Episodi

  • How can AI transform the way we work and innovate? In this special episode of The Paint and Pipette Podcast, we team up with Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business and host of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. We dive into the world of generative AI in the sports industry, focusing on the groundbreaking work being done by the Portland Trail Blazers. Joining us are David Long, VP of Digital Innovation for The Portland Trail Blazers @ the Rose Quarter, and Christa Stout, their Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. Together, we explore how AI is driving improvements across three key areas: revenue generation, customer experience, and operational efficiency. Christa and David share how they’ve empowered employees to experiment with AI, encouraging creativity and innovation across their organization. From automating routine tasks like customer feedback analysis to using AI for creative problem-solving, the Trail Blazers have created a supportive environment where AI is seen as a co-worker rather than a replacement. We also examine the importance of active leadership in normalizing AI adoption, ethical considerations, and best practices for helping teams embrace this technology. Whether you’re curious about AI’s potential in sports or looking for ways to introduce AI in your own business, this episode offers practical insights and real-world examples!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Introducing Christa Stout and David Long from the Portland Trail Blazers.Details on Jeremy’s new podcast, Beyond the Prompt.An overview of the NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers.Christa and David’s roles within the organization.Three key areas where they are using AI to improve: revenue generation, customer experience, and operational efficiency.Jeremy’s collaboration with Christa and David.How they created a space for employees to experiment and share how they use AI.The benefits of framing AI as a co-worker for your team internally.How AI can empower workers: the impressive demo that one employee built using AI.Key takeaways for helping workers learn to use generative AI more effectively.Effective strategies for encouraging people who are skeptical about generative AI.Their approach to ethics, rules, standards, and instituting guardrails.Creative uses of AI from production to broadcasting to support the Portland Trail Blazers.How to vote for Think Fast, Talk Smart to win the Signal Award.Best practices and advice for anyone wanting to innovate with AI.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Matt Abrahams on LinkedIn
    Christa Stout on LinkedIn
    David Long on LinkedIn
    Portland Trailblazers
    Rose Quarter

    Think Fast Talk Smart

    Episode 134: Leveraging AI to unlock new levels of creativity and communication innovation

    LinkedIn Live: Think Fast Talk Smart Explores GenAI @ Portland Trail Blazers

    Cast your vote for the Signal Awards

    Beyond the Prompt

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utle

  • Have you ever wondered how traditional leaders can be motivated to support creativity in the workplace? What is the secret to fostering creativity and driving innovation? Today, on the podcast, we welcome Teresa Amabile to help us explore the crucial role that managers play in shaping the inner work lives of their employees through the lens of her book, The Progress Principle. Teresa Amabile is a distinguished scholar and researcher in organizational behavior. She is renowned for her groundbreaking work on creativity, motivation, and the work environment. Joining as a co-host is Diego Rodriguez, a board member at LendingTree, whose expertise extends to pioneering tough tech, fintech, and shaping the future of transportation. In our conversation, we unpack her interest in ‘garden variety’ creativity, why reward incentives are not good motivation tools, and what kills creativity. Discover the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, typical progress inhibitors, and how failure can lead to innovative breakthroughs. We discuss the power of small wins, what extrinsic motivators are necessary, the role of AI in creativity, why the meaningfulness of work is essential for productivity, and much more. Join us as we uncover Teresa’s progressive unifying theory of design thinking and how it applies to the culture of creativity for organizations. Tune in now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Her shift in focus from studying exceptional individuals to ordinary people's creativity.Learn about the impact of social environments on creativity.How companies, like IDEO and Hewlett Packard, foster a culture of creativity.Teresa unpacks The Progress Principle concept and how it applies to organizations.Discover the value of “intrinsic motivation” and the steps to creating it.Effective strategies leaders can leverage to overcome a company crisis. Hear how a major failure can lead to an innovative breakthrough.Potential of AI to gain deeper insights into motivation and creativity.Ways traditional leaders can be intrinsically motivated to drive creativity.Explore the concept of AI augmenting human intelligence and creativity.Our guests share advice and their final takeaways for listeners.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Teresa Amabile

    Teresa Amabile on LinkedIn

    The Progress Principle

    Diego Rodriguez on LinkedIn

    LendingTree

    IDEO

    Hewlett Packard

    ‘Creativity, Artificial Intelligence, and a World of Surprises’

