The Story of Ari Elefterin - Embracing Your Unique Perspective -
Release Date: 11/18/2024
EDITORIAL - The Edge of Chaos -
Creative Leaders Unplugged
Welcome to this week’s Editorial. I’m thrilled you’re joining me today. I want to dive into a topic that’s central to how we innovate, lead, and navigate our constantly changing world. And the metaphor I love using for this is the image of a tightrope walker. So, picture yourself on a tightrope, arms stretched out, wobbling just enough to keep your balance. It’s a little scary, but it’s also exhilarating, right? Because you’re not frozen in place—you’re in motion, you’re making micro-adjustments, constantly shifting between the pull of order on one side and the lure of...
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The Story of Samuel West - Museum of Failure and conceptual dyslexia
Creative Leaders Unplugged
In this episode, we explore the concept of "conceptual dyslexia" with Samuel West, the founder of the Museum of Failure. We discuss how this term illuminates the cognitive processes of creative thinkers who connect diverse concepts, enhancing our understanding of the world. Samuel shares insights on navigating creativity amidst uncertainty, emphasizing the delicate balance between comfort and critical thinking. Our conversation delves into the influence of context on identity and behavior, revealing how we adapt in different environments. One standout moment is Samuel's introduction of...
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The Story of Jim Kalbach - Improvisation, Music and the Future of Organizations
Creative Leaders Unplugged
is the Chief Evangelist at 00:00:08 Intro / Chatting / Holiday Reflections 00:02:40 Introducing Jim Kalbach 00:04:20 The Influence of Jazz 00:04:25 Comfort with Uncertainty 00:07:26 The Role of Language 00:09:48 The Nature of Truth 00:10:20 The Importance of Art 00:13:42 Jim's Journey to Mural 00:14:43 Defining Creativity 00:18:28 Music as a Creative Process 00:21:13 Embracing Nonlinearity 00:22:50 The Future of Organizations 00:26:54 Managing Uncertainty in Business 00:33:11 Neurodiversity in the Workplace 00:36:31 The Shift Towards Imagination 00:42:04 The Impact of AI 00:50:38...
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The Story of Duncan Wardle - Disney, Playfulness and not being afraid of Failure
Creative Leaders Unplugged
With Duncan Wardle, the former head of innovation and creativity at Disney, we delve into the essence of creative leadership. Duncan shares insights on unlocking creativity in everyone, emphasizing the importance of playfulness and personal narratives. We explore interactive exercises that highlight the relationship between lived experiences and creativity, while discussing his newly published book that offers practical tools for nurturing creative potential. Duncan challenges traditional education paradigms and advocates for a mindset that embraces empathy, curiosity, and intuition. This...
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The Story of Anderson Gomes Da Silva - Bold Leadership, Automation and Games
Creative Leaders Unplugged
The Flower Analogy: Lessons in Leadership and Design from Anderson Gomes da Silva In the recent episode of Creative Leaders Unplugged, Anderson Gomes da Silva, Head of Product Design at Bol.com, shared his thoughts on leadership, design, and innovation. Among the many insights he offered, one stood out as a profound metaphor for organizations and systems: the “Flower Analogy.” Anderson described how managers often strive to organize their teams or systems into neat, labeled categories. He likened this to taking a flower and meticulously separating its petals, stems, and leaves into...
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The Story of Ewelina Polińska Nadra - Curiosity, Leadership and work life balance
Creative Leaders Unplugged
Curiosity and Authenticity: Foundations of Modern Leadership leaders are increasingly challenged to balance innovation with empathy. Ewelina Polińska Nadra, an innovation manager and mother, exemplifies how curiosity and authenticity can serve as the cornerstones of effective leadership. Her journey offers valuable insights into integrating personal values with professional practices. Curiosity: The Catalyst for Growth Ewelina’s life is a testament to the transformative power of curiosity. From exploring the depths of marketing to spontaneously diving into triathlons, her inquisitive nature...
