'ZEST' equates to zing, enthusiasm, energy, gusto, eagerness, zeal and fervour. It also suggests a tang, a sharpness. It's the opposite of bland. Today's book called ZEST is not just a book on personal development. There are an awful lot of those. Zest is a catalyst, a spark that ignites your remembering of what makes you, in a word, you. It drives you to rethink, rejuvenate and reinvent. It also contains a touch of the revolutions. Have you, as a grown-up, fallen into the trap of becoming a Gro...
Jan 09, 2020•39 min•Season 3Ep. 193
Why are we obsessed with the thing as we want - only to be bored when we get them? Why is addiction perfectly logical to an addict? Why does love change so quickly from passion to indifference? Why are some people, die-hard liberals and others hardcore conservatives? Why are we always hopeful for solutions even in the darkest times—and so good at figuring them out? The answer is found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine . Dopamine ensured the survival of early man. Thousands of years la...
Jan 02, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 192
Today's guest argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of this episode lies an explosive new idea: the habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labour. As our ancestors adapted to using fire, humans emerged as "the cooking apes". Covering everything from foo...
Dec 26, 2019•50 min
The way we work is broken. It takes forever to get anything done. Meetings and emails are incessant. Bureaucracy stifles talent and creativity. Is this really the best we can do? Aaron Dignan teaches companies how to eliminate red tape, tap into collective intelligence, and rethink long-held traditions that no longer make sense. In "Brave New Work", he shows you how to revolutionise the way you, your team, and your company works forever. Have fewer but better meetings Create a culture of honesty...
Dec 19, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 190
This episode offers practical guidance for teams and organisations who are serious about success in the modern economy. With so much riding on innovation, creativity, and spark, it is essential to attract and retain quality talent—but what good does this talent do if no one is able to speak their mind? The traditional culture of "fitting in" and "going along" spells doom in the knowledge economy. Success requires a continuous influx of new ideas, new challenges, and critical thought, and the int...
Dec 12, 2019•43 min•Season 2Ep. 189
Today's episode offers a bit of perspective and a lot of insight for anyone seeking long-term success. Success in business is spelled M-O-R-E: better results, faster growth, more revenue, greater efficiency. Do more. Make more. Achieve more. And do it now. Eventually, ambition turns to stress, then to frenzy, then to emptiness as once-ambitious workers endlessly trudge the hamster wheel chasing the next promotion. While top-level performance is the holy grail of business at all levels, there is ...
Dec 05, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 188
Today's episode offers innovators, entrepreneurs creatives and marketing professionals a non-tech guide to artificial intelligence and machine learning —twin technologies that stand poised to revolutionise the way we exist in business and life. The future is here, and we are in the thick of it; AI and ML are already in our lives every day, whether we know it or not. The technology continues to evolve and grow, but the capabilities that make these tools world-changing for marketers are already he...
Nov 28, 2019•57 min•Season 2Ep. 187
It is rare today for employees to stay with one organisation for the long tenures that were the norm before the Great Recession. In fact, "job hopping" is the new norm, especially for Millennials. So how can you create a culture where will stay or return? This episode shares how to leverage this fact rather than fear it. By engendering a lifetime of loyalty from former employees, leaders can see them return in the form of customers, partners, clients, advocates, contractors, and even returning e...
Nov 21, 2019•46 min•Season 2Ep. 186
"A common trend we see is that experts in a field can become dogmatic and close-minded over time and they simply lose some of the intellectual curiosity that they had at the outset of their careers. And because they fail to question certain assumptions that they've made historically they aren't listening to those new voices." - Michael Roberto Today's episode is an exploration of the creative process and how organisations can clear the way for innovation. In many organisations, creative individu...
Nov 14, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 185
This episode touches on a pioneering account that sets out to understand the structure of the human brain – the place where mind meets matter. Until recently, the left hemisphere of our brain has been seen as the 'rational' side, the superior partner to the right. But is this distinction true? Drawing on a vast body of experimental research, our guest argues that while our left brain makes for a wonderful servant, it is a very poor master. As he shows, it is the right side, which is the more rel...