    Retiring: Creating a Life That Works for You

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

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  • To what extent are our inner lives shaped by the stories we tell ourselves? And how can we learn to see the world as it truly is? Today on the podcast we have Diana Chapman, Co-Founder of The Conscious Leadership Group, an organization that helps leaders and their teams build trust and create conscious cultures through coaching, training, and more. She is also a facilitator, CEO coach, speaker, and co-author of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, a book that distills decades of accumulated knowledge from working with CEOs and other leaders. In today’s conversation with Diana, we delve into the complexities of what it means to accept our inner emotions, how we can learn to understand our reactivity to other people, and how these skills can help us foster environments that preserve psychological safety without sacrificing candor. Tuning you’ll learn about the profound lessons Diana learned at The Hendricks Institute, the impact they had on her life, and how she and her team help organizations foster conscious leadership and collaboration. We also delve into the importance of play, why the enneagram is such a useful tool for leaders, and what it means to operate in your Zone of Genius. Tune in to hear all of Diana’s insights on life, leadership, and learning how to see the world as it truly is!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Get to know today’s guest, Diana Chapman, and how she discovered the Hendricks Institute.The tools Diana acquired there and how they changed her life.Understanding the radical concept that ‘I am the creator of my own suffering’.Reactivity, acceptance, and how to change your behavior (and the outcomes).Unpacking the concept of radical responsibility.Learning to get comfortable with all the emotions and sensations in your body.The intelligence underlying our emotions and what they can teach us.How to preserve psychological safety without sacrificing candor.Diana’s approach to creating an environment where candor can propel innovation.The practices she and her team give organizations to foster these environments.Diana’s insights on the importance of play.How to assess whether there is enough play in your life.Advice on bringing more play into your life.Why the enneagram is such a meaningful tool for leaders.Learning to embrace the gifts and shadow side of your enneagram type.How you can use the enneagram as a parent to deepen your connection with your kids.The Zone of Genius: what it is, why it’s important, and how can discover it.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Diana Chapman on LinkedIn

    Diana Chapman on X

    The Conscious Leadership Group

    The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

    15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success

    The Hendricks Institute

    Bernard Roth

    Brendan Boyle

    Jennifer Brandy Wallace

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Creativity is not an exact science and ideas often strike when we least expect them. But what if we could curate an environment ideal for sparking creativity? Today we are joined by Josh Ruff and Marcus Hollinger from Stoked to discuss their incredible new workshop, Ideascience. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about how music inspired their Ideascience creation, why they create a space for checking in with their team at the beginning of every meeting, how task switching overcomes cognitive fixation, and how meditation has improved ideas in brainstorms. They then go on to tell us about what Ideascience actually entails before walking us through the process of the workshop. Our guests even delve into some neuroscience facts and how they relate to creativity. Finally, we explore the importance of being goofy and allowing yourself to play in any creative process. You don’t want to miss this one so press play now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Introducing today’s guests, Josh Ruff and Marcus Hollinger. They tell us about the product that they are launching, Ideascience. The inspiration for this incredible program and the goal of Ideascience. How music is linked to Ideascience and the importance of ‘getting real’ with your partners. Why they like to ‘protect’ the first 15 minutes of every meeting to check in with everyone. How our guests continue to make downtime to have space for creativity a priority. Testing the theory that task switching overcomes cognitive fixation. Our guests explain their art walk section of these studies. How meditation improved the quality and quantity of ideas in brainstorms. They tell us about the Ideascience Council.What Ideascience actually is and what the launch experience will entail.How theta brainwave activity contributes to creativity and how that’s part of Ideascience. They walk us through the steps of the Ideascience workshop.The importance of the sequence of events of the workshop. How their nine-by-nine method intersects with Ideascience. Going from concept to habit and the rewards that motivate people.The importance of play in creativity to lighten the load of hard work.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Joshua Ruff on LinkedIn

    Joshua Ruff on Instagram

    Marcus Hollinger on LinkedIn

    Marcus Hollinger on Instagram

    Marcus Hollinger on Threads

    Ideascience

    Stoked
    Stoked on LinkedIn

    Stoked on Instagram

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Today, we join forces with Henrik Werdelin to launch Beyond The Prompt, a podcast that explores how companies leverage AI to streamline operations and better serve their customers. Henrik is a remarkable entrepreneur and one of the visionary founders of Prehype, a community of entrepreneurial individuals dedicated to assisting one another and collaborating with companies to foster innovation and create innovative ventures. In this episode, we sit down with Greg Shove, CEO of next-generation business upskilling platform Section, to discuss his experience of leveraging AI in the context of optimizing, accelerating, and transforming various aspects of Section's operations. Employing its exclusive sprint format, Section collaborates with renowned business school professors to provide top-notch business education that translates into tangible real-world results. In this conversation, Greg unpacks the adoption of AI in the workplace, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and specific use cases within Section. Tuning in, you’ll discover the importance of trust and transparency in AI adoption, the everyday tasks that AI can help with, and a framework for AI integration. You’ll also gain insight into AI’s role in education, the reinvention of education delivery, common misconceptions around AI, and much more! For a valuable look at the pragmatic considerations, hurdles, and possibilities associated with integrating AI into everyday business and educational contexts, listen in now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Greg's role at Section and his motivation for pivoting to online learning and AI.How the pandemic was a catalyst and a false signal for Section.The pivotal moment when Greg realized the power of AI.Aspects of leadership and trust needed for AI adoption.Three modes for approaching AI: optimize, accelerate, and transform.AI’s potential in high-value tasks and decision-making processesChallenges in prompting AI effectively and learning from your mistakes.Examples of tasks that are suitable and not suitable for AI.Strategies for experimenting with and adopting AI into your workflow.Common misconceptions and pitfalls of using AI.The role of AI in education and the potential disruptions it may cause.Why a dynamic AI strategy, experimentation, and knowledge of advancements are critical.Greg’s thoughts on the future trends and potential of AI.Jeremy and Henrik’s main takeaways from the conversation.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Greg Shove

