The Curious Advantage Podcast

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 have curious leaders? What does it mean to have a curious mind and how can curiosity impact individuals and organisations? Subscribe to this exclusive podcast today to listen to this fascinating conversation. 

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.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Neurodiversity and Leadership02:59 Tara's Journey: From Journalism to CEO06:06 Understanding Aspirotech's Mission and Model08:48 Defining Autism and Neurodiversity11:51 The Unique Strengths of Neurodivergent Individuals15:13 The Role of Technology and Human Collaboration18:08 Creating a Supportive Workplace Environment20:56 Fostering Neurodiversity in Organizations23:50 The Impact of Creativity and Problem Solving26:56 Global Efforts and Collaborations for Neurodiversity29:59 Leadership Lessons and the Importance of Kindness ResourcesAspirtech NeuroWorks HAPI The Curious Advantage Podcast Simon Brown LinkedIn Paul Ashcroft LinkedInTara May LinkedIn The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation.The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audiobook Follow us on LinkedIn and InstagramDiscover more about The Curious Advantage hereKeywordsneurodiversity, autism, leadership, digital transformation, AI, inclusive workplaces, social enterprise, innovation, curiosity, talent, joy coaching teams, coaching

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 up about the realities of starting and scaling a premium brand in a saturated market, and what it takes to stay authentic while growing fast.We explore how curiosity fuels innovation, why authenticity is non-negotiable in today’s landscape, and how social media and community have become powerful drivers of modern brand success. From building trust with your audience to creating a loyal following, Finn shares what it really takes to turn a product into a movement.From the science behind functional mushrooms and extraction quality, to the role of design, storytelling and digital presence, this conversation is packed with insight for anyone building a brand today.Show LinksHeadstrong Website Headstrong Instagram Finn Hall LinkedInThe Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation.The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audiobook Follow us on LinkedIn and InstagramDiscover more about The Curious Advantage hereThe Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

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 meaningful contributions across teams.Drawing on insights from his book Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World, Shawn shares practical strategies for building an intelligence culture, avoiding common leadership traps, and helping teams focus on what truly matters. The conversation offers a fresh perspective on how leaders can shift from doing more to enabling better work.Show LinksShawn's LinkedInWiseman GroupPause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World available on AmazonThe Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation.The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audiobook Follow us on LinkedIn and InstagramDiscover more about The Curious Advantage hereThe Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

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 neural agility, and why concepts like dynamic subordination are essential for modern leadership. He dives into the neuroscience of stress management, the role of curiosity in high-stakes decision-making, and how understanding duration, pathway, and outcome can help the brain stay calm under uncertainty.Whether you’re leading teams, navigating complexity or curious about the psychology behind human performance, this conversation offers powerful insights into attributes, curiosity, and the mindsets required to thrive in chaotic environments.Show Links: Attributes WebsiteAttributes HubRich Diviney LinkedInThe Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance book is available on AmazonThe Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation.The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audiobook Follow us on LinkedIn and InstagramDiscover more about The Curious Advantage hereThe Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross and video editing by Jessica Wickham. 

Salvatore Manzi, a communication and leadership coach who helps data-driven leaders turn expertise into influence. He explains the You-Then-Me Principle: start by acknowledging others to build collaboration. He shows why empathy is a leadership advantage and outlines practicing acknowledgments, avoiding ‘but’, and using curiosity to create presence and tailor messages for high-stakes moments.

Art Kleiner, writer and strategist on organizational learning and responsible technology, offers a compact guide to building humane AI. He discusses tensions between rapid innovation and accountability. Short, clear takes cover bias, misinformation and explainability. He highlights why empathy, forgiveness and human judgment must shape governance as AI embeds into everyday work.

Alexia Cambon, Senior Director of Research at Microsoft who leads work and AI productivity research, discusses how AI is reshaping work. She outlines Frontier Firms, Intelligence on Tap, and the rise of agent bosses. Short scenes explore hybrid human-agent teams, new organization models, and how people manage many AI agents. Practical steps for building agent-savvy organizations are highlighted.

FBF -- Flashback FridayIn 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 published on 5th May 2020. Want to go deeper?Get your copy on AmazonThe Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on audible#FlashbackFriday #CuriousAdvantage #CuriosityAtWork #Learning #7Cs

FBF — Flashback FridayIn 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 collection of the Right Kind of Wrong, Leader as Healer & Staring Down the WolfFollow Amy Edmondson on LinkedIn hereGet your copy of The Curious Advantage on AmazonThe Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on AudibleFollow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram