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What AI strategies and tactics should you prioritize in 2025? And how can executives inspire their teams to embrace AI? In this episode, Knownwell's Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf, Chief Product Officer Mohan Rao, and NordLight CEO Pete Buer to outline four key AI strategies every leader needs: adopting an AI-first mindset, fostering human-AI collaboration, leveraging predictive analytics, and prioritizing user experience in AI tools. David, Mohan, and Courtney share actionable insights for embedding AI into your organization's workflows. Special guest Christian Madsbjerg, author and co-founder of the Human Activity Research Laboratory, joins Pete to discuss putting humans at the center of AI efforts. From longitudinal studies in Brazil to reshaping relationships with technology, Christian reveals why balancing innovation with human impact is critical as AI evolves. Ready to power your company's success in 2025? Visit Knownwell.com to sign up for our beta waitlist. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MuHZMsXxuv4
Christian Madsbjerg explores how we can reclaim the lost art of paying attention.
Ever find yourself navigating the maze of modern distractions, longing for a moment of true focus? Christian Madsberg, author of "Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World," joins us to share practical strategies for cultivating the kind of attention that can enrich our lives. Christian introduces us to the concept of panoptic attention - a background focus that's as essential as it is often neglected. As we dissect skills that have become second nature and the cultural nuances that shape them, we uncover the profound impact of our attention's direction on who we become. Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- In this episode we discuss... (00:00) "Improving Focus and Attention in Distraction" (14:02) Navigating Focus (26:00) Leading With Observation, Not Opinion (35:12) Learning From Behaviors to Predict the Future (40:57) Distractions and Artificial Intelligence's Impact ----- Episode resources: Save 15% with code CHASEC15 on gradual compression socks at https://www.ComradSocks.com Save 15% on organic coffee and lattes with collagen and adaptogens with code CHASE at https://www.StrongCoffeeCompany.com Watch and subscribe on YouTube Learn more at Madsbjerg.com
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christian Madsbjerg about perception in the world. They discuss why perception and observation are important, the work of Merleau-Ponty, perception being reality, and intersubjectivity. They discuss the role of the body in phenomenology, phenomenology of space, the “other,” practical ways of paying attention in the world, and many more topics. Christian Madsbjerg is an author, entrepreneur, and academic who focuses on the practical and commercial application of the Human Sciences. He is the co-founder of the global consulting firm Red Associates which addressing strategy questions through empirical, organized observations of the human world. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board at the world-class architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, holds a non-executive director position at Fritz Hansen A/S, is an independent Director and Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee at The Metals Company (Nasdaq: TMC), and is a member of the US board of Kvadrat A/S. He also serves as a director of the Revs Institute, a design museum and research institute. He has held the Professor of Applied Humanities position at The New School in New York City. He is the author of several books, including the most recent book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World. Website: https://madsbjerg.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Sam Tatum, the leader of Ogilvy's behavioral science team, shares insights from his book, Evolutionary Ideas, and its application in problem-solving. Sam's background as an organizational psychologist and his transition into advertising strategy equips him with a unique perspective on the intersection of behavioral science and business. His book emphasizes gaining insights from nature to drive innovative solutions in business, drawing parallels between the natural world and applied behavioral science. He highlights the significance of long-term thinking, alternative options, and the potential impact of small ideas in problem-solving. By exploring shared solutions and learning from diverse fields, such as biology and engineering, Sam advocates for a practical and creative application of behavioral science. This episode offers valuable insights for business professionals and entrepreneurs seeking innovative problem-solving approaches based on behavioral science principles. In this episode, you will: Apply behavioral science to enhance problem-solving and innovation in business. Understand the power of reciprocity in shaping human behavior. Explore the pivotal role of language in influencing perception and decision-making. Embrace shared solutions as a strategic approach to effective problem-solving. Implement practical problem-solving approaches rooted in behavioral science. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction, Melina introduces the podcast episode and guest, Sam Tatum, and discusses the focus on evolutionary ideas and how nature can provide insights for solving business problems. 00:07:29 - Nudgestock Pivot Sam discusses the decision to pivot Nudgestock to a virtual event in 2020 due to the pandemic and the success of the event, as well as the long-term impact and growth of the event. 00:11:32 - Evolutionary Ideas Book Inspiration Sam shares the inspiration behind his book, Evolutionary Ideas, including his keynote talk and the concept of borrowing from the natural world to solve human challenges, as seen in biomimicry. 00:14:30 - Biomimicry and Applied Behavioral Science Sam explains the concept of biomimicry and how it can be used to explore the realm of possibility in applied behavioral science, drawing parallels between adapted solutions in nature and adapted psychological solutions for human challenges. 00:16:06 - Reciprocity and Adaptation Sam discusses the concept of reciprocity and adaptation by using the example of vampire bats. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and appreciating these behaviors on a continuum, highlighting their positive role in survival. 00:17:18 - Trust and Solutions Sam delves into the role of trust in social well-being and its connection to reciprocity. He explores the idea that understanding concrete concepts, such as the behavior of vampire bats, can pave the way for identifying psychological solutions. 00:19:25 - Language and Perception The conversation shifts to the power of language in shaping perception and categorization of concepts. Sam highlights the significance of having a rich vernacular to diagnose and apply solutions systematically, drawing parallels with the concept of asymmetric decoy. 00:21:44 - Shared Solutions and Innovation Sam discusses the shared nature of problems and solutions, emphasizing the evolutionary and adaptive processes that have led to the emergence of common patterns of solutions. 00:30:43 - Applying Behavioral Science in Business Melina prompts Sam to provide practical advice for applying behavioral science in business. Sam emphasizes the opportunities for employing behavioral science in various business contexts, encouraging listeners to leverage shared psychological principles to drive innovation and problem-solving. 00:32:41 - Learning and applying the notes and chords of psychology Sam emphasizes the importance of learning the basics of psychology and behavioral science, comparing it to learning notes and chords in music, and how once mastered, they can be creatively applied. 00:34:39 - Reframing problems through a human lens Sam discusses the importance of reframing problems through a human lens, rather than categorizing them based on industry-specific challenges, and how solutions can be found by recategorizing the nature of the problem. 00:39:26 - Conclusion, Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Connect with Sam: Twitter LinkedIn Ogilvy Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: Evolutionary Ideas, by Sam Tatam Alchemy, by Rory Sutherland Solving Modern Problems with a Stone Age Brain, by Douglas Kenrick and David Lundberg-Kenrick A More Beautiful Question, by Warren Berger Look, by Christian Madsbjerg Top Recommended Next Episode: Look, with Christian Madsbjerg (ep 325) Already Heard That One? Try These: Framing (ep 296) Anchoring (ep 11) Priming (ep 252) Bikeshedding (ep 99) Behavioural Science Club, with Co-Founder Louise Ward (ep 118) Herding (ep 264) Reciprocity (ep 238) Change Management (ep 226) Loss Aversion (ep 316) Scarcity (ep 270) Relativity (ep 12) Time Discounting – I'll Start Monday Effect (ep 328) Solving Modern Problems with a Stone Age Brain (ep 237) A More Beautiful Question with Warren Berger (ep 340) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter Nudgestock
In this special episode, we're playing the entire conversation between Pete Buer and Christian Madsbjerg, author of the new book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World. This is a perfect interview for this week between Christmas and New Year's Day as it asks us to think critically about both machines and humanity itself. What makes humans human in the first place? How does human philosophy shape our understanding of the world? What is the nature of machine intelligence? All of those questions and more are discussed in this engaging conversation. Programming note: There will be no new episode of AI Knowhow on January 1, 2024. We'll be back with a brand new episode on January 8. Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment. AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell. Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how we can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.
A lot is going on out there. How can we pay better attention in a distracted world? Christian Madsbjerg joins Kevin to discuss the importance of observation and attention in leadership. Madsbjerg explains that observation is the practice of carefully and empirically studying humans to understand their experiences and behaviors. He emphasizes the need for leaders to set aside their opinions and preconceived notions to just describe what they see. Madsbjerg also introduces the concept of hyper-reflection, which involves observing how others observe and think. He encourages leaders to make time for observation and reflection, as these practices can lead to a deeper understanding of customers, teams, and social dynamics. Meet Christian Name: Christian Madsbjerg His Story: Christian Madsbjerg is the author of several books, including Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, and The Moment of Clarity (co-authored with Mikkel Rasmussen), which have been translated into 15 languages. He is also an entrepreneur and academic who focuses on the practical and commercial application of the Human Sciences. He is the co-founder of the global consulting firm Red Associates. He also held the Professor of Applied Humanities position at The New School in New York City, where he centered his teaching on 20th-century continental philosophy. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek. He lives in New York City with his family. https://madsbjerg.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-madsbjerg-8aa73/ Book Recommendations Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World by Christian Madsbjerg Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard The Peregrine by J. A. Baker Related Episodes How to be Great at Work with Morten Hansen The Creative Curve with Allen Gannett Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP
As we enter the Age of AI, it's important to stop and a simple question: What does it actually mean to be human in a world of artificial intelligence? We attempt to provide some perspective on that very big idea. First, Courtney Baker speaks with David DeWolf and Mohan Rao about the human requirements for leadership and the ways in which human intelligence excels in a social world. After that, Pete Buer speaks with Christian Madsbjerg about his new book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World. Christian discusses the importance of attention and observation in human intelligence and questions the very concept of "machine intelligence". Also, Courtney and Pete talk about all of the latest in AI news in business including an exploration of Calm using an AI-generated Jimmy Stewart voice on their app. Note: Next week's episode (released on Christmas) will be the entire conversation between Pete and this week's guest, Christian Madsbjerg. You'll definitely want to check that out. Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment. AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell. Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how we can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.
Social media and the increasing social isolation it fosters overpowered the true meaning of connecting with others. How we connect at home, work, and beyond lies in the power of deep observation. In this episode, Christian Madsbjerg, the Author of Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World, talks about the skills needed to recapture our skill to pay attention. He dives even deeper into his book to capture the essence of harnessing the power of deep observation. He shows how paying attention and understanding brings beauty into human interaction. So, let's learn to see with more empathy, accuracy, and connection with Christian in this perceptive episode today. Check out the full series of "Career Sessions, Career Lessons" podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcast/christian-madsbjergBecome a PathWise member today! Join at https://pathwise.io/join-now
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, you'll dive into a fascinating discussion with host Melina Palmer about books that have the power to change the way you think. As an avid reader herself, Melina shares her personal experiences with impactful books and how they have shaped her understanding of the mind. She presents a diverse list of nine books that have had a profound impact on her thinking, covering topics such as combinatorial thinking, binary thinking, innovation inspired by nature, the influence of metaphors, and more. With each book recommendation, Melina provides key insights and takeaways, highlighting the importance of these books in improving our understanding of behavioral science, decision-making, and communication. Whether you're a book lover or someone looking to expand your thinking, this episode is packed with valuable recommendations that will inspire and transform your mindset. So grab your favorite reading spot, get ready to discover new perspectives, and let these books change the way you think. In this episode, you will: Enhance your thinking and broaden your perspective by exploring impactful books that have the power to change the way you think. Unlock the power of combinatorial thinking and discover how asking great questions can lead to innovative ideas and fresh insights. Expand your options and make better decisions by challenging binary thinking and embracing a both/and mindset that embraces paradoxes. Draw inspiration from nature's ingenious problem-solving solutions and apply them to your own challenges for simple and effective problem-solving and innovation. Understand the influential role of metaphors in communication and decision-making, and learn how to harness their power to effectively convey ideas and align them with business objectives. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction, Melina introduces the episode and shares her love for reading books. She discusses how books have influenced her thinking and announces that she will be sharing a list of books that have changed the way she thinks. 00:02:04 - The Power of Questions - A More Beautiful Question, Melina discusses the book A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger. She explains how the concept of combinatorial thinking and asking great questions can lead to innovation and a better understanding of how the mind works. 00:06:37 - Embracing Both And Thinking, Melina introduces the book Both and Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis. She discusses how the book explores the idea of embracing paradoxes and avoiding binary thinking. This can lead to better decision-making and a broader perspective. 00:09:58 - Solving Problems with Nature - Evolutionary Ideas, Melina talks about the book Evolutionary Ideas by Sam Tatum. She explains how the book demonstrates how nature can inspire creative and practical solutions to human problems. She shares examples from the book, including the bullet train inspired by a kingfisher. 00:15:23 - Introduction to Semiotics in Retail and Marketing, Rachel Laws has written two books on semiotics: Using Semiotics in Retail and Using Semiotics in Marketing. These books provide real-world examples of how semiotics can be used to understand and leverage symbols and metaphors in business. The example of the Jam of Death Fruit spread company shows how the wrong symbols can make a store unappealing to customers. 00:18:02 - How Minds Change by David McRaney, How Minds Change by David McRaney is a mind-blowing book that explores how people's minds can change in drastic ways. McRaney shares insights from experts and his own experiences to understand why some people change their minds while others remain stuck. The book offers fundamental insights into how the brain is wired and how we can change our own minds and influence others. 00:20:50 - The Similarities Between How Minds Change and Look, Although How Minds Change and Look are 100% different books, they are inherently similar at their core. Both books offer fascinating insights into how our brains make sense of the world and how we can observe and reflect on our surroundings. Look provides examples for nonprofit fundraising and how observation can lead to solutions. 00:23:35 - The Power of US by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Beavel, The Power of US explores how individuals shift through various identities throughout the day and how this impacts their actions and interactions. 00:30:31 - Finding Happiness in Small Moments, Melina discusses the importance of finding time for oneself and engaging in activities that bring happiness. She highlights the book Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes, which provides tasks and insights to help create a happier life. 00:31:19 - Recap of Books on Changing Thinking, A recap of the books mentioned in the episode, including A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger, How to Think by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis, and Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Melina emphasizes the value of these books in changing one's thinking. 00:32:39 - Conclusion, Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: Metaphors We Live By, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson Evolutionary Ideas, by Sam Tatam Both/And Thinking, by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis How Minds Change, by David McRaney Look, by Christian Madsbjerg Top Recommended Next Episode: Melina's go to brainy books (ep 342) Already Heard That One? Try These: A More Beautiful Question, with Warren Berger (ep 340) Evolutionary Ideas, with Sam Tatam (ep 204) Both/And Thinking, with Wendy Smith (ep 261) What is cognitive semiotics? With Sarah Thompson (ep 259) Using Semiotics in Marketing and Retail, with Rachel Lawes (ep 191) How Minds Change, with David McRaney (ep 336) Look, with Christian Madsbjerg (ep 325) The Power of Us, with Dominic Packer (ep 304) Selfless, with Brian Lowery (ep 331) Happier Hour, with Cassie Holmes (ep 257) Time discounting (ep 328) The Power of Metaphor, with Olson Zaltman (ep 181) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter All The Books – 2022 Edition The Best Books To Have More Influence At Work (via Shepherd) 12 Behavioral Science Books Every Consumer Insights Professional Must Read (via Greenbook)
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, you'll hear a fascinating conversation between host Melina Palmer and guest David McRaney. They delve into the power of perception and how our minds construct reality. David shares his journey of discovering the topic of perception while researching for his book. The discussion explores how our prior experiences and brain processes influence our perception, and how our perception can vary greatly based on individual differences. By understanding the power of perception, you'll gain valuable insights that can enhance your content creation and improve your understanding of how we construct our reality. So, join Melina and David on this thought-provoking episode to expand your knowledge and gain a new perspective on perception. In this episode: Discover the science behind psychology and behavior change. Explore the power of perception and how our minds construct reality, revealing the impact it has on our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Understand the intricacies of belief change and gain practical strategies for effectively changing minds and transforming perspectives. Bonus: Learn expert tips for conducting interviews and securing interesting guests to keep your podcast episodes compelling and informative. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction, Melina Palmer introduces this episode, featuring a conversation with David McRaney about his book "How Minds Change." She explains that the book explores the psychology of changing minds and discusses why she chose to feature this episode. 00:02:32 - David McRaney's Background, David shares his background, from owning businesses to working in journalism and local television. He talks about starting his blog, You Are Not So Smart, which led to a book deal and a successful podcast. He mentions his interest in biases, fallacies, and critical thinking. 00:05:00 - Overview of How Minds Change, David introduces his book, How Minds Change, which explores the psychology of changing opinions, persuasion, and social change. He discusses his fascination with understanding conspiratorial thinking, resistance to change, and misinformation. 00:07:59 - Advice for Discerning Pursuits, David advises against jumping into trends and suggests pursuing topics that spark a deep curiosity and obsession. He recommends exploring areas that you want to share with others and that drive you to learn more. 00:10:53 - Importance of Following an Obsession, David emphasizes the importance of following an obsession and delving deep into a topic of interest. He shares his personal experience with his blog, You Are Not So Smart, and how his curiosity led to the success of his book and podcast. 00:14:02 - The Importance of Enthusiasm and Passion in Podcasts, David discusses how he can quickly tell if a podcast is just following an algorithm, and emphasizes the importance of infectious enthusiasm and passion in keeping listeners engaged. 00:14:30 - The Need for Genuine Interest in Writing a Book, David's agent stresses the importance of genuine passion and commitment when pitching book ideas, and he agrees that he prefers to embark on a book project without all the answers, allowing the authoritative voice to emerge naturally. 00:15:17 - McRaney's Approach to Writing a Book, As a journalist, David believes that his books are better when his authoritative voice develops throughout the project, taking readers on a journey of discovery and learning alongside him. 00:18:04 - Behavioral Baking and Connecting with the Audience, David shares his experience with introducing a cookie segment on his podcast, where he would bake cookies and share them with his audience. While some loved it, others were not as enthusiastic, leading David to retire the segment after 100 episodes. Melina discusses his concept of "Behavioral Baking" and how it ties into her podcast. 00:28:08 - The Power of Networking, David shares his experience of reaching out to experts at NYU and how it led to valuable connections and collaborations for his podcast and book projects. 00:29:33 - The Fascination with the Dress, David discusses the viral phenomenon of "the dress," an image that appeared on the internet and sparked intense debate over its colors. He explains how this event became a touchstone for understanding disagreements and perception. 00:31:35 - The Importance of Curiosity, David emphasizes the importance of curiosity and asking questions when networking and conducting interviews. He shares advice from a seasoned journalist on always coming back with multiple story ideas to avoid writer's block. 00:32:45 - The Dress Phenomenon Explained, McRaney delves into the psychology and neuroscience behind the dress illusion. He explains how the brain processes overexposed images and how this can lead to different color perceptions. He references the strawberries illusion as another example. 00:43:09 - Going Beyond Right and Wrong, Engaging in arguments over who is right and who is wrong prevents deeper conversations about why people hold different interpretations. This applies to various disagreements and limits our understanding of ourselves and others. 00:45:25 - The Croc Experiment, The croc experiment demonstrated the surf pad concept by showing that people's prior experiences influenced how they perceived the color of crocs and socks under different lighting conditions. This bizarre experiment highlights the complexity of perception and how it varies among individuals. 00:49:36 - Minds Changing on Same-Sex Marriage, The shift in attitudes towards same-sex marriage challenged the notion that people can't change their minds. Understanding what happens in a person's brain when they no longer agree with their past beliefs became the focus of investigation. 00:51:28 - How to Change Minds, Changing minds requires moving away from a confrontational approach and towards compassionate listening. Brute-forcing facts on others doesn't work; instead, engaging in non-judgmental conversations that allow for understanding can lead to effective persuasion. 00:55:43 - Conclusion, Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Connect with David: DAVID'S WEBSITE DAVID ON TWITTER DAVID ON LINKEDIN Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: How Minds Change, by David McRaney You Are Not So Smart, by David McRaney You Are Now Less Dumb, by David McRaney What Your Employees Need and Can't Tell You, by Melina Palmer Look, by Christian Madsbjerg Top Recommended Next Episode: Confirmation Bias (ep 260) Already Heard That One? Try These: Robert Cialdini and the (Now!) 7 Principles of Persuasion (ep 312) Influence Is Your Superpower with Yale's Dr. Zoe Chance (ep 189) A More Beautiful Question with Warren Berger (episode 200) Indistractible, with Nir Eyal (ep 290) Survivorship Bias (ep 110) Focusing Illusion (ep 330) Priming (ep 252) What is Behavioral Baking? (episode 155) Partitioning (ep 252) You Have More Influence Than You Think with Vanessa Bohns (ep 318) The Power of Us with Dr. Dominic Packer (ep 304) Reciprocity (ep 238) Sense Of Smell (ep 298) Sense of Sight (ep 24) Look, with Christian Madsbjerg (ep 325) A More Just Future, with Dolly Chugh (ep 247) Negativity Bias (ep 223) The Dunning Kruger Effect (ep 266) Both/And Thinking, with Wendy Smith (ep 261) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter You Are Not So Smart Website The Dress Strawberry Illusion
When we are truly curious about why things happen and why others do what they do, our judgment is suspended. We begin to gain empathy for the plight of others which opens our own lives up to deeper experiences, textured understandings, and richer lives. But paying attention in a world full of distractions is becoming a lost art.To discover the many ways expanding our observation can serve humanity, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the co-founder of the consulting firm ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg.Christian is a speaker and author of the book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World. He describes the beauty of hyper-reflection, provides tips for regaining our ever-decreasing skill of observation, and shares how stepping away from digital devices can revitalize our senses. To learn more, visit www.harvestinghappinesstalkradio.com.
When we are truly curious about why things happen and why others do what they do, our judgment is suspended. We begin to gain empathy for the plight of others which opens our own lives up to deeper experiences, textured understandings, and richer lives. But paying attention in a world full of distractions is becoming a lost art.To discover the many ways expanding our observation can serve humanity, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the co-founder of the consulting firm ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg.Christian is a speaker and author of the book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World. He describes the beauty of hyper-reflection, provides tips for regaining our ever-decreasing skill of observation, and shares how stepping away from digital devices can revitalize our senses.To learn more, visit www.harvestinghappinesstalkradio.com.