    Greg Shove on X

    Greg Shove on LinkedIn

    Section

    Claude

    ChatGPT

    Bard

    Perplexity

    Fathom

    Superhuman

    Whisper

    Voice AI

    Anthropic

    Henrik Werdelin

    Henrik Werdelin on X

    Prehype

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Writing and researching to produce content is a full-time job that demands hours and hours of dedication. Today’s guest is the wonderful Billy Oppenheimer, writer and research assistant for Ryan Holiday, and he is here to share his creative process with us. Tuning in, you will hear all about what it’s been like to see his audience grow, his research process, his notecard system and how he measures them, the time he spends reading, the idea of honing your filter, and why he likes making physical notes instead of digital ones. We then delve into his incredible newsletter and how it has evolved before Billy tells us about how he aims to achieve his ultimate goal; to write books. Finally, we discuss Billy’s definition of ‘creative health’ and why he is basically always working. To hear all this and more, press play now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    An introduction to today’s guest, Billy Oppenheimer. How Billy has grown his audience and what it’s been like to watch it grow. Why Billy relies on his research to create content and he shares his notecard system. How often he spends reading and how he knows when to give up on a book. What honing your filter means and how Billy does that. Billy walks us through his entire process when reading and making notes on a book. The pros and cons of physical notes as opposed to digital ones and why he prefers physical. Billy’s newsletter, the process, its evolution, and how it helps him consume information. Why Billy considers social media after he’s written his newsletter. He tells us about his ultimate goal to write books. What his mentor, Ryan Holiday has taught him about writing. How Billy divides his time between working on his newsletter and working for Ryan. The (very small) role ChatGPT plays in Billy’s work. Why Billy measures the number of notecards he makes every single day. Billy’s definition of ‘creative health’.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Billy Oppenheimer

    Billy Oppenheimer Newsletter

    Billy Oppenheimer on LinkedIn

    Billy Oppenheimer on X

    Billy Oppenheimer on Instagram

    Ryan Holiday

    Super Communicators

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • From psychology to neuroscience and beyond, concepts of intelligence, genius, and hyperfixation are key to our understanding of human potential. During this episode, David McRaney joins us to discuss a topic of great import to our course on transformative design; the complexity of the concept of genius. David is a famed journalist, author, podcaster, and expert on belief, currently researching his next book. Join us as we explore the origin story of genius, the role of obsessively pursuing one’s interest, and the inevitability of genius and the implications of labels. In closing, David answers two key questions on the autism spectrum and varying cultural contexts behind the concept of genius. Thanks for tuning in!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Introducing David McRaney, journalist, author, and podcaster. Why the topic of genius is important enough to him to research. Different ways to approach the topic of genius, from psychology to neuroscience and beyond. The origin story behind genius, and the concept of a birthday party. David’s findings from spending time interviewing individuals with extraordinarily high IQs.Jeremy’s current thesis that giving people the opportunity to pursue their interests until the point of saturation. Accounting for bias in the realm of genius and the danger of labelling. The relationship between hyperfixation, genius, and the autism spectrum.How works of genius usually come into existence. Cultural context for the concept of genius.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    David McRaney

    David McRaney on X

    How Minds Change

    David McRaney on Instagram

    David Krakauer

    So Good They Can’t Ignore You

    The Collins Institute

    James Alcock

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • In today’s world, we’re caught between two failure cultures. One tells us that it must be avoided at all costs, while the other tells us to "fail fast” and often. The issue is that both approaches lack the necessary distinctions to help us separate good failure from bad. Today, we’re joined by author, scholar, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, and champion of psychological safety, Amy Edmondson, who believes that we need to reframe our understanding of failure and discover what it means to “fail well.” In this episode, we discuss her latest book, The Right Kind of Wrong, and gain some insight into the inherent relationships between organizational learning and change management, psychological safety and innovation, and failure and the creative process. Tuning in, you’ll learn when to quit, when to experiment, and how to measure your failure performance, plus you’ll also hear some remarkable stories that illustrate what it means to be a hero of failure! Believe it or not, there is a science to failing well, and Amy Edmundson is here to provide us with a practical framework to think, discuss, and practice failure wisely.

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Amy’s roots in organizational learning and the journey her career has taken since.The NYT article that put her studies of psychological safety on the global map.A look at the relationship between psychological safety and idea generation.Cultivating the idea of failure as input rather than outcome: it’s part of the process!What we can learn from “failure heroes” like Thomas Edison and Buckminster Fuller.How to know when you should quit and when you should persist.The playfulness and willingness to experiment that comes with being a hero of failure. Failure diagnostics: practical ways to measure your failure performance.What it takes to be excruciatingly present, why context is shaped by the level of uncertainty, and more from our lightning round with Amy!Insight into Amy’s creative process, which starts with a whole lot of conceptualizing.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Amy Edmondson

    Right Kind of Wrong

    Teaming

    The Fearless Organization

    Amy Edmondson on LinkedIn

    Amy Edmondson on X

    Thinkers50

    Richard Hackman

    'What Google Learned in Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team'

    Quit

    IDEO

    Only the Paranoid Survive

    American Icon

    The Widow Clicquot

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • The likelihood is that the tactics that were effective for businesses just a few years ago may no longer yield the results needed. Profound shifts in the business landscape have exposed a significant disparity between conventional strategic approaches and the evolving dynamics of the contemporary real-world environment. In this episode, we sit down with Rita McGrath, a celebrated author and captivating speaker, to discuss how leaders can navigate the complexity of cultural shifts in modern business practices. Rita is a renowned expert in steering innovation and growth through uncertain times, and she consistently ranks among the world’s Top 10 management thinkers. As a Columbia Business School professor, advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs, and author of bestsellers like Seeing Around Corners and The End of Competitive Advantage, her work has had a lasting impact on the business world. In our conversation, we unpack the strategies managers can employ to secure investments in innovation, the reasons behind organizational resistance to innovation, and the challenges of traditional hierarchical structures. We explore her Stepping-Stone Strategy for innovation, the value of a call option, the potent concept of level-skipping, and the steps for identifying debilitating assumptions. Gain insights into how innovators can advance their careers, effectively allocating resources, crafting the perfect project, and much more! Tune in and discover how to redefine traditional career pathways and drive innovation in your organization with strategy guru Rita McGrath!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Accomplishments Rita is most proud of and the role of Twitter in her life.What managers can do to ensure investment in innovation is not undercut.Unpacking why the concept of innovation is not adopted by organizations.Advice for people in the innovation space to safeguard their careers.Why hierarchy is the enemy of the truth and level skipping is explained.Steps for implementing level-skipping within an organization.The role of expertise and when it can become a liability to innovation.Getting real about how the landscape of industry has changed.Pragmatic ways of identifying the assumptions limiting your potential. Maintaining a balance between planning and taking action.Human capital and deploying resources against an opportunity.Allocating resources for exploration, research, and development.Discover the differences between funding and budget models.Learn the fundamentals of managing a diverse team. Rita shares her approach to writing a book and how she decides on a project.Redefining career pathways to align with the new era of business.She offers some final words of wisdom for listeners.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Rita McGrath

    Rita McGrath on X

    Rita McGrath on LinkedIn

    Rita McGrath on Instagram

    Rita McGrath on YouTube

    Columbia Business School

    Design for Belonging

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Are you looking for some tips, tricks, and techniques to propel your spontaneous speaking to higher levels? Our guest today is of the belief that there is no right way to communicate, there are better ways and worse ways but no one right way! Joining us today is Matt Abrahams, a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot. As you tune in you’ll hear from Matt about the phenomenon of reverse plumbing, how to reframe your anxiety, and how the Rule of Lung works. He highlights why you should be maximizing your mediocracy and takes us through some simple, pragmatic exercises on how to do it. This is a truly insightful episode filled with valuable insights including why heuristics are important, how to hack them, and why having structure can amplify your creativity and freedom. Be sure to tune in now, thanks for listening!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    We dive into the launch of Matt’s book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter.Matt describes the phenomenon of reverse plumbing and why it happens.He highlights a technique for reframing anxiety, and putting it into perspective.What’s really happening when we reframe our anxiety.The Rule of Lung and how it works. How to incorporate the Rule of Lung (in spontaneous or improvisational speech).Maximizing mediocrity and why he believes we should seek to be mediocre.A quick note on why memorizing does not work for planned speaking. Simple pragmatic exercises to strengthen your muscle and maximize your mediocrity. We talk about heuristics and how they can be helpful in thinking and responding.He expands on the concept of meta-awareness.Why heuristics are important, why we need to hack them, and how to do that practically. A short list of environments where you can use a heuristic.Matt shares useful hacks (and heuristics) to use in an apology setting. His thoughts on the biggest communication mistake people make.Tapping into not what we know but what the audience needs, in a spontaneous moment.We discuss the concept of cathedral versus brick. He talks about his podcast, Think Fast Talk Smart.How he prepares for spontaneity in his podcast. He highlights why having structure can allow for creativity and freedom to flow. The value of mistakes and how to reframe them. Matt and Jeremy answer a question from the audience about adding connection points when answering or responding.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Matt Abrahams on LinkedIn

    Matt Abrahams

    Matt Abrahams on X

    Matt Abrahams on YouTube

    Matt Abrahams on Instagram

    Matt Abrahams on TikTok

    Matt Abrahams on Threads

    Dan Cline on LinkedIn

    Ed Catmull

    Patricia Ryan Maddison

    Scott Galloway on X

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Welcome to this very special edition of The Paint and Pipette Podcast, as we bring you a live coaching session hosted by the remarkable Liz Tran! Liz is a former venture capitalist and team-builder turned spiritual guru and startup coach. Her newest book, The Karma of Success: Spiritual Strategies to Free Your Inner Genius, is all about how to connect with your innate intuition. In this episode, you’ll find out how Liz coped with changing the entire concept of her book just six weeks before it was published, the magic of the three S’s, and everything we can learn from Einstein’s process of generating new ideas. Then, we introduce the subject of Liz’s coaching session, Aisha Dozie, the Founder and CEO of Bossy Cosmetics, a beauty brand geared toward igniting confidence in ambitious working women through high-quality, beautifully packaged, cruelty-free cosmetics and topical content. Liz begins the session by asking Aisha a series of rapid-fire questions that help us understand Aisha’s professional background, what motivates her day-to-day, the differences between zones of genius and zones of excellence, and what Aisha can do to amplify her zone of genius on a daily basis. We end with a discussion about when you should and shouldn’t outsource your zone of excellence and why leaps of faith are all about being comfortable with discomfort. Tune in for all this and more!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Liz’s account of changing her book’s entire concept just six weeks before publication.Her experience of writing about deeply personal matters with vulnerability and transparency. How to assess if you’re connected to your intuition: do you trust yourself?The three S’s of spaciousness: silence, solitude, and stillness. What we can learn from the way Einstein brought subconscious ideas to fruition. Introducing the Founder and CEO of Bossy Cosmetics, Aisha Dozie. Now for something different: Liz displays her craft in a live coaching session with Aisha!A series of quick-fire questions to establish Aisha’s base. Aisha’s professional background and what motivates her in her line of work. How her role and the relationship with her clients have changed since she started Bossy. The way she spends her time in any given work week. Leaps of faith and being comfortable with discomfort.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Liz Tran

    Liz Tran on LinkedIn

    Liz Tran on Instagram

    Reset the Podcast

    The Karma of Success

    Aishetu Fatima Dozie

    Aishetu Fatima Dozie on LinkedIn

    Aishetu Fatima Dozie on X

    Aishetu Fatima Dozie on Instagram

    Lacômbe

    Givenchy

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • In this episode, we sit down with Lezlie and Jake Karls, the visionary minds behind Mid-Day Squares, to discuss their entrepreneurial journey and unconventional approach to entrepreneurship. Mid-Day Squares is a family-run business aiming to establish itself as a prominent player in the chocolate industry. Its focus is on producing chocolate products while also emphasizing an open, unfiltered approach to entrepreneurship and business growth. In our conversation, they share their journey and strategies of the founders of Mid-Day Squares, discussing the importance of authenticity, relationship-building, and the fusion of personal storytelling with business branding to create a loyal customer base. We unpack their unique perspectives on entrepreneurship, their unconventional approaches to business and life, and the impactful role of therapy in fostering robust business strategies and their personal growth. They share the reason for declining a significant acquisition offer and how this steered them toward self-reliance and industry expansion. Gain valuable insights into reframing societal stigmas, the quirks and routines that keep them motivated, the benefits of an open mind, and much more! Tune in and learn the secrets to entrepreneurial success with Lezlie and Jake Karls!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Introduction to our guests and a brief background about Mid-Day Squares.Fostering personal relationships as the foundation for business and networking.Learn about the evolution of the company and its unique team dynamics.Hear the motivation for their marketing and branding approach via social media.The value of storytelling and authenticity in content creation.Creating relatable content while balancing viral content with genuine stories.Understanding the difference between viral content and building a community.Learn why continuous and genuine content creation is so vital.Strategies to create strong, loyal fans who become brand ambassadors.Lezlie shares why they decided to turn down a big acquisition offer.Reframing situations and leveraging creativity as a strength to address problems.Unconventional habitats and routines that enhance their productivity.Discover the role of therapy in their partnership and personal growth.Eliminating social stigmas and final takeaways for listeners.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Lezlie Karls on LinkedIn