Nov 07, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 184
"The highest success in any kind of activity - from child rearing and education to business and governance to ecosystems regeneration and spiritual practice - comes from seeing every person as unique and capable of participating in the evolution of systems and programmes " - Carol Sanford " Peer Review is the Foundation for Measuring Employee Performance. But does it help employees realise their full potential? Does feedback improve a company's bottom line? No More Feedback is book one in our gu...
Oct 31, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 183
"Artificial Intelligence: How 50 Successful Companies Used AI and Machine Learning to Solve Problems in Practice" is a fascinating look into how companies use AI and machine learning to solve problems The rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence has expanded beyond research labs and computer science departments and made its way into the mainstream business environment. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are cited as the most important modern business trends to drive success. A...
Oct 24, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 182
Somewhere along the way, we got distracted. As much as we multitask, love our devices and feel like we're in control, deep down we know that something is off. Shortened attention spans, declines in critical thinking, lack of sleep, self-doubt, and decreased creativity are just some effects coming to light in an age of digital distraction. It's time to reclaim our lives. It's time to take control. Lifescale is a journey of self-discovery and growth. It's about getting back into balance and remast...
Oct 17, 2019•28 min•Season 2Ep. 181
If approximately 70 percent of all businesses are family businesses, and two out of three don't survive to the next generation, what can you do to make sure your business will survive and thrive? Today's episode comes clean with much-needed info on nitty-gritty issues, such as entitlement, letting employees (even family members) go when they just aren't working out, compensation, including: Your kids in the business (when to bring them in, help them move up, and prep them to take over), Sharehol...
Oct 10, 2019•47 min•Season 2Ep. 180
Our guest today presents a practical approach to ensure that your employees perform at their highest possible levels. It's not about increasing salaries, offering huge bonuses, or investing in the latest employee engagement tools. The real answer is simpler, deeper, and longer-lasting: getting your people to love where they work. He takes us step by step through the process of building a lasting emotional connection between your staff and your company. His proven strategy is founded on five key ...
Oct 03, 2019•41 min•Season 2Ep. 179
Nearly all scientists who study the biology of aging agree that we will someday be able to substantially slow down the aging process. Today's guest is perhaps the most bullish of all such researchers and believes that the key biomedical technology required to eliminate aging-derived debilitation and death - is now within reach. In his book, he and his research assistant Michael Rae describe the details of this biotechnology. They explain that the aging of the human body, just like the aging of m...
Sep 26, 2019•38 min•Season 2Ep. 178
This episode focuses on the business story of Walt Disney and the company he built. Combining a unique blend of entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, and a relentless drive to bring out the best in his teams, Walt Disney created one of the most successful ventures in business history. Outlining the specific processes of the company, our guest provides us with the tools we need to embrace our own entrepreneurial leadership style, to lead effectively, to be more innovative, and to build a succ...
Sep 19, 2019•57 min•Season 2Ep. 177
Do you want more from work than just a paycheque or a title? Are you ready to manifest a work life rooted in joy, purpose, and contentment? Career expert Kourtney Whitehead will guide you on a self-discovery journey to bridge the gap between your spiritual life and your work and help you bring intention and satisfaction to your professional life. In Working Whole, she shares eight principles that will free you to be inspired and joyful in your life and work callings. She advises that when we com...
Sep 12, 2019•55 min•Season 2Ep. 176
Today's guest offers a unique pathway toward identifying the right career, finding the ideal job and developing a moral compass--the solid value system that will then anchor us in our professional lives. With a creative and engaging mix of coaching practice, management theories, case studies and personal story-telling, this book helps us to identify both our own compass—which relates to integrity, passion and internal value systems—and radar—which helps us to understand organisational complexity...
Sep 05, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 175
Today's guest has sparked an international debate by revealing the "mind hacks" Facebook, Apple, Google, and Instagram use to get you and your children hooked on their products. In Offline, he delivers an eye-opening research-based journey into the world of tech giants, smartphones, social engineering, and subconscious manipulation. This provocative work shows you how digital devices change individuals and communities for better and worse. A must-read if you or your kids use smartphones or table...
Aug 29, 2019•46 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Do you have an idea for a business but don't know where to start? Thanks to high-speed Do you have an idea for a business but don't know where to start? Thanks to high-speed Internet, game-changing technology, and innovative new platforms, you can go from idea to marketplace on a shoestring budget―and join the growing movement of successful Makers who've built their businesses from the ground up. Whether you're a self-starting newcomer to the world of e-commerce, a member of the Maker Movement, ...
Aug 22, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 173
In Rebel Talent , today's guest shows us why the happiest and most successful among us are those who break the rules and how we can all do it more. The world's best chef. The pilot who landed his plane on a river. The magician who made history. The computer scientist who changed animated films forever. What do they all have in common? They are all rebels. Our guest has been studying rebellion and conformity for more than fifteen years. She has discovered that when we mindlessly follow rules and ...
Aug 15, 2019•55 min•Ep. 172
"Every single child has an inner spark–a combination of a unique temperament and various experiences–and we want to fan that flame to help kids become happy, healthy, and internally driven to be the 'best them' they can become." - Dr Tina Payne Bryson and Dr Daniel Siegel The Yes Brain Child Children can often act out or shut down when faced with a setback or a tricky issue like homework, food or screen time. Our guest calls the 'No Brain' response. But you can help develop the ability to cope, ...
Aug 08, 2019•58 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Today's guest is previously best known for his position as the head coach of the English national rugby union team from 2011 until 2015, In 2016, he joined the backroom team of the Ireland provincial side, Leinster Rugby and has been instrumental in their success. I have asked our guest on to the show to discuss leadership lessons from sport, focus on a business context. In this episode we will talk about: creating a purpose, a why, a vision, values and behaviours and people-led leadership to ac...
Jul 31, 2019•39 min•Ep. 170
We create human-centred interactions and experiences in our field. Empathetic purpose drives our every decision. Mobile First? In reality, it's humans first. This same mentality turned inward, forms the cornerstone of something amazing: a creative culture. Designers and front-enders have a unique advantage in solving the cultural problems in business that are sucking the life out of us. Several, in fact. The principles discussed in this book derive from the perspectives and skillsets we already ...
Jul 24, 2019•40 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Do you feel restricted by your career, by your workplace identity? Do you feel you are not doing what you would really like to do? Are you good at many things, but feel you cannot do them for fear of appearing odd or going against the grain? You may just be a polymath and that is a major gift! Every human is born with multifarious potential. Why, then, do parents, schools and employers insist that we restrict our many talents and interests; that we 'specialise' in just one? We've been sold a myt...
Jul 18, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 168
From 1990 to 1995 our guest conducted DEA-approved clinical research at the University of New Mexico in which he injected sixty volunteers with DMT, one of the most powerful psychedelics known. His detailed account of those sessions is an extraordinarily riveting inquiry into the nature of the human mind and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. DMT, a plant-derived chemical that is also manufactured by the human brain, consistently produced near-death and mystical experiences. Many volunte...
Jul 12, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 167
"The new normal is perpetual change" - Scott D. Anthony Innovation may be the hottest discipline around today - in business circles and beyond. And for good reason. Innovation transforms companies and markets. It's the key to solving vexing social problems. And it makes or breaks professional careers. For all the enthusiasm the topic inspires, however, the practice of innovation remains stubbornly impenetrable. In The Little Black Book of Innovation , long-time innovation expert Scott D. Anthony...
Jul 05, 2019•47 min•Season 1Ep. 166
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear."—Mark Twain For the past few years todays guest has been talking to people about what scares them and helping them to work through their fears. His book brings together what he has found. Maybe it is about time that we looked at fear differently and asked why it is still such a problem for us. Hacking fear involves looking at fear from another angle. Rather than being afraid of our fears, our guest shows us a way of befriending...
Jun 28, 2019•36 min•Season 1Ep. 165
The world created in Last Tango is based very closely on our world about five years from now, and all technology in the book either exists in labs or is rumoured to exist. With its electrifying sentences, subtle humour, and an intriguing main character, readers are sure to find something that resonates with them in this groundbreaking cyberpunk science fiction thriller. We welcome award-winning journalist, executive director of the flow research collective, world-leading expert on high performan...
Jun 21, 2019•34 min•Season 1Ep. 164