Many of our differences are basically misunderstandings, and the reason for those misunderstandings is that we don't listen to each other or attempt to understand another's perspective. How can we learn to see what is true in a world of misinformation and miscommunication? Christian Madsbjerg (@Christian Madsbjerg) shares his expertise on the importance of suspending conditioned beliefs in our minds and genuinely looking at the power of understanding multiple perspectives. “You can't see anything about other humans unless you use your own humanity and your own experience. ” - Christian Madsbjerg Key Takeaways: Phenomenology: Wikipedia defines this as a “ philosophical study of objectivity – and reality more generally – as subjectively lived and experienced. It seeks to investigate the universal features of consciousness while avoiding assumptions about the external world, aiming to describe phenomena as they appear to the subject, and to explore the meaning and significance of the lived experiences.” Just Look: Observe without telling the story, release bias, and let go of having to define. Just look, have no opinion or preconceived notions, and observe what's happening. Letting go of any idea of what something is or is not, try to see what is there; seeing what's there may be the most challenging thing. Can you perceive from another person's perspective? 3 Types of Attention: 1) The attention you have when you just walk down the street. When you're not focusing on anything, you're just in it/life. You know exactly what cars are, the sounds around you, and so on, and you know how to operate in it; you're not focused on anything in particular. 2) Attention that is laser-focused when you zoom in on something. 3) Hyper-reflective attention, where you see yourself see, and therefore, you can also see how others see instead of having opinions about them. Sponsors and Promotions: Masterclass: Our listeners will get an additional 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/divine Life Force: Biomarker Testing, Clinical Support, 1-1 Health Coaching, and more. Start your membership today and save 40% promo code DIVINE40. https://www.mylifeforce.com/divine Links for Christian Madsbjerg: Website LinkedIn Ted Talk
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
In episode 325 of The Brainy Business podcast, host Melina Palmer interviews Christian Madsbjerg, author of the book Look and an expert in human observation. Madsbjerg discusses the importance of observation in understanding human behavior and helping organizations make better decisions. He emphasizes that many companies make big mistakes by not asking the right questions and relying too heavily on data abstractions and groupthink. According to Madsbjerg, companies need to constantly study the questions that are most meaningful in their industry in order to stay relevant and successful. Christian highlights the necessity of observing and describing social phenomena before forming opinions and challenges individuals and companies to question their assumptions. Madsbjerg introduces the concept of hyper-reflection, which involves analyzing how people pay attention, to gain deeper insights into human behavior. The conversation provides valuable insights into the power of observation and description in understanding the world around us and making more informed decisions. In this episode: Recognize the critical importance of keen observation in comprehending complex human behavior. Learn about the pitfalls and misleading aspects of treating the human brain like a digital interface. Delve into the influence and impact of societal constructs on human behavior. Harness the capacity of hyper-reflection to delve deeper into your own thoughts and perceptions. Appreciate the added value of integrating observational techniques into scientific enquiry. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Christian Madsbjerg and his Background Melina introduces Christian Madsbjerg, the author of the book Look, and discusses his background in utilizing observation techniques to help organizations better understand human behavior. 00:02:45 - The Importance of Asking the Right Questions Asking the right questions makes a huge difference for companies. They discuss the dangers of jumping into problem-solving mode without fully understanding the problem. Christian explains how companies that fail to constantly study meaningful questions often struggle to adapt and remain successful in their industries. 00:07:49 - The Class on Human Observation Christian shares his experience creating and teaching a class on human observation at the New School in Manhattan. The class focused on using observation techniques inspired by philosophy and anthropology to study social phenomena. He explains that the book is a reflection of that class, allowing more people to learn about observation. 00:11:50 - The Journey of Observation and Curiosity Christian discusses his natural inclination towards observation and curiosity. He reflects on how studying philosophy and different historical perspectives helped him develop a deeper understanding of the assumptions we make about the world. He emphasizes the importance of observing without preconceived opinions and describes observation as a technique for scrutinizing our own assumptions. 00:14:49 - Perception and Intuition Christian challenges the misconception that humans perceive the world as atomistic data. He explains that humans perceive things holistically, seeing things as part of a larger social context rather than as individual data points. He highlights the importance of understanding the relationship 00:18:17 - The Danger of Comparing Computers to Human Brains, Comparing computers to human brains can lead to a misunderstanding of what it means to be human. Humans are not just intellectual beings; much of our experience and understanding comes from our bodies and the spaces we inhabit. 00:19:55 - The Problem with Having Strong Opinions, Having strong opinions about everything can create a filter between us and the world. It prevents us from seeing things objectively and directly, as we interpret everything through a political or opinionated lens. 00:21:54 - The Importance of Describing Social Phenomena, In order to better understand the world and the work we do, we need to study and describe the social phenomena at the center of our work. By understanding the context and dynamics of a situation, we can provide better advice and make more informed decisions. 00:25:30 - Case Study: Observing Fundraising Strategies, By observing people in the streets trying to raise funds for the white rhinos, a student learned valuable lessons about effective fundraising. He discovered that gentle and subtle approaches were much more successful than aggressive or shaming tactics. 00:30:44 - The Power of Hyper Reflection, Hyper-reflection is a type of attention that allows us to observe how others pay attention. By practicing hyper-reflection, we can better understand the dynamics and behaviors of people and organizations, leading to innovation and positive change. 00:35:36 - The Importance of Observation and Description, Christian discusses the importance of observing and describing social phenomena in order to gain insight and break down biases and prejudices. He emphasizes the value of feeling connected to the world and having a direct relationship with it. 00:37:35 - Building Trust and Observing Humans, Melina mentions how this work reminds her of an Apple Fitness' “Time To Walk” episode with Jane Goodall she recently listened to. Christian draws a parallel between Jane Goodall's observations of chimpanzees and his own observations of humans. He highlights the need to build trust with people in order to accurately describe and understand group dynamics and assumptions. 00:40:11 - Different Perspectives on the Same Phenomena, Christian recognizes that he and Melina approach the same phenomena from different angles, with behavioral science and cognitive science on one side and philosophical perspectives on the other. They agree on the importance of diverse methods and techniques in gaining insight. 00:42:33 - Observation in Science, Christian and Melina discuss the role of observation in scientific breakthroughs and paradigm shifts. They agree that observation is at the heart of good science and that scientists should incorporate more observation into their work. 00:44:50 - Conclusion, Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: Look, by Christian Madsjberg Sensemaking, by Christian Madsjberg The Moment of Clarity, by Christian Madsjberg A More Beautiful Question, by Warren Berger Both/And Thinking, by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis Connect with Christian: Follow Christian on LinkedIn Christian's website Top Recommended Next Episode: How Minds Change, with David McRaney (ep 210) Already Heard That One? Try These: For The Culture, with Marcus Collins (ep 305) Survivorship Bias (ep 110) What Problem Are You Solving? (ep 126) Mental Accounting (ep 282) What is Cognitive Semiotics? (ep 259) Using Semiotics in Retail, with Rachel Lawes (ep 191) Non-Obvious Thinking, with Rohit Bhargava (ep 297) Habits (ep 256) Solving Modern Problems with a Stone-Age Brain (ep 237) Confirmation Bias (ep 260) Biases Toward Others – Including Groups (ep 314) Fundamental Attribution Error (ep 268) The Overwhelmed Brain and Its Impact on Decision Making (ep 32) Functional Fixedness (ep 194) A More Beautiful Question, with Warren Berger (ep 200) Evolutionary Ideas, with Sam Tatam (ep 204) Focusing Illusion (ep 89) Anthropology, Market Research and BE, with Priscilla McKinney (ep 196) Using Ethnography in Business (ep 324) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter
David and Michelle talk with the founder of ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg. Christian shares insights on seeing beyond the obvious, understanding social silences, and the power of deep observation in a world dominated by screens and opinions. You can read an excerpt of Christian’s latest book on our blog here. Get your copy of Look: How […] The post Ep: 130 How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World with Christian Madsbjerg appeared first on Fundraising Leadership .
The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer speaks with ethnographer Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz about the significance of ethnographic research in understanding customer behavior and organizational culture. Ethnography, a research methodology rooted in anthropology, has found new relevance in the business world. Felicity explains that ethnographic research involves immersing oneself in the studied context, actively interacting with people, and collecting qualitative data to gain deep insights. The episode emphasizes ethnography's value in the transport industry, highlighting various projects that have uncovered valuable insights into future mobility trends and incident management. Felicity also addresses challenges such as time constraints and the Hawthorne Effect. Business professionals looking to make informed decisions and improve organizational culture will find this episode informative and practical, offering a comprehensive introduction to ethnographic research and its applications. In this episode: Uncover the profound effects that ethnographic research has on interpreting customer behavior and shaping organizational culture. Tackle the burdens of integrating ethnographic research into a business context and explore practical solutions. Gain an understanding of the longitudinal character and direct benefits of ethnographic research. Deconstruct the Hawthorne effect and its significant role in any research project you might take on. Discover the emerging role of behavioral science and nudges in revolutionizing transportation research. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction, Melina Palmer introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz. She mentions that ethnography is an important method for understanding customers and lays the groundwork for the upcoming episode on observation skills with Christian Madsbjerg. 00:02:21 - What is Ethnographic Research?, Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz explains that ethnographic research originated in anthropology and involves studying cultures and local contexts to gain a deep understanding of people and their behaviors. She discusses how ethnography has evolved and how it is now used in business to gain insights into customers and organizational culture. 00:08:29 - Role of an Organizational Ethnographer, Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz describes her role as an organizational ethnographer at Atkins, an engineering and transport consultancy. She explains that she studies the culture within organizations, conducts research on future trends in the transport industry, and collects immersive data by observing and interacting with customers in their natural environments. 00:11:05 - Impact of Ethnography on Organizations, Felicity discusses how ethnography can provide organizations with a deeper understanding of their customers and employees. She explains that ethnographers can identify opportunities for improvement, inform decision-making, and facilitate cultural change within organizations. 00:13:26 - Ethical Considerations in Ethnographic Research, Felicity emphasizes the importance of reflexivity and self-awareness in ethnographic research. 00:16:19 - Ethnographic Methodologies in Business Contexts, Felicity discusses the challenges of utilizing ethnographic methodologies in a business context, where time constraints often limit the depth and richness of the data collected. While some purist academic ethnographers may object to condensed time periods, Felicity suggests spending as much continuous time as possible with a specific group to establish rapport and gain valuable insights. 00:18:09 - Accompanied Drives and Ethical Considerations, Felicity explains her approach to conducting accompanied drives, where she sits in the passenger seat with the driver and encourages them to share their thoughts and experiences. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining participant anonymity and establishing trust to overcome suspicion and encourage open communication. 00:21:28 - Nudges and Behavioral Science in Transportation, Felicity discusses her work with local transport authorities in the UK, focusing on designing behavioral nudges to encourage residents to shift from private cars to public transport or active modes of travel. She highlights the importance of considering contextual factors, such as weather and incentives, to effectively change behavior. 00:25:10 - The Effectiveness of Nudges in Shifting Behaviors, Felicity presents findings from a study conducted in Manchester, where text message nudges were used to encourage walking, cycling, or using public transport for commuting. The results revealed that the effectiveness of nudges varied depending on contextual factors, such as weather, and suggested that larger incentives may be needed to change behaviors in unfavorable conditions. 00:31:44 - Social Pressure and Incentives for Mask-Wearing, The discussion focuses on the social pressure that exists regarding mask-wearing in different countries and contexts. In some places, there is a need to set up schemes to incentivize mask-wearing, while in others, people automatically conform and penalize those who don't. 00:33:05 - Importance of Ethnographic Research, Ethnographic research is highlighted as a valuable approach to understanding differing opinions and behaviors. By taking interlocutors seriously and stepping into their worlds, researchers can gain insights into their motivations and beliefs. This approach requires being present and observing without bias or preconceived notions. 00:34:13 - Understanding Beliefs and Motivations, Ethnographic research delves beyond surface-level behaviors and artifacts to uncover the deep-seated beliefs, cultural influences, and personal experiences that shape people's actions. By exploring these underlying factors, researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of individuals and their perspectives. 00:36:22 - Immersion and Risk in Ethnographic Research, To truly understand certain contexts and realities, ethnographers may need to immerse themselves in potentially risky situations. This could involve not wearing a mask in a non-mask space or accompanying individuals into dangerous environments. Immersion allows for a more accurate and complete depiction of people's experiences and challenges. 00:38:16 - Conclusion Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show. I hope you love everything recommended via The Brainy Business! Everything was independently reviewed and selected by me, Melina Palmer. So you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to shop from the links on this page (via Amazon or others), The Brainy Business may collect a share of sales or other compensation. Let's connect: Melina@TheBrainyBusiness.com The Brainy Business® on Facebook The Brainy Business on Twitter The Brainy Business on Instagram The Brainy Business on LinkedIn Melina on LinkedIn The Brainy Business on Youtube Learn and Support The Brainy Business: Check out and get your copies of Melina's Books. Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode: Engaged, by Amy Bucher Behavioral Science in the Wild, by Dilip Soman and Nina Mazar What Your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You, by Melina Palmer Designing for Behavior Change, by Stephen Wendel Mixed Signals, by Uri Gneezy Connect with Felicity: Felicity on LinkedIn Felicity on Twitter Top Recommended Next Episode: Hawthorne Effect (ep 117) Already Heard That One? Try These: Questions or Answers? (ep 4) NUDGES & Choice Architecture (ep 35) How to Finally Change Your Behavior (So it Sticks) (ep 81) How To Set Up Your Own Experiments (ep 63) Colu (ep 113) The Littery (ep 75) Incentives - The “N” in Nudges (ep 272) Finding Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (ep 107) Mixed Signals with Uri Gneezy (273) Introducing the Behavioral Science Club, with Louise Ward (ep 118) Focusing Illusion (ep 89) Anthropology, Market Research and BE, with Priscilla McKinney (ep 196) Using Semiotics in Retail, with Rachel Lawes (ep 191) Influence Is Your Superpower, with Zoe Chance (ep 308) You Have More Influence Than You Think, with Vanessa Bohns (ep 197) How Minds Change, with David McRaney (ep 210) Vulnerability Loops (ep 229) Other Important Links: Brainy Bites - Melina's LinkedIn Newsletter