    Lezlie Karls on Instagram

    Jake Karls on LinkedIn

    Jake Karls on Instagram

    Jake Karls on X

    Nick Saltarelli on LinkedIn

    Mid-Day Squares

    Hit Makers

    Huberman Lab

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Understanding and adapting to unwritten rules and organizational culture is a continual process. It's essential to strike a balance between fitting into the existing culture and bringing in new perspectives to drive positive change. In today’s episode, we sit down with Liz Wiseman, a management expert and CEO of The Wiseman Group, to discuss the challenges of controlling idea flow and the problems it might cause in leadership roles. Liz is a renowned researcher and best-selling author who empowers global organizations with her groundbreaking insights on leadership development. In our conversation, we cover a range of topics, from leadership challenges to the use of AI in idea generation, and the importance of recognizing, owning, and addressing critical, unassigned issues within an organization. We unpack understanding organizational culture, identifying impact players, the role of context in performance, and maintaining an impact player mindset within different work environments. She also shares insights into the challenges faced by idea-rich individuals in leadership positions, the importance of leaders asking questions to enable problem-solving by the team, the concept of "hot spots" within an organization, and much more! Join us as we unlock the secrets to thriving within the complex tapestry of organizational culture and harness the power of the unwritten rules with legendary management guru, Liz Wiseman!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Controlling the overflow of ideas she generates and its impact on her role as a leader.Her approach to channeling ideas effectively.The power of shifting from offering answers to asking questions as a leader.Examples of using questions to draw out creativity from a team.Clarifying the difference between hard opinions and soft opinions.Developing multiple solutions rather than settling for the first idea.Learn about AI’s impact on idea generation and the quality of solutions.Steps for identifying the job that needs to be done and “hotspot” areas.Why you should take ownership of unresolved or unassigned problems.Making important issues for your team a personal priority.How to learn about the unwritten rules as a new or remote worker.Why understanding a company’s culture is so crucial. The power individuals possess in shaping their work and environment.Tips for identifying impact players when hiring.Essential takeaways that Liz has for listeners.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Liz Wiseman Group

    Liz Wiseman on LinkedIn

    Liz Wiseman on X

    Liz Wiseman on Instagram

    Liz Wiseman on Facebook

    S3E7: Judging The Experiment Not The Outcome with Dr. Astro Teller

    Excellent Advice for Living

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • High performers experience near-constant pressure to improve. Marcus Whitney — venture capitalist, pro sports owner, keynote speaker, athlete, author, among other hats — shares how he plans to reach to his ‘next level.’ This is a deeply personal, wide-ranging conversation with a true virtuoso of creative craft. From exercise to creative dry spells to scaling ventures to a beginner’s mindset to the benefits of therapy, we cover a lot of ground.

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Introducing today’s guest, Marcus Whitney. How exercise helps calm down Marcus’ busy life and exhausting your body versus a workout. Why Marcus has seen this year as his least creative year. What the ‘next level’ of his life and career mean to Marcus and how he plans to get there. The importance of allowing yourself to be a beginner in order to achieve success eventually. Adopting the mindset of scaling as a creative act.Marcus tells us about his cathartic experience in therapy.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Marcus Whitney

    Marcus Whitney on LinkedIn

    Marcus Whitney on X

    Marcus Whitney on Instagram

    Marcus Whitney on YouTube

    Create and Orchestrate

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Steve Jobs is one of the most influential people of the century, maybe even ever! But his ideas, values, and approach to life have often been skewed and mutilated by the media. Today, we wish to bring you the truth about Steve from a man who knew him better than most, Ron Johnson. Ron worked with Steve as Apple’s Senior Vice President of Retail Operations, and in this episode, he explains how the tech juggernaut enticed him into a job when he was already flourishing at Target and before Apple had gained its notoriety. We hear all the details of Ron’s first conversation with Steve, how he had to adjust to a new role and industry, how Steve was never tyrannical by nature, and how Steve inspired Ron and everyone else around him to raise their standards to the highest level. Ron also explains Steve’s flexibility in hearing and working on new ideas, the character traits Steve held most dear, how his philosophies are being misunderstood and misused in the modern corporate environment, and everything that his famous Stanford speech reveals about his character. Finally, after sharing the intimacy of his final moments with Steve, Ron reveals that there is no doubt that he was loved by the benevolent co-founder of Apple. Tune in for all this and more on the Paint and Pipette Podcast!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Today’s co-host: two-time New York Times best-selling author, Greg McKeown. Introducing renowned businessman and infamous Apple alumni, Ron Johnson.How Apple enticed Ron to join the team before it became the juggernaut it is today. More details on Ron’s first-ever conversation with Steve Jobs. The way he adjusted to his new role at Apple and being in a new industry. How Steve Jobs was not the tyrannical leader the media painted him to be. Understanding how working with Steve inspired Ron to raise his standards.How bad ideas become great ideas (and vice versa). Kindness, authenticity, and other traits that Steve Jobs valued. The clarity not present in most modern corporate cultures that Steve offered Ron.Adjustments Ron made to communicate better with Steve. Insights on Steve’s character from his carefully crafted and now infamous speech at Stanford. The last time Ron Johnson saw Steve Jobs. Why Ron felt absolutely loved by Steve.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Ron Johnson on LinkedIn

