic world. They dive into the shift from VUCA to BANI, the growing impact of anxiety and information overload, and how to lead through non-linear...
Aug 06, 2025•41 min•Ep. 83
"L&D is dead - Long Live Learning" In this episode of The Curious Advantage Podcast , Simon Brown and Paul Ashcroft speak with Dr. Serena Gonsalves-Fersch , Global Head of Talent at SoftwareOne , to explore the intersection of curiosity, learning, leadership, and the future of work. Together, they unpack: The evolution of Learning & Development (L&D) The role of AI in shaping modern learning strategies The importance of women in leadership How talent management and organizational cha...
Jul 23, 2025•46 min•Ep. 82
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 role in decision-making and our unique genetic makeup. He unpacks the truth behind obesity and reveal...
Jul 09, 2025•49 min•Ep. 81
"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 emergence of Agent Bosses , digital labor , and the idea of Intelligence on Tap, where AI enables insta...
Jul 02, 2025•49 min•Ep. 80
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 foresight. The conversation delves into the role of narrative in shaping our understanding of emerging tec...
Jun 11, 2025•41 min•Ep. 79
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 practical steps for improving meetings, leading through uncertainty, and the impact of AI on workshop...
May 28, 2025•36 min•Ep. 78
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 what’s coming next and shaping the way we experience reality. From the link between curiosity and mis...
Apr 30, 2025•47 min•Ep. 77
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 also delves into the implications of trust in sales, the impact of AI on trust, and the importance of p...
Apr 15, 2025•35 min•Ep. 76
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-changer for leadership. Discover the essential skills leaders need for the future, including augmen...
Apr 03, 2025•43 min•Ep. 75
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 curiosity and helpfulness drive productivity and collaboration, warning against excessive competition an...
Mar 24, 2025•48 min•Ep. 74
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 within business to address these challenges and transform our foundational economy. The conversation ...
Nov 13, 2024•48 min•Season 6Ep. 73