Do you want to feel less distracted? On this episode of the Live Greatly podcast Kristel Bauer sits down with Christian Madsbjerg the author of 'Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World'. Kristel and Christian discuss how observation may help improve quality of life as well as increase connection and support innovation. Learn how to incorporate observation into your life by tuning in now! Key Takeaways from This Episode: How to learn to see what is really there Is observation comparable to mindfulness? Does observation help reduce stress? Why observations are not opinions The benefits of observation Why our moods matter and how to use them to our advantage Insights from Christian's book 'Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World' How observation can improve innovation How you can start to observe right outside your front door ABOUT Christian Madsbjerg and his new book 'Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World': Paying attention is a crucial human skill, yet many of us have forgotten how to listen carefully and observe intentionally. Deluged by social media and hobbled by the increasing social isolation it fosters, we need to rediscover the deeply human ways we connect with others. Christian Madsbjerg, a philosopher and entrepreneur, understands this dilemma. To counteract it, he began a course at The New School in New York City called Human Observation, which lays out the ways that we can learn to pay attention more effectively. The course has been hugely popular since its inception, with hundreds of students filling waiting lists. In Look, Madsbjerg sets out the key observational skills needed to show how we can recapture our ability to pay attention. Drawing from philosophy, science, the visual arts, and his own life, he offers both practical insights and a range of tools for experiencing the world with greater richness and texture. The result is a dynamic approach to rethinking observation that helps all of us to see with more empathy, accuracy, and connection to others. Christian writes, speaks, and teaches the practical application of the Human Sciences and 20th century continental philosophy, particularly the works of Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Latest as a full time Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School for Social Research. He is a Senior Fellow at The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) in Tokyo, Japan and a Distinguished Visitor at The Buffett Center for International Affairs at Northwestern University in Chicago. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. Christian's Website: https://madsbjerg.com/ Buy the book 'Look' HERE Follow Christian on Linkedin HERE About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, popular keynote and TEDx speaker, and the host of top-rated podcast, “Live Greatly,” a show frequently ranked in the top 1% for self-improvement. Kristel is an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, giving her a unique perspective into optimizing mental well-being and attaining a mindset for more happiness and success in the workplace and beyond. Kristel decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 when she founded her wellness platform “Live Greatly” to share her message around well-being and success on a larger scale. With a mission to support companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success, and well-being, Kristel taps into her unique background in healthcare, business, and media, to provide invaluable insights into high power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, sales, success, wellness at work, and a modern approach to work/life balance. Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. A popular speaker on a variety of topics, Kristel has presented to groups at APMP, Bank of America, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. She has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine, has contributed to CEOWORLD Magazine & Real Leaders Magazine, and has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their 2 children. She can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. You can learn more at https://www.livegreatly.co/ To Book Kristel Bauer as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions. Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations. They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content. Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you. About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, popular keynote and TEDx speaker, and the host of top-rated podcast, “Live Greatly,” a show frequently ranked in the top 1% for self-improvement. Kristel is an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, giving her a unique perspective into optimizing mental well-being and attaining a mindset for more happiness and success in the workplace and beyond. Kristel decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 when she founded her wellness platform “Live Greatly” to share her message around well-being and success on a larger scale. With a mission to support companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success, and well-being, Kristel taps into her unique background in healthcare, business, and media, to provide invaluable insights into high power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, sales, success, wellness at work, and a modern approach to work/life balance. Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. A popular speaker on a variety of topics, Kristel has presented to groups at APMP, Bank of America, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. She has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine, has contributed to CEOWORLD Magazine & Real Leaders Magazine, and has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their 2 children. She can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. You can learn more at https://www.livegreatly.co/ To Book Kristel Bauer as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions. Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations. They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content. Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus
Kelly speaks with Christian Madsbjerg, co-founder of the consulting firm ReD Associates and professor of applied humanities at the New School in New York City. He has a new book called “Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World.” “Creativity is never radical, insights are.” “Stop talking and try listening. What will you hear in the silence?” […]
Christian is interested in human worlds, human perception and the skill of observation, which is reflected in the diversity of his professional experience. He has been a full time Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School for Social Research; a Senior Fellow at The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) in Tokyo, Japan and a Distinguished Visitor at The Buffett Center for International Affairs at Northwestern University in Chicago.He co-founded ReD Associates, a pioneering consultancy with offices in Copenhagen, Paris, London and New York City, and a health data start-up Lateral Data based in Dallas TX. His board appointments include Chairman of the top-tier architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group: BIG; Independent director of the luxury furniture manufacturer Fritz Hansen; Independent director and Nomination/Governance Committee chairman at the battery metals company The Metals Company; Member of the high-end home textiles manufacturer Kvadrat; and Board member at Red Associates Holding. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Business week. And he is the author of three books: The Moment of Clarity - Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems Sensemaking - The Power of The Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm And just released:Look - How to pay attention in a world of distraction. Learn more about Christian: Connect on LinkedIn See more of his work Learn more about NDM at NaturalisticDecisionMaking.org. Where to find the hosts: Brian Moon Brian's website Brian's LinkedIn Brian's Twitter Laura Militello Laura's website Laura's LinkedIn Laura's Twitter
The world offers a lot to stimulate our senses – so much, in fact, that it's hard to pay attention these days on any one thing. Christian Madsbjerg joins us to talk about how we can recapture our ability to focus on things that matter and reestablish our connection to the people around us. His book is called “Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World.”
Paying attention is a crucial human skill, yet many of us have forgotten how to listen carefully and observe intentionally. In this episode, we talk about how we can recapture our ability to pay attention that helps all of us to see with more empathy, accuracy, and connection to others. Christian Madsbjerg founded (and sold) ReD Associates - a strategic innovation consultancy - with a group of likeminded people in 2007. He is the author of books on social theory and discourse analysis. Christian's book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World is available now. Find out more about Christian at madsbjerg.com. Support the Show - Become a Patron! Help us grow and become a Patron today: https://www.patreon.com/smartpeoplepodcast Sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/spp. LinkedIn - Go to LinkedIn.com/SMARTPEOPLE for a 60-day free trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Christian Madsbjerg new book is LOOK: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World, an exploration of how we pay attention, why it matters, and how we get it back. Christian Madsbjerg is cofounder of the consulting firm ReD Associates. He writes, speaks, and teaches widely on the practical application of the human sciences.
If you missed Episode # with Christian Madsbjerg, here is a recap with Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton.
Hello and welcome to Anxiety at Work. We hope the time you spend with us will help remove the stigma of anxiety and mental health in the workplace and your personal life.What you will learnWhat is hyper reflection? Why is it important?3 levels of attention Discover what and why people do what they doThe gaps between what people say, and the actuality of how they liveThe myth that we have access to our belief, desires and can express themWith us is our new friend Christian Madsbjerg who is cofounder of the consulting firm ReD Associates. He writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of human sciences. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg Business Week. He is the author of the new book from Penguin Random House. “Look: How to pay attention is a distracted world.” Support the showUntil next week, we hope you find peace & calm in a world that often is a sea of anxiety.If you love this podcast, please share it and leave a 5-star rating! If you feel inspired, we invite you to come on over to The Culture Works where we share resources and tools for you to build a high-performing culture where you work.Your hosts, Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton have spent over two decades helping clients around the world engage their employees on strategy, vision and values. They provide real solutions for leaders looking to manage change, drive innovation and build high performance cultures and teams. They are authors of award-winning Wall Street Journal & New York Times bestsellers All In, The Carrot Principle, Leading with Gratitude, & Anxiety at Work. Their books have been translated into 30 languages and have sold more than 1.5 million copies. Visit The Culture Works for a free Chapter 1 download of Anxiety at Work.Learn more about their Executive Coaching at The Culture Works. christy@thecultureworks.com to book Adrian and/or Chester to keynote
Go on a powerful exploration of how we pay attention in a distracted world with philosopher and entrepreneur Christian Madsbjerg. His new book may transform the way we connect with one another - at work, at home, and beyond. (0:47)Then, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Roy A. Meals takes us on a wide-ranging journey through anatomy, biology, history, and health to unlock the mysteries of our muscles. (29:01)
In his new book, LOOK: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World, Christian Madsbjerg explores the importance of observational skills. Drawing on various fields—science, philosophy, and the arts—as well as his personal experiences, Madsbjerg offers tools and insights to help us better pay attention and extract insights.Madsbjerg was co-founder and senior partner of consulting firm, ReD Associates and was previously a professor of applied humanities at the New School for Social Research in New York City. He works at the intersection of business and the humanities, guiding firms to develop powerful strategies anchored in human perception.Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Madsbjerg discusses how we can learn to observe the world properly—letting go of oversimplifying assumptions and biases—and how this will help firms unlock insights about their customers far beyond the reach of traditional market research.Key topics discussed: [01:25] How to observe properly[06:57] How “total observation” can unlock new insights[13:14] Distractions of modern life and how to tackle them[18:14] Difference between traditional market research and “total observation”[21:30] How to change how we observe things in the corporate contextThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In a world that increasingly promotes distraction and isolation, the ability to pay attention to each other has become ever more important. Philosopher Christian Madsbjerg talks to Rob about his new book, Look, which outlines how we can recapture our ability to pay attention.
Episode 1602: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Christian Madsbjerg, author of LOOK, about how to pay attention in a distracted world Christian Madsbjerg is cofounder of the consulting firm ReD Associates. He writes, speaks, and teaches widely on the practical application of the human sciences. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek. He lives in New York City with his family. “Look - How to Pay Attention in a Time of Distraction” is Madsbjerg's barce new book published with Riverhead in July 2023. Look, explores the key observational skills needed to show how we can recapture our ability to pay attention. Drawing from philosophy, science, the visual arts, and his own life, Madsbjerg offers practical insights and a range of tools for experiencing the world with greater richness and texture. The result is a dynamic approach to rethinking observation that helps all of us to see with more empathy, accuracy, and connection to others. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TODAY'S GUEST Christian Madsbjerg is a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and a co-founder of the pioneering Red Associates, a consultancy with offices in Copenhagen and New York City, which brings the human sciences to bear on strategic business problems, mostly dealing with companies in trouble. Christian writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of the human sciences, latest as a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School for social research. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. His latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was released in the spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group, and is out in 16 languages. EPISODE SUMMARY In this conversation we talk about: Growing up on a small island near Sweden. His work with Lego, helping them identify harmful, false assumptions around play and childhood. The critical value of the humanities in business, and why it's been overlooked for so long. The value of slowing down. His book, Sensemaking. His skepticism around AI, big data, and design thinking. And many other topics. I'm a big believer in the power of the humanities, from anthropology to history, poetry to philosophy, to teach us critical tools and skills for the world of business. And I think this conversation will be eye-opening to many people. It's one of a dozen or so weekly conversations we already have lined up for you with thinkers, designers, makers, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, and impact investors who are working to change our world for the better. So follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app, or head over to remakepod.org to subscribe. And now let's jump right in with Christian Madsbjerg. TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS [3:28] Life During Covid [14:42] Early Childhood Observations [16:27] A Path of Early Projects [20:03] Rebuilding Lego [27:28] Assumptions and Questions [29:13] Introducing Humanities to the Business World [34:38] Sensemaking and the Role of Humans vs Technology [41:59] The Concept of the Human [44:36] An Observation of Design Thinking [49:10] How to Pay Attention [51:08] H1B [54:29] A Short Sermon EPISODE LINKS Christian's Links
Cet épisode est une rediffusion complète de l'épisode de Léa Mendes Da Silva sorti en deux parties en décembre 2021 et janvier 2022. Les ressources de l'épisodes Les liens Le site de PayFit Léa dans La French Touch et dans AARRR Appliqué Lean UX de Jeff Gothelf The Three-Hour Brand Sprint Rebranding a Freight Forwarding Startup Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World de Stanley McChrystal The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Hardest Business Problems de Christian Madsbjerg et Mikkel Rasmussen Un podcast a soi de Charlotte Bienaimé Les autres épisodes de Design Journeys L'épisode #9 avec Mickaël David, Design Director @ Doctolib L'épisode #16 avec Solène Borrat, Head of Design @ Getaround L'épisode #20 avec Julien Hillion, Lead Product Designer @ Qonto L'épisode #24 avec Mathilde Gautier, User Researcher @ PayFit L'épisode #25 avec Morgane Peng, Directrice de l'Expérience Designer @ SGCIB L'épisode #29 avec Julien Clement, Head of Design @ Veepee Pour contacter Léa: LinkedIn Pour soutenir le podcast, n'hésite pas à mettre ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ sur Apple Podcast ou Spotify pour aider les autres designers à découvrir le podcast
At the core of his latest book, Christian Madsbjerg argues that business people focus too much on what we might call the “thin data” and ignore the “thick data.” That we are emphasizing too much the analytical, and ignoring the insights that can come from what some people might call the intuitive.Christian Madsbjerg is a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and Co-Founder of the pioneering consultancy Red Associates, a consultancy with offices in Copenhagen and New York City. For two decades he has worked as a management consultant, mostly dealing with companies in trouble. Greg and Christian dive into his latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, touching on the Silicon Valley mindset, the art of framework selection and dating apps.Episode Quotes:What is human observationSo that's what I mean by human observation that, you know, just shut up, you know, and, try to leave your political opinions, your preconceived notions behind for a little while. And see what's going on, you know? And that is for me phenomenology, when it's practical and applicable.A problem with how we teach studentsAnd I think we often take very smart, creative students and we educate them out of the possibility of using what they learn and they end up not using what they learned. On corporations & the humanitiesWhat I found was that when big decisions are made in large corporations about things that touch our lives, there is an empty seat.Show Links:Recommended Resources:Anthro-Vision: A New Way to See in Business and Life by Gillian TettThe Peregrine by J. A. BakerHubert DreyfusClifford GeertzAbductionGuest Profile:Faculty Profile at The New SchoolProfessional Profile at ReD AssociatesChristian Madsbjerg's WebsiteChristian Madsbjerg on LinkedInHis Work:Christian Madsbjerg in Harvard Business ReviewSensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the AlgorithmThe Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems
On episode 126, we welcome Professor Christian Madbjerg to discuss the elements of ‘sense-making', the benefits and limits of data collection, Moneyball and why some of the sports teams implementing purely statistical approaches aren't as successful as one may think they are, analytic empathy and using data to form deeper understandings of inter-subjective experiences, how to integrate various perspectives to gain a better understanding of the world, the interpersonal elements of psychotherapy and why therapy apps aren't as effective as hoped for, the importance of setting aside judgments to grasp individual decisions and the resistance JFK experienced during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and how the humanities (including philosophy) complement data and the sciences. Christian Madsbjerg is professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and Co-Founder of the pioneering consultancy Red Associates, a strategy consulting company based in the human sciences and employing anthropologists, sociologists, art historians, and philosophers. Madsbjerg studied philosophy and political science in Copenhagen and London. His latest book is called Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm. | Christian Madsbjerg | ► Website 1 | https://madsbjerg.com/ ► Website 2 | https://www.redassociates.com/ ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-madsbjerg-8aa73 ► Sensemaking Book Link | https://amzn.to/3j1reFt Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666
Natalie Hanson encourages design leaders to play the long-game, challenges designers to be less myopic, and shares the struggle of stepping back from work to focus on her health. Highlights include: ⭐ Why is it important for design leaders to be patient and persistent? ⭐ How do you tell someone they're not ready for what they've asked for? ⭐ Should other people in our organisations care about users? ⭐ How did Christian Madsbjerg, founder of ReD Associates, help you? ⭐ When and how do you make the case for user research? ====== Who is Natalie Hanson? Natalie is a Principal at ZS, a 12,000 strong global professional services firm with more than 35 years of experience delivering products that create customer and company value. At ZS, Natalie leads a global human-centred design, research and engineering team of over 250 people. Out and proud since 1986, she is also the executive sponsor of ZS' global LGBTQ+ community. Before joining ZS, Natalie was the Senior Director of Strategic Programs & UX Consulting at SAP, where she oversaw a portfolio of programs within the Knowledge Management function. Natalie is also the founder of AnthroDesign, a community of people working in UX and using ethnographic methods, Natalie has worked tirelessly for the past 20 years to bring people from across design and anthropology together. Her efforts have helped to spawn the EPIC conference, which aims to advance the value of ethnography in industry, as well and a number of books. ====== Find Natalie here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliehanson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ndhanthro Website: https://nataliehanson.com/ AnthroDesign: Website: https://anthrodesign.com/ ====== Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen). Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheSpaceInBetween/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-space-in-between/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespaceinbetw__n/ ====== Hosted by Brendan Jarvis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/ Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanjarvis/
TODAY'S GUEST Christian Madsbjerg is a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and a co-founder of the pioneering Red Associates, a consultancy with offices in Copenhagen and New York City, which brings the human sciences to bear on strategic business problems, mostly dealing with companies in trouble. Christian writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of the human sciences, latest as a Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School for social research. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. His latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was released in the spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group, and is out in 16 languages. EPISODE SUMMARY In this conversation we talk about: Growing up on a small island near Sweden. His work with Lego, helping them identify harmful, false assumptions around play and childhood. The critical value of the humanities in business, and why it's been overlooked for so long. The value of slowing down. His book, Sensemaking. His skepticism around AI, big data, and design thinking. And many other topics. I'm a big believer in the power of the humanities, from anthropology to history, poetry to philosophy, to teach us critical tools and skills for the world of business. And I think this conversation will be eye-opening to many people. It's one of a dozen or so weekly conversations we already have lined up for you with thinkers, designers, makers, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, and impact investors who are working to change our world for the better. So follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app, or head over to remakepod.org to subscribe. And now let's jump right in with Christian Madsbjerg. TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS [3:28] Life During Covid [14:42] Early Childhood Observations [16:27] A Path of Early Projects [20:03] Rebuilding Lego [27:28] Assumptions and Questions [29:13] Introducing Humanities to the Business World [34:38] Sensemaking and the Role of Humans vs Technology [41:59] The Concept of the Human [44:36] An Observation of Design Thinking [49:10] How to Pay Attention [51:08] H1B [54:29] A Short Sermon EPISODE LINKS Christian's Links
Christian is the co-founder of management consultancy ReD Associates & Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and Senior Partner in Red Associates. Christian's work is based on his interest in the practical application of the Human Sciences. Christian teaches philosophy at The New School in New York City and helps out in larger organizations as an advisor. Timestamps ______________________ 0:00 - Christian's Story & His Heroes 13:44 - Heidegger, Technology & Nature 19:46 - How do we reconcile capitalist systems with the need to preserve the world? 27:03 - Human Intelligence in a world of Big Data 33:47 - The Value of the Humanities & its importance in human progress 39:05 - An Anthropologist Walks Into a Bar.... 45:21 - How Anthropology can solve problems 54:03 - Social Sciences and Ignorance ' 59:56 - What is Christian's Utopia? Mentioned ______________________ ReD Associates Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm by Christian Madsbjerg The Question Concerning Technology by Martin Heidegger Nassim Nicholas Taleb Credits ______________________ Thumbnail: Illustration by Tim Robinson Music: A Journey Through The Universe – Lesion X --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/utopia-is-now/message
Cet épisode est la deuxième partie de ma discussion avec Léa. Vous pouvez retrouver la première partie ici. Recrutée comme Head of Design, Léa se retrouve rapidement dans la position de VP Design : elle ne gère pas que son équipe, elle participe au comité exécutif de l'entreprise et à la manière d'améliorer l'expérience utilisateur au niveau de toute l'entreprise. A son arrivée, Léa doit faire grandir son équipe. Il y a 2 Product Designers et une Brand Designers pour une entreprise en très forte croissance. Elle recrute alors de nombreux designers généralistes afin qu'ils puissent être le plus autonomes possible tout en gérant au mieux les expériences critiques du produit. Rapidement, elle crée un Design Studio qui regroupe différentes expertises : User Research, Service Design, Design Ops & Design System. L'équipe est donc séparée entre les designers attachés à une squad et des designers experts qui viennent en support des autres équipes. Léa revient sur la façon dont elle a structuré son équipe dans un contexte d'hyper-croissance et les profils qu'elle recherche désormais pour la consolider. Elle explique son approche, ses réflexions, ses réussites et ses échecs autour de cette structuration. Plus il y a de designers dans une équipe, plus il est compliqué de garder de la cohérence. Léa nous explique ce qu'elle a mis en place pour pallier ce problème : les rituels entre designers, le partage de connaissances ou le recrutement d'une Design Ops pour mettre en place des process. Au final, Léa a une très bonne métaphore pour résumer la façon dont fonctionne son équipe : le blob. Un être capable d'apprendre et de retenir, de s'adapter à toutes les situations, de fusionner avec d'autres pour être plus fort et intelligent… Son équipe, c'est un tout à laquelle chaque designer peut se rattacher, apprendre et grandir. Aussi, aborde-t-on un sujet difficile : la mesure de la performance des designers. Elle revient sur ce qu'elle a mis en place, ce qui n'a pas marché et pourquoi, ses questionnements et ses pistes de réflexion. On parle aussi : Du rôle des Directeurs Design De l'UX Writing quand on n'a pas de Content Designers De la systématisation de la recherche et de l'écriture De l'internationalisation des interfaces De l'accessibilité Des Design Principles chez PayFit, de leur création à leur mise en application De la place du Brand Design dans l'équipe de Léa A la fin, on aborde les moyens mis en place chez PayFit pour développer le potentiel des designers, les faire grandir et les garder, dans un contexte de forte concurrence sur les recrutements. Léa nous explique en quoi la diversité des profils dans son équipe aide à l'émulation. Elle revient aussi sur les process mis en place pour ajouter de la structure à l'équipe afin de donner une direction commune aux designers. Enfin, la mise en place d'un career path pour aider les designers à s'évaluer, savoir quelles compétences acquérir pour évoluer a été un atout précieux pour l'équipe de Léa. Les ressources de l'épisodes Les liens Le site de PayFit Léa dans La French Touch et dans AARRR Appliqué Lean UX de Jeff Gothelf Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World de Stanley McChrystal The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Hardest Business Problems de Christian Madsbjerg et Mikkel Rasmussen Un podcast a soi de Charlotte Bienaimé Les autres épisodes de Design Journeys L'épisode #9 avec Mickaël David, Design Director @ Doctolib L'épisode #20 avec Julien Hillion, Lead Product Designer @ Qonto L'épisode #24 avec Mathilde Gautier, User Researcher @ PayFit Pour contacter Léa LinkedIn Pour soutenir le podcast : Inscris-toi à Design Journeys pour ne louper aucun épisode Mets 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts ou Spotify pour aider les autres designers à découvrir le podcast
This week our guest is Christian Madsbjerg who is the Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School in New York and co-founder of the consultancy Red Associates. In this episode, we primarily discuss the ideas put forth in Christian's latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm. Amongst other things, this includes exploring some of Christian's key principles such as looking at cultures instead of individuals, looking at people's experiences in their natural environment rather than in the lab, and looking at thick data (which includes context and passion) instead of thin data which tends to focus solely on cold hard facts. While most of this conversation will explore the shortcomings of a data-obsessed decision-making, we start off with a conversation Christian and I had started before recording dealing with his latest fascination: attention. Follow Christian's work at https://madsbjerg.com/ * Host: Steven Parton - LinkedIn / Twitter Music by: Amine el Filali
Breaking down silos, trying to help people to work together across boundaries of discipline, profession and culture, is a difficult job and one that Christian Madsbjerg has spent much of his career trying to accomplish with much success. Madsbjerg is the co-founder of the consulting company, ReD Associates, Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and has just launched a new venture called Lateral Data.On this episode, Madsbjerg talks with Annelise Riles about diagnosing silo problems and removing them in business, health care and other industries. He also discusses the silos that exist at research universities, which he calls the “mother of all silos.” Madsbjerg, author of Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, also talks about artificial intelligence, algorithms and the need for an infusion of humanistic approaches into algorithms or as an alternative to algorithms.
Christian Madsbjerg is a professor at the New School for Social Research in New York City, where he teaches German and French philosophy from the 20th century. He has also founded a company called Red Associates. Red Associates is a Social Science-based or anthropology-based company to advise on human behaviour and how humans make sense of the world, and what is meaningful and important to them from the level of experience.In this conversation, we explore perspectives on the role of social science in business. Here are some of the things that stood out for me.Design systems, products and services for humans?This might sound obvious or, as Christian described, banal. Yet, much of the thinking around organization has come from management science. In many ways, management science attempted to bring the rigour of science to the business world. As a result, the field has been influenced by disciplines like economics, engineering and Mathematics. Social Science has much to contribute to the study of human arrangements. The proposal is simple. Reduce risk by using social sciences to produce new products and services in the business world.Do not pass judgement too quickly.Understanding people is about waiting, careful observation and not passing judgement too quickly. To find insight, we have to observe humans slowly, intentionally, and patiently. We need to be open to the first judgement not being true. Building your capacity to suspend judgement is the core to finding good insight.Seeing things work.When you see things work, it can be transformative. Using slow observation, you can find frugal, novel or simple insights that can be transformative.Disappointment is a better source of innovation than wonder.Where do people find inspiration in their search for innovation? It is an interesting provocation to ask the question, what disappoints you? What are you disappointed in, and how can you change it? Think for a second about where you find your inspiration. Where are the philosophers?The technologies of tomorrow will transform our future in ways we cannot imagine. What if we had philosophers at the decision-making tables? For example, what if there were philosophers in the room when we first launched Facebook? What questions might they have asked to help curtail some of the unintended consequences of technologies like social media?Insights can spread like wildfire.When an organization can find beneficial insight, it can spread throughout the organization. Insights can be fuel for transformation.Who is too comfortable in their power?Christian gave the example of what happens when Finance and Technology are too comfortable in their power. When one of these becomes too comfortable, it does not end well. This might be true of any domain. When people are too comfortable, especially too comfortable in their power, it can increase their blind spots. How do you notice when you are too comfortable in your power?Be interested in humans. We often find comfort in abstractions, models, or systems when we need to be focused on humans. When need to be interested in the things humans do, feel and say every day. We live in a world that has placed enormous trust in abstractions that don’t often get us as far as we thought.You are probably wrong.Christian tells a beautiful story about working with Samsung. At the time, he thought it was a terrible idea to put a camera on the phone. What he learned is that it is better to go with observation and analysis than intuition.Tap into talent as it is globally.It cannot be that the best people in the world all come from the same country as you. It does not work that you tap into talent globally. Learn to tap into global talent.Questions can change your world.Christian shared a story about working with Adidas. They asked the question, “Is Yoga a sport?” That question took the company on a journey to explore sports that are not about winning. Today, 60% of their revenue comes from sports that are about winning.What is like to be?The central message from Christian is to observe. His favourite quote is, look, don’t think. As I understand it, he is on a quest to understand why people do what they do? When we observe the everyday activities of real people, we gain real insight. We need to start with observing everyday human interactions. Questions bring perspective. They often can lead to insight or something new.To learn more about Christian Madsbjerg, visit:https://www.redassociates.com/
Dengang jeg læste filosofi i begyndelsen af mine 20'ere blev jeg ofte spurgt, hvad jeg kunne bruge det til. Faktisk endte jeg med at skifte til psykologifaget, fordi det var nemmere at se en fremtid i et fag, hvor uddannelsen endte med en titel, som jeg selv og min omverden kunne forstå. Men hvorfor har vi så svært ved at forstå, hvad de humanistiske fag kan bruges til? Jeg tror faktisk, vi overser et enormt potentiale hos de unge studerende på de "bløde" fag. Vært: Svend Brinkmann. Gæster: David Budtz Pedersen, professor mso ved Aalborg Universitet og Christian Madsbjerg, stifter af og direktør i ReD Associates. Tilrettelægger: Christoffer Heide Høyer.
Christian Madsbjerg is Professor of Applied Humanities at The New School and Co-Founder of the pioneering consultancy Red Associates.Christian insists that, in order to address the leadership crisis that exists in today’s world, we need a new way of seeing. The ability to talk and work across disciplines and traditional silos of thinking is rooted in the Phenomenological approaches of Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty and its an approach for which Christian Madsbjerg continues to advocate.In this conversation, we push back against the ironic shallows of Silicon Valley and Design Thinking as well the limitations of our current way of imagining the university.Learn more about Christian Madsbjerg at https://madsbjerg.com/
Christian Madsbjerg, a professor at The New School and co-founder of the consultancy Red Associates, talks about conducting better high-stakes decision making under stress and why we need to overhaul how knowledge is created and organized.
Design has been welcomed into many disciplines over the past couple decades. While it’s exciting to see the world embracing design and problem-solving skills to help teams make critical decisions and strategies, sometimes it feels like “design” has been distilled down to a one-size-fits-all process. Is it possible that in today’s design practice, we’ve forgotten about the importance of aesthetic, delight, and quality? Have designers lost their unique voice and POV? In Episode 38, as T+M grapple with what’s happening in design, they turn to their longtime friend and colleague Christian Madsbjerg, Human Science guru and Founder of ReD Associates, for a chat. The trio explore the value of the designer’s perspective and discuss questions that matter to design today: What happened when “design thinking” entered the mainstream. Is everyone really a designer? Can design address all of our problems? Fear not, Yah, No listeners, there may be a middle ground. Or as Christian prefers to call it: The third wave of design. Oooh, we like that. Grab your headphones and (for pun’s sake, your surfboard), as we dive into this idea of the third wave of design with the very inspiring Christian Madsbjerg. Don’t miss this one!
In 'Sensemaking' author Christian Madsbjerg suggests that big data was supposed to have all the answers...but then it didn't. And in 'A Field Guide to Lies and Statistics' author Daniel Levitin, neuroscientist addresses the question...Are you constantly bombarded with data, facts and statistics?Daniel Levitin shows us how to interpret statistics to enable you to make quicker, more laser focused, better-informed decisions to ultimately simplify your life. And in Sensemaking Christian Madsbjerg discusses the role the humanities have in the age of the algorithm. We look at the 5 principles for understanding the data we receive and the 4 ways to structure your knowledge.
Hur skapar vi mening tillsammans? Och hur kan förståelsen av fenomenet ”sensemaking” hjälpa oss att bli klokare tillsammans? I det här avsnittet av Art of Collaborating diskuterar vi boken ”Sensemaking. What makes Human Intelligence Essential in the Age of the Algorithm?” av Christian Madsbjerg.
Big data was supposed to have all the answers...but then it didn't. In this episode we discuss the role the humanities have in the age of the algorithm. We look at the 5 principles for understanding the data we receive and the 4 ways to structure your knowledge. Also, we talk about fencing(!?!)....en garde!