    Apple

    Asurion

    Target

    Steve Jobs

    Becoming Steve Jobs

    Tim Cook on X

    Greg McKeown

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • One of the most important aspects of leadership is having a vision for what you want to achieve. It’s the vision for a project that will guide your team and inspire them to perform at the top of their game. But how does that change when you need to lead innovation? And how do you navigate the unknowns inherent to pursuing true innovation? Joining us today to unpack this topic and explore key questions of innovation and leadership is Professor Linda Hill from Harvard Business. Professor Hill is the co-founder of Paradox Strategies, the co-author of the acclaimed book Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation, and is regarded as one of the top experts on leadership. Tuning in you’ll hear her break down the paradoxes that lie at the heart of leading innovation and why building a sense of community can be such a powerful catalyst for fostering innovation. She explains how leading innovation requires embracing the unknown while being intimately familiar with the ‘why’ of your project, before describing how collaboration, experimentation, and the ability to learn are essential for building a sense of community. Professor Hill also sheds light on her personal practices as a researcher and practitioner of innovation, her process for selecting her co-authors, and why she places such a high value on having a novice perspective. For a deep dive into the intricacies of leadership, innovation, building a sense of community, and so much more, be sure to tune in to this fascinating conversation with Professor Linda Hill!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Insight into Professor Hill’s research on innovation for her book Collective Genius.Why leading innovation means not having a vision, but having a ‘why’.The emotional and intellectual challenges that accompany innovation.Creating a sense of community to help face the unknown of innovation.The details of a key Google project and what it teaches us about leading innovation.An overview of the paradoxes you have to manage as a leader of innovation.The distinction between planning forward and acting forward.How to organize for action and innovation.Insight into some of the dangers that expertise can pose to innovation.Lessons from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's unique culture of communication.How their company culture helped them prepare for, and navigate, the COVID-19 pandemic.Professor Hill’s personal practices as a researcher and practitioner of innovation.The founding of Paradox Strategies and how Professor Hill is pushing herself to be a novice.Generative AI, having a growth mindset, and the value of different perspectives.Some insight into Professor Hill’s research for her upcoming book Scaling Genius.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Linda Hill on LinkedIn

    Paradox Strategies

    Linda Hill on X

    Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
    Lockheed Martin
    Skunk Works®
    Sanjay Poonen on LinkedIn
    Cohesity
    Avatarin

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Ever wondered what it takes to revolutionize the world through innovation and moonshot thinking? We are joined today by Dr. Astro Teller, co-founder and captain at X, Alphabet's renowned moonshot factory, where they're on a mission to invent and launch technologies that can change the world for the better. In this enlightening episode, Dr. Teller gives listeners a fascinating peek behind the curtain of the moonshot factory and how they design their environment to foster creative thinking and innovation. Tuning in, you’ll hear Dr. Teller share his expert insights on the power of intellectual honesty, the art of unlearning limiting beliefs, and the essential skill of judging experiments rather than outcomes. We explore the strategies that foster creativity, the delicate balance between audacity and humility, and the value of maintaining a beginner's mindset in the journey of innovation. Dr. Teller also shares his thoughts on how to create internal urgency, his predictions for generative AI, and why he would love to see more companies with a moonshot division, like X. Join us as we embark on a fascinating exploration of the transformative power of innovation with a true visionary, Dr. Astro Teller!


    Key Points From This Episode:

    Dr. Teller’s work at X, Alphabet's moonshot factory for developing breakthrough technologies.The deep-rooted beliefs that most people need to unlearn after they arrive at X.‘Bad idea’ brainstorming and other exercises to help overcome limiting beliefs and habits.Dr. Teller’s strategy for getting people to be honest with him as a CEO.Why innovation is not a game for loners.How to judge the experiment, not the outcome, and why this is essential.A breakdown of how Dr. Teller grades experiments.The five principles at X for ensuring intellectual honesty and innovation.Insights into the criteria that X institutes for their projects.How they approach quarterly reviews for an X project.Understanding X’s role at Alphabet and how they monitor their pipeline.Dr. Teller’s approach to balancing a “beginner’s mind” with input from experts.How he determines whether someone is a good fit for a learning intervention.Why having high audacity and high humility is such a powerful combo.Using processes to innovate reliably and how it differs from gambling.Why being willing to let go of a project at X is crucial.Dr. Teller’s answers to our rapid-fire questions!

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Astro Teller

    Astro Teller TED Speaker

    Astro Teller on X

    X, the moonshot factory

    Wing

    Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently
    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • Productivity, innovation, and leadership are three key pillars that drive success and growth within any organization. When effectively combined, they create a powerful synergy that propels a company to new heights and ensures its sustainability in an ever-evolving business landscape. In this episode, we are joined today by blogger, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and Founder of The Carbon Almanac, Seth Godin, to discuss the world of productivity, innovation, and leadership. Seth is a prolific writer, having authored 20 bestselling books. His works serve as profound resources for understanding key concepts in various aspects of life and business. In today’s conversation, we discuss his latest book, Song of Significance, which offers readers a thought-provoking exploration of the state of work and leadership in the modern world. In our conversation, we delve into the consequences of treating employees as mere cogs in a machine, how organizations can pinpoint productivity aspects in need of optimization, and the difference between managers and leaders. We explore the importance of defining one's value and significance, tailored metrics for success, and the power of unconventional paths in finding solutions. He also provides valuable insights into overcoming innovation dilemmas, redefining leadership for inclusivity and collaboration, balancing creativity with operations, and much more! Tune in and discover how to reimagine the world of productivity, innovation, and leadership with Seth Godin!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    What it means to be a useful imposter and the definition of productivity paranoia.Examples of treating a workforce like machines and the resulting impacts.How organizations can identify the productivity aspects that need optimizing.The steps for individuals to overcome productivity paranoia.Defining your value and significance as an employee.Identifying key metrics for success that are relevant to your target audience.Learn about the differences between a freelancer and an entrepreneur.He explains finding the correct path by way of non-paths.Creating the right environment for embracing innovation.The Carbon Almanac project, what it achieved, and the lessons learned.Explore the concept of “Page 19 Thinking” and why it is essential.Seth shares the Harry Aker story from his book.Attending to annoyances in order to identify solutions.Valuable insights into good and bad types of turnover.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Seth Godin

    Seth Godin on LinkedIn

    Seth Godin on Twitter

    Seth Godin on Instagram

    Seth Godin on Facebook

    Rising Tide Car Wash

    The Practice

    Linchpin

    Purple Cow

    Permission Marketing

    Jeremy Utley

    Jeremy Utley Email

    Jeremy Utley on X

    Jeremy Utley on LinkedIn

  • In this episode, we dive deep into the remarkable life and career of Jason Mayden, a true high-performer who has blazed his own trail in the worlds of tech, design, and corporate America. Join us as we explore the pivotal moments and inspiring insights that have shaped his extraordinary journey. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Trillicon Valley, an acclaimed design and strategy consultancy, he specializes in pioneering new ventures and orchestrating intricate negotiations involving athletes, entertainers, and global creatives through multi-stakeholder partnerships. As we delve deeper into Jason's narrative, we'll explore the mental hurdles and stereotypes he's faced, shedding light on the complex corporate dynamics in America and how they can affect an individual's self-worth. Learn about pivotal moments, including a life-changing connection with his high school art teacher and his intern experience at Nike. Discover how Jason's family and his determination helped him overcome overwhelming challenges and stereotypes. He also shares insights into the importance of self-worth, authenticity, and transcending job titles for fulfillment. Join us for this enlightening episode as we celebrate the life and career of Jason Mayden, a high-performer who not only navigated career transitions with grace but also redefined success on his own terms. Tune in now!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    Background about Jason and his current career transition decision.His childhood inspiration and overcoming health challenges.Jason shares an impactful moment with his high school art teacher.A profound conversation that changed the course of his life.Discover how he ended up working as an intern at Nike.Championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech and design industriesHe shares the moment when he met his childhood hero Michael Jordon.What Jason values the most in his life: his family.Overcoming mental hurdles and stereotypes.Corporate dynamics in America and how it plays into an individual’s self-worth.Standing up against the pressure to conform in corporate America.Shifting from employment to deployment.Recognizing that self-worth isn't tied to job titles or external markers of success.The value of accepting and embracing oneself.Discover the role of high expectations and faith in reaching your potential.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Jason Mayden on LinkedIn

    TRILLICON VALLEY®

    Nike

    The Song of Significance

    The Speed of Grace

    Jeremy Utley

  • Today’s parental landscape is filled with more challenges than ever before. Among the plethora of concerns that parents have to deal with on an everyday basis, one never would’ve expected toxic achievement to be one of them. Who even knew that achievement could be toxic?! But too much of anything is never good, and placing too much attention on your child’s educational success could be irreversibly damaging to their self-esteem. To help us make better sense of this topic, we are joined today by the award-winning journalist and author of Never Enough, Jennifer Wallace. Jennie explains why the topic of parenting and toxic achievement sits close to her heart, the damaging differences between what parents value and what their children think they value, cognitive biases that many parents are burdened with, and the four questions that every parent should ask themselves to get to the bottom of what they actually prioritize about their kids. We also discuss the circus act that is the college admissions process, why fit is always better than rankings, the ins and outs of mattering, and rapid-fire topics as taken from the truly educational Never Enough. Heart and home are at the center of today’s episode, and we’re thrilled to be sharing it with you – our family of loyal listeners!

    Key Points From This Episode:

    A warm welcome to the award-winning journalist and author, Jennifer Wallace. Why Jennie decided to deeply examine the topic of parenting and toxic achievement. Assessing which children are at risk because of toxic achievement, and why. Detrimental differences between what parents value and what their kids think they value. The four questions that parents should ask themselves to discover what they truly prioritize. Scarcity and status: the cognitive biases that plague parents. The volatile cocktail that is the college admissions process. Fit over rankings: life fulfillment versus high-performing academic institutions. How to assess the right fit as you prepare your kids for higher education. The ins and outs of mattering: for kids, parents, at work, and in life. Our guest’s advice for how leaders can foster mattering in the workplace. Get curious not furious, the puppy dog principle, NOFAs, materialism, and mental health.

    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

    Jennifer Wallace

    Jennifer Wallace on LinkedIn

    Jennifer Wallace on X

    Jennifer Wallace on Instagram

    Jennifer Wallace on Facebook

    Never Enough

    Dr. Suniya Luthar

    Making Caring Common

    Dr. Tina Payne Bryson

    Challenge Success

    Dr. Lisa Damour

    Mayo Clinic

    Resy

    The Song of Significance

    Jeremy Utley