The Spark: Stop overcomplicating employee engagement
At Solid Form, the spark started as a question around employee engagement, kindling a flame under a team that craved more robust and creative projects.
At Kinesis, one of our core values is Share the Good. That means we are committed to helping each other out, learning from each other, and spreading good ideas when we find them. Our Accelerator series, "Share the Good," is our way of facilitating this idea sharing among our community of business leaders - and this week we're sharing our favorite inspirational podcasts.
Although podcasts have been around for over a decade, their widespread consumption is relatively recent. And it's no wonder - podcasts are an easy, efficient and affordable way to learn. Doing chores? Commuting? Powering through your daily workout? Simply press play.
They are particularly valuable for business leaders. Unlike most conferences, events, or mastermind classes, podcasts enable you to further your personal (and professional) development on your own time and at your own pace - a must-have for the hustle and bustle of today's business world.
Not sure where to begin? I've compiled a list of some of my personal favorites, which are great not only for CEOs but all driven, curious people.
Podcast Description: The Hidden Brain helps curious people understand the world – and themselves. Using science and storytelling, Hidden Brain's host Shankar Vedantam reveals the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, the biases that shape our choices, and the triggers that direct the course of our relationships.
Why We Like It: It gets you thinking about the things you take for granted.
Episodes to Check Out: "Liar Liar"
Podcast Description: Have fun discovering the hidden side of everything with host Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the best-selling "Freakonomics” books. Each week, hear surprising conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature - from cheating and crime to parenting and sports.
Why We Like It: It provides unexpected insights - about much more than just the economy.
Episodes to Check Out: "Here’s why all your projects are late, and what you can do about it"
Podcast Description: Helping you make sense of our rapidly changing global economy. NPR's Planet Money highlights high rollers
Why We Like It: Money makes the world go 'round, and this will help you understand that world better. Not to mention, it is exceptionally well-produced.
Episodes to Check Out: "The Miracle Apple" (After all, at Kinesis we know the value of a good apple.)
Podcast Description: Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists - and the movements they built.
Why We Like It: The origin stories of well-known businesses can be fascinating, and host Guy Raz delivers thoughtful interview questions that get to the heart of it.
Episodes to Check Out: "Dyson"
Podcast Description: Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how legendary leaders take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.
Why We Like It: It shows what real business leaders are willing to do to fix things (including famously closing all stores for a company-wide reset meeting).
Episodes to Check Out: "Starbucks"
Podcast Description: You spend a quarter of your life at work, so shouldn’t you enjoy it? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside some of the world’s most unusual workplaces to discover the keys to better work.
Why We Like It: A new favorite, and in fact informed one of Kinesis' recent team meetings in a huge way.
Episodes to Check Out: "The Problem with All Stars"
Podcast Description: Guy Raz explores the emotions, insights, and discoveries that make us human. The TED Radio Hour is a narrative journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.
Why We Like It: Who doesn't love a good TED Talk? The TED Radio Hour collects the big ideas found on the TED stage into bite-sized themes, adapted for radio.
Episodes to Check Out: "Becoming Wise," "Big Data Revolution"
If you're still hungry for more, the following podcasts are also very much worth your time. While their connection to business may be more nebulous, these will leave you feeling inspired and entertained.
Radiolab is a radio show and podcast weaving stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries.
This American Life gives listeners touching, humorous, and often unexpected vignettes of life in America. Hosted by Ira Glass, it is consistently ranked the #1 Podcast in the US.
Design is everywhere in our lives, most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is an exploration of the process and power of design and architecture.
Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide.
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