Kun muutos maailmassa nopeutuu, epävarmuuden määrä kasvaa. Tällaisessa ympäristössä meidän on yhä vaikeampaa tehdä tarkkoja suunnitelmia siitä, miten meidän kannattaisi toimia. Tämä haastaa organisaatioiden tapoja suunnitella, johtaa ja strategioida.Organisaatioille jää jäljelle kaksi mahdollisuutta. Jos emme enää voi ennakoida tulevaa, meidän tulee harjoitella mukautumaan yhä nopeammin. Toisaalta jos voimme hallita ympäristöä, voimme muokata siitä meille suotuisan. Strategian viitekehyksessä ensimmäistä näistä kutsutaan adaptiiviseksi strategiaksi, toista transformatiiviseksi.Milla Wiren (PhD) tutkii Turun Kauppakorkeakoulun disruptiolaboratoriossa muutosta ja sitä, miten organisaatiot suhtautuvat siihen. Yksikön tutkimus keskittyy ei-normatiiviseen muutokseen, jossa ihmisten oletukset muuttuvat yhtäkkiä radikaalisti. Tässä käännepisteessä (tipping point) muutos kääntyy valtavaan vauhtiin. Yksi arjen esimerkki disruptiivisesta muutoksesta on sähköskootterit, jotka valtasivat muun muassa Helsingin kadut kesällä.Kolmantena keskustelijana pöydässä on Solitan business designer Jaakko Luomaranta, joka työstää väitöskirjaa strategian ja muotoiluajattelun välisestä kentästä.Strategian ohella keskustelussa tarkastelemme, miten yritysten välinen kilpailu siirtyy ekosysteemien väliseksi taisteluksi, pohdimme luovuuden sisäsyntyisyyttä ja tarkastelemme, onko yritystoiminnalla itseisarvoa. Lisäksi opimme, miten digitalisaatio on kuin puu, mitä metataitoja ammattimainen käyrätorven soittaminen opettaa, ja miksi skifissä käsitellään dystopioita.Suositukset:Milla: Sheri S. Tepperin tuotanto, erityisesti Sideshow.Jaakko: David Epstein. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Christian Madsbjerg. Sensemaking. Naomi Novik. Spinning silver.Lauri: Oddarrang. In Cinema -albumi.Milla Wirenin väitöskirja. Strategizing in the New Normal. Implications of Digitalization for Strategizing and Uncertainty: Philosophical and Managerial Considerations.
Christian Madsbjerg is the cofounder of ReD Associates, and author of Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm and The Moment of Clarity. We’re also so pleased to announce that he’ll be speaking at our inaugural Advancing Research conference (March 30-April 1 in NYC). In this episode of Rosenfeld Review, Christian and Lou discuss the differences between social sciences research and data science, and the challenges that arise when organizations try to align them. Christian and Lou also touch on academic chauvinism, the shortcomings of anthropology (despite how much Christian appreciates the subject), and the importance of looking at “people as people.” Register for Advancing Research 2020: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/advancing-research-2020/register/ Christian’s recommended reading: Radical Empiricism by William James and The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff (the book is an expansion on an article of the same title which appeared in The Atlantic in 2015 https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/) More about Christian: In addition to working closely as an adviser to senior executives, Christian Madsbjerg writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of the human sciences in business. His work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. His latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was published in the spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group. His book The Moment of Clarity, co-written with ReD partner Mikkel B. Rasmussen and published by Harvard Business Press in the fall of 2014, has been translated into 15+ languages. Christian is currently teaching at The New School in New York City and working on a new book about the power of observation. He studied philosophy and political science in Copenhagen and London and has a Masters from the University of London.
Christian Madsbjerg makes sense. Literally and figuratively, in all the definitions of the phrase. With roots in philosophy and political science, Madsbjerg brings a refreshingly human approach to his work as an author, screenwriter, professor, entrepreneur, and business advisor. In the face of some of the greatest concerns of our time—the climate crisis, technological upheaval—he challenges assumptions and advocates for reflection, deep reading, single-tasking, solitude, and yes, slowness. Though he doesn’t abide by the “digital detox” method, Madsbjerg does operate without a smartphone.While Madsbjerg is not immune to the contemporary swell of panic and anxiety, his approach is calm, methodical, and sometimes humorous. The co-founder of ReD Associates—a strategy and consulting firm that takes an interdisciplinary approach to advising big companies through observation, social science, and problem solving—the multifaceted Madsbjerg is an astute observer of human behavior. The author of Sensemaking: What Makes Human Intelligence Essential in the Age of the Algorithm and co-author of The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Hardest Business Problem, he is in the process of writing a book called How to Pay Attention and a comedic screenplay about immigration in the U.S., tentatively titled H1B. He also teaches social science, social theory, and discourse analysis at the Parsons School of Design at The New School. On this episode of Time Sensitive, Madsbjerg speaks to Andrew Zuckerman about the importance of long-view historical research, the problematic nature of “design thinking,” the deep value of a liberal arts education, and the relevance today of Martin Heidegger’s philosophical perspectives on time and technology.
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When the big players: Amazon, Coca Cola, Facebook, Leggo, Ford Motors, face product trouble and they just cannot understand why – they call on Christian Madsbjerg. He and his company ReD Associates are totally transforming the old, flawed marketing models that are so popular and so inaccurate. Host Bart Jackson invites Madsbjerg on to discuss what’s wrong with the big-data and impersonal survey methods employed by most firms and why they simply do not reflect human reality. To find out how Leggo blocks can compete in the digital-screen-oriented age, and what Ford truck owners really want out of their vehicle, Madsbjerg insists that we need human contact, not algorithms. In his immensely well received books Sensemaking and Moment of Clarity he shows how business has been lured into false assumption by “weapons of math destruction” and how a more anthropological approach is need to get us back on track.
We thought we would replay one of the most important episodes of last year - the episode with Christian Madsbjerg, the author of “Sensemaking”. Christian’s point of view has become the basis of so much of what we do on this podcast. We don’t often read books that change how we think about the world. Our guest on this episode, Christian Madsbjerg, wrote a book “Sensemaking” that did just that. Christian’s consulting firm ReD Associates has, in their own words, led a quiet revolution in business thinking. This book is a treatise on Christian’s underlying philosophical framework for ReD’s goal to bring the humanities and social sciences into today’s businesses dominated by technology, data, and analytics. We hope that you will find that Christian’s perspective will make your rethink your assumptions about the critical importance of the humanities in today’s fast paced world.
Our guest today, Karthik Krishnamurthy, is the Senior Vice-President of Cognizant Digital Business - AI & Analytics, Interactive and Intelligent Products. In his two-decade career at Cognizant, he has worked across many strategic areas. One of his focus areas today is analytical storytelling and the human connection, where he has collaborated with Christian Madsbjerg, a guest in a previous episode. In the end, it's all about bringing the human to data.
We don’t often read books that change how we think about the world. Our guest on this episode, Christian Madsbjerg, wrote a book “Sense Making” that did just that. Christian’s consulting firm ReD Associates has, in their own words, led a quiet revolution in business thinking. This book is a treatise on Christian’s underlying philosophical framework for ReD’s goal to bring the humanities and social sciences into today’s businesses dominated by technology, data, artificial intelligence, and analytics. We hope that you will find that Christian’s perspective will make your rethink your assumptions about the critical importance of the humanities in today’s fast paced world.
As a professional salesperson, did you even realize that there is a social environment in business in sales? If you did, you were probably one of the more successful salespeople in your organization. If you didn't, you probably aren't. That is one of the takeaways from this conversation with Christian Madsbjerg, author of the new book, “Sensemaking.” Anthony believes his book is the must-read book of 2018 for every business person. It's a treatise on the intersection of AI and culture and makes a case for how AI must be made to enhance and serve human culture in the end. This is a fascinating conversation for salespeople who want to understand how to maximize the human side of sales. Christian Madsbjerg on The Social Environment of Business and #Sales - Episode 111 of #InTheArena with @IannarinoClick To Tweet Is a good sale the optimized one or the convincing one? AI is being introduced into the sales profession at an unprecedented pace. The optimization of sales cycles and sequences through AI is at the forefront the minds of many who are charged with increasing the bottom line through product and service sales. In this conversation, Christian asks if the best sale is the convincing one or the one that is best optimized? In his thinking, our infatuation with refining processes and building out great systems has us thinking a bit askew. Find out why a good sale is the convincing one and why only human beings can do the kind of convincing needed to put the right product in the hands of the person who truly needs it. Computers don’t care - humans do Anthony has long believed and said that caring is the currency of success in business and in sales. In the end, the person who cares more is the one who will be most trusted and therefore most successful. Christian Madsbjerg makes an intriguing case for a stronger understanding of and reliance on human intuition, cultural understanding, and social appropriateness as tools that can fuel long-term success in sales relationships. It's too much to contain in a short paragraph like this so you need to make sure that you listen to this conversation to hear Christian’s masterful way of describing it. Computers don’t care - #humans do. It’s vital to maintain that objective understanding in business - especially in #sales. Hear Christian Madsbjerg explain on this episode of #InTheArena with @IannarinoClick To Tweet There is a third kind of knowledge that all sales professionals need The first type of knowledge we all possess is subjective or preferential. Some examples are that you may feel that one type of sound is too loud or a certain type of food is too spicy. Then there’s the kind of knowledge that we can measure. But Christian points out that there’s a third kind of knowledge - one he calls an “intersubjective” kind. It’s social or cultural in nature. Examples: We know how far to stand from each other at a party. We know how loudly we should speak. This is another type of knowledge that can’t be measured, but it’s a kind that is critical in the business world. If you only rely on data sets to tell you about your customers, you make big mistakes because you’re not relying enough on your innate human ability to understand others and what that understanding tells you about their needs. Sound helpful for a sales professional? You bet it is. Listen to hear more, on this episode. What is the appropriate use of personal information in the digital age? With the recent outrage over data breaches and inappropriate use of personal data, as well as the advent of the GDPR in the European Union, many questions are being asked about not only the security and privacy of personal data but also its proper use. Christian believes that those who lead companies today need to look beyond the practical leverage they can gain through data sets and begin to ask what benefit their use of data will have to real people. How will the end result for people be BETTER if personal data is used in a par...