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The Story of Ari Elefterin - Embracing Your Unique Perspective -
Creative Leaders Unplugged
Serious Attention to Touch When screens often mediate our interactions, the profound significance of touch in our lives can easily be overlooked. Ari Elefterin, a transdisciplinary designer and somatic researcher, is passionately exploring this very terrain. Through their project “,” Ari delves into our intrinsic need for tactile connection, aiming to reintegrate touch into our daily experiences. “Touch Starved” isn’t just a project; it’s a movement. It encompasses workshops like “Being in Touch” and introduces innovative tools such as the “SAT: Serious Attention to...
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The Story of Rachel Davis - Brave Space and 'weirdness' as a superpower
Creative Leaders Unplugged
Creating a Brave Space for Creative Minds In the latest episode of the Creative Leaders Unplugged Podcast, we explored an inspiring concept for fostering creativity: the “brave space.” Unlike a “safe space,” which aims to protect participants, a brave space encourages individuals to bring forward their unique perspectives and unconventional ideas. This kind of environment is critical, especially for highly creative people, who often find themselves navigating a world that doesn’t fully accommodate their varied interests or unique ways of thinking. Creativity often comes with a...
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The story of Alan Moore - Beauty is the ultimate metric
Creative Leaders Unplugged
Join hosts Morgan and Arne in this episode of *Creative Leaders Unplugged* as Alan Moore explores beauty as a transformative force. He emphasizes personal responsibility and regenerative practices, inspiring listeners to enhance beauty in their lives. A quick yet impactful conversation on redefining creativity awaits!
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The Story of Karen Hold - Skills, Behaviors, Design and an Amazing Grandfather
Creative Leaders Unplugged
In this episode of Creative Leaders Unplugged, we converse with Karen Hold about her unique journey connecting design and business. We explore how her husband’s grandfather influenced her perspective on innovation through empathy-driven problem-solving during World War II. Karen discusses the barriers to learning within organizations and the importance of embracing uncertainty and experimentation. She introduces a framework of behaviors that foster vital innovation skills, encouraging teams to navigate challenges confidently. Finally, we draw parallels between personal growth in hiking and...
info_outlineSerious Attention to Touch
When screens often mediate our interactions, the profound significance of touch in our lives can easily be overlooked. Ari Elefterin, a transdisciplinary designer and somatic researcher, is passionately exploring this very terrain. Through their project “Touch Starved,” Ari delves into our intrinsic need for tactile connection, aiming to reintegrate touch into our daily experiences.
“Touch Starved” isn’t just a project; it’s a movement. It encompasses workshops like “Being in Touch” and introduces innovative tools such as the “SAT: Serious Attention to Touch” seating device. These initiatives offer designers and technologists a framework to recognize and address their physiological needs, encouraging them to become “body innovators.”
At the heart of Ari’s work lies the concept of embodied cognition—the idea that our thoughts and behaviors are deeply influenced by our physical experiences and interactions with the environment. This perspective challenges the traditional separation of mind and body, suggesting that our cognition is not just housed in our brains but is a dynamic interplay between our bodies and surroundings.
Ari’s approach resonates with themes from Annie Murphy Paul’s “The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain,” which explores how tools, environments, and social interactions extend our cognitive processes beyond the confines of our brains. By emphasizing touch and bodily engagement, “Touch Starved” exemplifies how design can harness embodied cognition to create more holistic and human-centered experiences.
Incorporating touch into design practices addresses the sensory deprivation prevalent in modern workplaces and promotes well-being and creativity. By acknowledging and integrating our innate human needs, initiatives like “Touch Starved” pave the way for environments that are more responsive to the full spectrum of human experience.
Ari’s work serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of touch in our lives. By reconnecting with this fundamental sense, we can foster deeper connections with ourselves and others, leading to more meaningful and fulfilling experiences.