Paul and Gina meet up with Christian Madsbjerg to discuss the ideas behind his new book, “Sensemaking: The Power of Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm” What happens when you take a philosopher out of their element and plunk them into management? How can the business and tech worlds benefit from the humanities? Are we putting too much trust into algorithms and the promise of artificial intelligence? Courtesy of ReD Associates Just because Google does it, doesn’t mean we should do it too: This week Paul Ford and Gina Trapani meet with Christian Madsbjerg, author of Sensemaking: The Power of Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm. Christian ruminates on the limits of the algorithm, bringing human insight into tech and business where artificial intelligence falls short, and the impact of Elon Musk (ed. note: unfortunaltey this interview was recorded before the Met Gala) 4:00 — Christian: “Philosophers are for critique and against suggesting anything. But if you want to make something, you’ve got to suggest something.” 4:55 — Christian: “[Philosophers] see there’s still a way to have integrity in what you’re doing, and still deal with the kinds of things and the way they want to deal with them but in a different world.” 7:15 — Christian: “I suppose philosophy is just making manifestos — what’s sort of underneath us all the time, and that we didn’t think about. What’s happening, at least in the technology space right now, it’s this big reckoning. There’s this big sort of realization that there’s more to this than we thought there was. That’s what a philosopher would do, they would ask, ‘based on what do you say that? What are the underlying assumptions?’” 8:15 — Paul: “A vast number of our conversations… are ultimately about ethics. It’s a constant refrain through the organization. It’s daily and it’s top-to-bottom. Everything we do — maybe also because we deal with so many abstractions and so many requirements from the client — it’s more about preventing unethical situations.” 10:40 — Christian: “It’s often a group of people that aren’t like you and trying to understand what their life is like. ‘What is it like to be them?’ is the basic idea. You can enter their world and you can enter it in a way that can inform that world with whatever you’re making. 13:45 — Christian: “There are things we humans can do that we don’t understand yet. The fact that the machine can beat us in chess doesn’t mean that it can beat us in every other aspect of life, including understanding each other.” 16:20 — Paul: “No one is going to buy a car that sacrifices your life to save another life… We’re about to hit a wall. This is where capitalism and ethics are about to have a very exciting moment around self driving cars.” 16:45 — Christian: “Another way to think about driverless cars is [asking] are they really so attractive? Some people enjoy driving cars […]and that’s worth something as well. Another way of seeing it is that you can look at the people that get slaughtered in traffic every day, but does that really mean that all cars have to be driverless? Isn’t it a magical thing if you think about all the people that step into a car every day and they somehow find their way through these streets and they don’t crash?” 20:50 — Christian: “I wish [Elon Musk] would represent a more interesting dream for eighteen-year-olds than going to Mars.” 21:05 — Christian: “The first process is that in any public institution or any company there is a language that is often native to that place… The first thing is to translate that business language, or the language of the institution, into a human language. So how would human beings think about this? What would be the human phenomenon at the heart of this?” 24:15 — Paul: “So sensemaking as a practice is observing and understanding an organization well enough that you now have a foundation for organizational change, for defining what needs to happen now.” 25:55 — Christian: “The humanities are the place where you can try to exercise the muscle of [understanding] others in the most advanced way… The world of literature and art is a place where you can see human worlds in a way that’s advanced and interesting and often beautiful. So, often, the people that are good at [sensemaking] have a level of sensitivity to it.” A full transcript of this episode is available. LINKS Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm by Christian Madsbjerg ReD Associates The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems by Christian Madsbjerg Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars with SpaceX Track Changes is the weekly technology and culture podcast from Postlight, hosted by Paul Ford and Rich Ziade. Production, show notes and transcripts by EDITAUDIO. Podcast logo and design by Will Denton of Postlight.
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Revolutionary Market Mentor Christian Madsbjerg tells why major corporations are discarding big-data models for human reality. When the big players: Amazon, Coca Cola, Facebook, Leggo, Ford Motors, face product trouble and they just cannot understand why – they call on Christian Madsbjerg. He and his company ReD Associates are totally transforming the old, flawed marketing models that are so popular and so inaccurate. Host Bart Jackson invites Madsbjerg on to discuss what’s wrong with the big-data and impersonal survey methods employed by most firms and why they simply do not reflect human reality.
When the big players: Amazon, Coca Cola, Facebook, Leggo, Ford Motors, face product trouble and they just cannot understand why – they call on Christian Madsbjerg. He and his company ReD Associates are totally transforming the old, flawed marketing models that are so popular and so inaccurate. Host Bart Jackson invites Madsbjerg on to discuss what's wrong with the big-data and impersonal survey methods employed by most firms and why they simply do not reflect human reality. To find out how Leggo blocks can compete in the digital-screen-oriented age, and what Ford truck owners really want out of their vehicle, Madsbjerg insists that we need human contact, not algorithms. In his immensely well received books Sensemaking and Moment of Clarity he shows how business has been lured into false assumption by “weapons of math destruction” and how a more anthropological approach is need to get us back on track. Tune in and learn a more personal, effective, and profitable method for guiding your business decisions.
In today’s tech-driven economy, it seems like it can be hard to justify the value of a traditional liberal arts education. But given the speed at which AI-driven advancements are taking over traditional jobs—even technical ones—perhaps a better understanding of humans and their cultures is exactly what we need. Because being product-driven really means people people-driven—and we’re betting few people understand the human experience better than the author of Sensemaking, and co-founder and Senior Partner of ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg. In this episode, Aarron and Eli chat with Christian about using tools from human and social sciences to inform business decisions. Christian’s expertise helps clarify the methods a lot of fast-moving companies botch, like gathering proper ethnographic research, and the hazards of conducting focus groups. Together, they also dig into the pros of a liberal arts education and how it helps foster the crucial skill of critical thinking. Put on your thinking cap and enjoy this interview with Christian Madsbjerg, and thanks for listening. Christian Madsbjerg’s bio For the past 20 years, Christian Madsbjerg has worked as a management consultant—but he writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of Human Sciences. So far, his work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. Madsbjerg’s latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was released in the Spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group. His first book, Moment of Clarity, co-written with Mikkel Rasmussen and published in the Fall of 2014, has been published in 15+ languages. Christian studied philosophy and political science in Copenhagen and London, and has a master’s degree from the University of London.
This episode goes deep into understanding your customers as people instead of just abstractions and how to make better business decisions. For the past 20 years, Christian Madsbjerg has worked as a management consultant. He writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of the Human Sciences and his work has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Bloomberg Businessweek. His latest book, Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, was released in the spring of 2017 by Hachette Book Group. His book Moment of Clarity, co-written with Mikkel Rasmussen and published in the fall of 2014, has been published in 15+ languages. Christian studied philosophy and political science in Copenhagen and London and has a Masters from the University of London.. Podcast Highlights Who is Christian Madsbjerg? Christian always thought he would be an academic but his experience in university put him on the different path towards entrepreneurship instead. According to research, only 10% of decisions are made based on data within billion dollar businesses. Christian always wondered why so many businesses made so many bad decisions when data is always available. This lead to his consultancy and the focus of his writing. Most Entrepreneurs Are Guessing All great businesses are found on an insight into how to serve a group of people in a meaningful way. Looking at people and listening to them is better than asking them. Understanding Your Customers You can get a really good understanding of your customers by going to the area where they lead their lives and observe. Engage in their life and try to walk a mile in their shoes. Instead of guessing, spend some time with your future customers and develop a hypothesis. Increasing Your Odds Of Success Innovate on many different things at the same time. The same product can seem very different if you change a few other things. Sensemaking CEO’s of the modern corporate world are so separated from the average customer that the people they serve become abstractions. Without data, they have no way to make good decisions. Try not to look at people as numbers, but as individuals. Choosing a group and then understanding it should be the target. Go to the savannah instead of the zoo. Your Customer Has To Be The Frontend Of Your Business Reference: Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm, Christian Madsbjerg The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems, Christian Madsbjerg Christian’s Takeaway Get strength from understanding the people you serve. Get inspired by going out and meeting the customers you serve. Links: Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm www.redassociates.com Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe to the show on iTunes!
In Episode 14 of Hidden Forces, host Demetri Kofinas speaks with Christian Madsbjerg. Christian Madsbjerg is the founder of ReD Associates, a consultancy group focused on helping companies bridge the qualitative divide between themselves, their products, and their customers. The anthropologists, sociologists, economists, journalists, and designers who make up ReD employ the methods of social science to study human behavior. Instead of minimizing complexity, they embrace the non-linearities illuminated through human experience, helping companies reinvent themselves and their products from the bottom up. In today’s conversation we examine the world from the perspective of human experience. This is what philosophers call “phenomenology.” Rather than objectify reality, we will revel in its subjectivity. Rather than discount our senses in favor of hard data, we will discount the data in favor of our experience. Experience matters. Reality is messy. Data is fuzzy. The problem of consciousness is hard. Try as we might to fit the world to our models, reality has a stubborn way of eluding even the most disciplined researcher. The most experienced traders don’t make decisions off of a spreadsheet. They use their intuition. The same intuition that you use when deciding who you can trust, if the price you are paying for something is too high, or if there’s something off about a room, or a scene, or a story you’ve just heard. To discount the authoritative wisdom that comes from lived experience is to discount the very question that has lead you down the path of inquiry. It is to discount everything that makes life meaningful. And if we want to understand the world around us – why we do what we do – then that journey must begin and end, with the human experience. Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod
'I wanted to write a book about how magical people are, as opposed to machines. How enormously efficient we are at understanding things, particularly each other, in a way that no machine will ever come close to doing.' Through his work with ReD Associates, Christian Madsbjerg helps companies make better decisions by better understanding what is meaningful to their customers. In a world of Big Data and machine intelligence, he argues, it's vital to remember the extraordinary power of human intelligence: the humanities, he argues, are the best starting point for business thinking. He also offers a refreshing take on writing a book, as something which can and should create controversy, provoke a reaction, and acknowledges just how hard it is: 'I find writing delightful sometimes, but most of the times I just find it quite tough.' A thought-provoking and insightful discussion that reminded me, at least, of what really matters in life.
Data has become an invaluable resource for business leaders, politicians and everyone else. But our guest this week, the consultant Christian Madsbjerg, claims that this fixation on numbers ignores what makes us human. Kenneth Cukier finds out more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Data has become an invaluable resource for business leaders, politicians and everyone else. But our guest this week, the consultant Christian Madsbjerg, claims that this fixation on numbers ignores what makes us human. Kenneth Cukier finds out more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Christian Madsbjerg and Mikkel Rasmussen - The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems, Co-Founders at ReD Associates where they employ social sciences to study human behavior. Christian Madsbjerg has been leading projects and client programs since ReD’s foundation. He writes, teaches, and speaks about the kinds of methods and reasoning needed for fact-based investigations of human activity, emotions, and decision-making processes. He is the author of books on social theory, discourse analysis, and politics. Mikkel B. Rasmussen, a specialist in innovation strategy, is the Director of ReD’s European division. Mikkel founded Mindlab, the first innovation lab for the public sector in Denmark. His work focuses on helping companies create and implement a direction for the future and figure out where and how to focus innovation. He’s on the board of Copenhagen Clean Tech, numerous startups, and several design policy and management firms. What we learn in this episode: • What are the 3 most common types of problems a business can face and which ones are best solved with human sciences? Problems that are known (algorithmic problems). These can be solved with numerical analysis and spreadsheets. Hypothetical problem. You have seen the problem before and you can create a hypothesis and calculate your way back. Unknown problems. Problems that you aren’t sure even exist, but you tend to know something is wrong. These can only be found out using human sciences and observation. • Is yoga a sport? Well, that decision is up to you. But fitness is now 50% of the sporting industry and women are the largest consumer of sporting apparel. • Why do consumers lie in focus groups? Most people answer questions the way they would like to believe they act. They would like to think they make rational decisions based on analysis. However, science has shown us that the majority of the time this is not true. • ReD makes sense of the culture outside a company utilizing 5 phases: Ask the right question Study consumers in their natural environment Pattern recognition and analysis Insight – what to do with the information gained Make sure that the company can understand the recommendations and be ready to act on it. • If you are a business, stop phrasing your question in business terms – phrase it in personal terms. Turn it into a human question, something that people can experience. Notable Quotables from Christian and Mikkel: