Épisodes

  • S01 E11: GRETA - NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

    S01 E11: GRETA - NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
    May 19 2026
    How Do You Stand Out When You're Small & Quiet? Greta Thunberg started a global movement and her words have inspired millions of young folks to speak truth to power and act, but she's a reluctant influencer who doesn't want the spotlight. As I work through Penguin's Green Ideas Series as part of a 20 books in 20 days challenge, I'm starting with book 1 - a short book containing excerpts of Greta's speeches. In this short episode I share a couple of thoughts on this book and what makes Greta so remarkable - not just what she says, but when ashe says it. The timelines of her rise to significance are astonishing. Listen to this short episode and you'll see why. EPISODE LINKS Greta @ TEDxStockholmGreta x The 1975I Am Greta [Documentary]Greta's first Instagram postSpeeches of GretaPenguin Books - Green Ideas Series Follow my #20GreenIdeas challenge on Linkedin EPISODE TRANSCRIPT When Greta Thunberg gave her first TEDx talk in Stockholm, she didn't command the stage with sweeping gestures. She didn't vary her tone with any theatrical flair. She was nervous and anxious. She stood still. Her voice was quiet. Her delivery was flat, almost monotone. And by every traditional public speaking rulebook, she broke all the "shoulds." But what she said—moved the world. Greta doesn't show up to entertain. She shows up to tell the truth. Her speech wasn't polished. It was pure. It wasn't performative. It was purposeful. She didn't try to be engaging. She tried to be heard. And she was. By millions. Greta's story reminds us that powerful communication doesn't require charisma, confidence, or perfect posture. It requires courage. You don't need to be loud to be listened to. You don't need to be smooth to be sincere. You just need to mean it. So if you've ever felt too awkward, too anxious, too introverted—or simply too different—to speak up, remember Greta. Her voice have never followed the rules. It rewrote them. [RULES] I've just started a 20 day challenge to read 20 books in 20 days from Penguin's Green Ideas series. As I was reading the first book of the Greta's book, I was just left with an overwhelming belief that your voice matters. Your story can change everything. Even if it shakes. Even if it stumbles. Even if it's quiet. Especially then. Everything you need to know is in the title. "No one is too small to make a difference." Greta's book in the series contains excerpts of her speeches. But as someone who studies speeches for a living, some of Greta's speeches are not easy to read – or to listen to. I'd like to play you one now. Bear with me. This is the opening 2 minutes of her first ever public speech TEDxStockholm – an 11-minute speech given on 24th November 2018 - just 96 days after she started her "Friday's for Future" solo school strike outside the Swedish Parliament on 20th August 2018. [GRETA TEDxSTOCKHOLM] She gave that talk less than 100 days after first deciding to take a stand. A shy, autistic girl, who just decided that despite her age, background or experience – was was going to take a stand do something that she believed in. Not only that – she didn't even have any influence. It's not like she had famous influencer friends, a celebrity mum or dad, media following her or any money to promote her cause – she just sat down on her own, with a sign, her school bag, a bottle of water and some sandwiches – determined to do that every Friday until the Swedish government agreed to fall in line with the Paris Agreement (a landmark treaty created in 2016 and signed by countries who would agree to work together to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees C.). By 2018 it was clear to Greta that Sweden wasn't doing what it promised, so she decided to take a stand In fact, if you go on Greta's Instagram and scroll back to 20th August 2018, you'll notice that not only was it written in Swedish, but it wasn't formatted well and didn't contain any hashtags. Greta had no idea what she was doing on social media. She just wanted to do something. She wants the spotlight but she doesn't want fame. In her speeches she's said many time, "Don't listen to me – listen to the science." She shines her light on the science and not herself. And I think that's what makes her special. Because just 110 days after Greta stood on that red circle to give her talk, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Think about that. Think about how much we want conditions to be perfect before we decided to do something. Greta went from an anonymous school striker to a keynote speaker in 96 days. And then she went from an awkward keynote speaker to Nobel prize nominee in 110 days. How does that make you feel about what is possible in 100 days? She became the catalyst of a whole movement which inspired millions of young people around the world to do something. She was the right person, with the right message, at EXACTLY the right time. Bill Gates once said, "Most people overestimate what they can ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    13 min
  • S01 E10: CONDUCTING AUDIENCES

    S01 E10: CONDUCTING AUDIENCES
    Mar 26 2025
    How Do You (Really) Connect With An Audience? This episode focuses on the hero in every good story: The audience. As presenters, especially in business, we often spend too much time focusing on what we want to say, and not enough time focused on what our audience needs to hear. In this episode we ponder Grammy award winning musician Jacob Collier's take, on how to truly connect with an audience. If you really loved Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act - then like me, you'll probably find this episode particularly provocative. Enjoy. 💙 EPISODE LINKS About Jacob [WIKIPEDIA]In the Room Where It Happens [BBC doc]Colin & Samir interview the "Mozart of Gen-Z"Music clip from Jacob playing "Fix You" with Chris Martin at the O2Jacob at MIT (The Science of Musical Storytelling) EPISODE TRANSCRIPT How Do You (Really) Connect With An Audience? Today's episode is about one of the most extraordinary creative forces of our time. Jacob Collier is a Grammy-winning musician, a scientist of sound, and a master storyteller whose work defies categories. If you haven't heard his name, you've definitely felt his influence—whether through his viral multi-instrumental YouTube videos, his genre-bending albums, or his collaborations with legends like Herbie Hancock, Hans Zimmer, and Coldplay. Jacob was "discovered" by none other than Quincy Jones, who called him "a creative genius"—and it's easy to see why. He doesn't just make music. He builds entire universes. He uses cutting-edge tech—from looping pedals to AI-assisted tools—but always in service of something deeply human: emotional connection, curiosity, and joy. At a time when many leaders fear technology might make our work less personal, Jacob shows us the opposite: that when used with intention, innovation can amplify—not replace—the soul of creativity. I wanted to record this short episode for anyone who wants to reach an audience, not just through what they say, but through what they make people feel. And that's the purpose of a great story – to make an audience FEEL something. So, whether you're a CMO, a founder, or a future-thinker wrestling with the future of work, Jacob's approach to audience connection will inspire you to think bigger, and create braver. Let's dive in shall we? [JACOB x COLIN & SAMIR] This is one of those episodes I wish was a few hours long, but since it's not – I want to focus on one thing. The audience. Because apart from Jacob's insane talent - if there's one title I'd use to describe him it's that he's a "Conductor of Audiences". I love that because as storytellers in business – that's something we all need to do. We need to conduct audience and connect with them as we try to inform, influence, educate and entertain them. We often get so wrapped up in our content that it's often easy to forget that the real hero in any story is the audience. I think it's our jobs to tell them stories as fast and as compellingly as possible and never forget that we are doing what we do for them. And that's what really brings me to what I wanted to share in this episode. I'm a big fan of Rick Rubin and his book The Creative Act but when Rick said "the audience always comes last" that's where I have a problem. Even if we are creating art in the purest sense, there's nothing wrong with making something for the purpose of pleasing a particular audience. So that's why I'd love you to listen to this short clip from Jacob talking with Colin & Samir on YouTube, which gives you an insight into how this maestro thinks about audiences. It's 4 and a half minutes long but it's a wonderful conversation which I really want you to hear because it's all about storytelling – and the difference between doing something for yourself – and doing something for others…. [COLIN & SAMIR INTERVIEW] Food for thought isn't it? When I think about the ART and science of storytelling – I feel like we need to have a good grasp about what kind of art we are making. Jeff Koons makes art for a commercial audience. I've heard Tom Ford talking about how he see's his clothes as commercial art. Just because we're making something for an audience doesn't mean it's not art. It's arrogant and elitist to say otherwise isn't it? There's a great clip from leadership coach John Maxwell which goes something like "at the end of the day – people are not persuaded by what you say but by what they understand." I love that quote because it's not about what I want to say – it's about what the audience needs to hear. Until next time – go tell better stories and find some audiences to inspire! -- The Truth in Ten is a cross between a podcast series and a storytelling masterclass. Each short episode shines a light on a different inspirational leader; someone who shared a short story which changed the world in some way. This is a show for anyone who wants to make a difference by sharing their story. --
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    11 min
  • S01 E09: HEATING & LIGHTING

    S01 E09: HEATING & LIGHTING
    Mar 5 2025
    How Do Opinion Writers Win Hearts & Minds? That's the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman each day. Tom is a master at the art of provocative persuasion, and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years back in Minnesota. He's the author of "Thank You For Being Late", the recipient of 3 Pulitzer Prizes and, most interestingly, the most engaged journalist (in terms or trafic and comments) that the New York Times has ever had. In this episode, I take a quick but compelling look behind the scenes at how he writes, so that we can become better at sharing our own opinions in the workplace. EPISODE LINKS Thank You For Being Late: Tom's fireside chat at GoogleThank You For Being Late [BOOK]Original video of the "Heating & Lighting" ClipTom's column in the NY Times EPISODE TRANSCRIPT How Do You Win Hearts & Minds To Your Way Of Thinking? That's the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman. How Do You Win Hearts & Minds To Your Way Of Thinking? That's the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman. Tom Friedman is a master at the art of provocative persuasion and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years back in Minnesota. If there's one journalist who has mastered the art of making you think, argue, and—most importantly—act, it's New York Times opinion writer Thomas Friedman. Love him or loathe him, you can't ignore him. With a style that's as sharp as it is relentless, Tom has spent decades shaping the way we understand globalization, the Middle East, and the environment, winning three Pulitzer Prizes along the way. He doesn't just report on the world—he forces you to wrestle with its contradictions, its complexities, and its consequences. But Friedman isn't just a commentator; he's a case study in what it means to communicate with conviction. His writing isn't just opinion—it's an invitation (or sometimes a shove) into a bigger conversation. And it's that ability to provoke, persuade, and polarize that makes him the most engaged journalist in New York Times history. I loved his book "Thank You For Being Late" because he explained so articulated why business leaders were feeling so over-whelmed – something I see every day – and he described how it's because we are living at the intersection of 3 crises and they're happening all at once. Moore's Law, Markets & Mother Nature. We're in the middle of a crisis of technology, globalisation and the environment. But you call it Moore's Law, Markets & Mother Nature because you're Tom Friedman and alliteration reads much better in a column! For business leaders, there's a lesson here. In a world drowning in content, the ability to articulate a worldview with clarity, passion, and undeniable impact is more valuable than ever. So how do you tell stories that don't just inform but inspire? How do you challenge people's thinking without alienating them? And how do you craft a message that sparks conversations long after the last word is read? Tom Friedman thinks he has the answers—or at least, even if you don't believe him, he'll make you want to find them. So how does one of the top journalists in the world become so successful? What's his philosophy and his process? Listen to this. It's a clip I found from The Chicago Council of Global Affairs when Tom was promoting his brilliant book "Thank You For Being Late" – he's giving a similar piece of advice that he gave me about how to write an opinion column for the New York Times. This is superb. Listen carefully. [TF @ CHICAGO AUDIO CLIP] Heating & Lighting. When you meet Tom if you're lucky enough to get his business card (I wasn't) you'll notice something pretty unusual about it. It doesn't say Tom Friedman, Opinion Writer for the NY Times, 3 Pulitzer prizes – alongside his details. It just says, Thomas L. Friedman, "Heating & Lighting". I love that. As storytellers in business – or if you're in the opinion writing business – like a consultant – dare I say "Thought Leader" then that's exactly what we do. We create heat and we shed some light. We simplify complexity. Einstein once said, "If you can't explain something simply, then you don't know if well enough." And how do you create some heat? Add enough emotion to you story to provoke a reaction? (Because there's nothing worse for opinion writers than being relegated to the beige / vanilla area of no-mans land when your ideas aren't strong enough – or your opinions are concise and compelling enough). How do you do it? Tom told me it all comes down to one of two emotions. Humiliation. And Dignity. In his world, he's either speaking out about humiliation (in the way that someone – or something, such as the planet, is being mistreated) or he is celebrating the dignity of the human spirit. And the way that he does that sparks so much emotion that his words always create heat. That's what makes him arguably the best opinion writer the NY Times has...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    10 min
  • S01 E08: THE "50-25-25" RULE

    S01 E08: THE "50-25-25" RULE
    Mar 5 2025
    How Do The Best Speechwriters Get Things Done? There's an important client presentation coming up and you find out at the last moment that you need to give the opening presentation, but you've got NOTHING prepared! What do you do? Is there anything worse? Well fear not, in this episode I'm going to look at a rule used by Barack Obama's former speechwriter, for helping you deal with that exact situation. It's called "The 50-25-25 Rule" and it's brilliant. Terry Szuplat was one of President Obama's longest serving speechwriters, serving as special assistant to the president from 2009-2017, and as a member of the National Security Council stagg from 2013-2017. In 2024 Terry published "Say It Well" a step-by-step field guide for helping anyone to tell better stories. Today Terry runs his own speechwriting firm, Global Voices Communications, and he teaches speechwriting at his alma mater, American University's School of Public Affairs. This episode features one of the most practical pieces of advice I've ever heard from a speechwriter, and probably the best piece of advice I ever heard from President Obama. Enjoy. EPISODE LINKS My full conversation with Terry [55 mins]Terry's book "Say It Well"Global Voices CommunicationsSay It Well - One Pager [DOWNLOAD]BetterStories.org Storytelling resources, course & assetsThe Get Things Done Book by Mikael Krogerus & Roman Tschäppeler EPISODE TRANSCRIPT How Do Storytellers Get Things Done? [WEST WING THEME] The purpose of a great business story is to make the audience feel something so that they do something. Hundreds of words have been written about how to tell stories at work, but I'm pretty sure you could sum up all the advice in those books in that one sentence. Make them FEEL something so that they DO something. One of the most powerful pieces of advice I've ever heard was from a conversation between Linkedin News Editor in Chief Daniel Roth, and former president Barack Obama. Daniel asked Obama, "What do you tell people when they come to you asking for career advice?" Listen to this clip (even if you've heard it before, don't switch off) because after you've listened to it, I want to take you behind the scenes of where that advice came from – because I promise you it will make you a much better storyteller. [OBAMA] Great piece of advice isn't it. Speechwriters have a word for getting stuff done – "KAIROS". It's an unusual word and is only really taught if you study rhetoric (the art & science of influencing audiences) but the definition of KAIROS – one of the words which classical Greek's used to describe time, can be translated as "a supreme moment at which one must act – no matter how implausible or inconvenient." Make the audience feel something so that they do something. OK – so what about when you need to write an important speech or a story, and you need to inspire your audience to act? How do you get that done? Well who better to ask than my friend Terry Szuplat, Barack Obama's longest serving speech writer, who wrote for Obama between 2009-2017. Here's a 3-minute clip from a conversation I recorded with Terry about his book "Say It Well" about how he gets speeches done for Obama. It's based on a brilliantly simple rule called "The 50:25:25 Rule" which I really like and use all the time – and I think it might help you too… [TERRY x JCW] I think it was Abraham Lincoln who said, "If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe." If you want people to ACT when they've heard your presentation, then you need to prepare the environment to make it easy for them to act – and that means doing your research. Properly. Up to 50% of the time. Have to give a presentation in a month? Spend… 2 weeks thinking, researching and organizing your thoughts, 1 week writing and 1 week editing and practicing. Have to give a speech in a week? Spend… 3 days thinking, researching and organising, 2 days writing, and 2 days practicing, Just found out you have to give the introduction to a client session later today? Spend… 1 hour thinking, researching and organizing, 30 minutes writing and 30 minutes editing and practicing. The 50:25:25 rule works so well because the best predictor of whether you'll give a good presentation isn't what we do at the podium, it's the preparation we put in before we ever get to the podium; It's the work that goes into a speech before we ever write a single word. But even more than that, when you're prepared you're not as nervous when it's time to deliver your talk, because you know you're ready. And around ¾ of us get nervous and anxious when we have to give a talk, so take a breath – and no matter how much time you have (or don't have), use half of it to get your thoughts in order and organise all the pieces of your talk in a meaningful way. This is where AI assistants can really help you – by saving you time in your research phase – pulling a list of potential ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    11 min
  • S01 E07: STAY HUNGRY. STAY FOOLISH.

    S01 E07: STAY HUNGRY. STAY FOOLISH.
    Feb 22 2025
    How Do You Give A Talk You've Never Given Before? That was the challenge facing Steve Jobs 20 years ago when he was asked by the president of Stanford University, John Hennessy, to give the 2005 commencement address. The only problem was that Steve Jobs, arguably the greatest communicator the business world has ever seen, had never given a talk like this before. Where did he start?What did he do?Who did he turn to for advice?How did he break it down? This episode goes behind the scenes of how Steve created what many believe to be the best commencement speech ever given. I recommend you listen to the talk properly to get the full emotional impact of the content and the stories, but over the next 12-minutes, we'll break down some of the key elements of the talk and explore what you can learn from it to become a better communicator yourself. EPISODE LINKS 2005 Stanford Commencement Address [VIDEO]My favourite Steve Jobs quote "Make Something Wonderful" by Steve Jobs [FREE Download] EPISODE TRANSCRIPT How Do Give A Talk You've Never Given Before? This is the story of Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford University, 20 years ago this year, on 12th June 2005. It's had over 60M views and is widely regarded as the greatest commencement speech ever given. But Steve, the most famous CEO of all time, an incredibly confident, charismatic (and controversial leader) – "reality distortion field anyone?) - he was actually really nervous and didn't know where to start – that's a side of him we don't see much about. So where did he start? And how can this speech inspire us to become better storytellers? I'm glad you asked. Steve was going to speak about habits, globalisation and how you are what you eat (fruitarian). Steve was used to giving technology speeches – not personal ones. So Steve did what anyone with great potential does – he reached out to the best storyteller he knew. Aaron Sorkin. The West Wing. A Few Good Men. Newsroom. Studio60. Moneyball. The first piece of advice Aaron gave him was that his talk should contain INTENTION & OBSTACLE. [AARON] The other piece of advice that Sorkin gave Steve was to tell three stories. Sorkin LOVES Aristotle and the 3-act structure which he presented in 335BC and has been the format of most theatrical productions ever since. Think of Sorkin's movie JOBS – 3 acts – 3 stories – each going behind the scenes of 3 big events in Steve's life. · Act I) Mac launch (1994)· Act II) Next launch (1988)· Act III) iMac launch (1998) So what did Steve do? [STEVE 3 STORIES] You can almost tell the whole talk was inspired by Sorkin because even though Steve speaks on average at 160wpm – he speeds up and slows down, gets loud and goes quiet – and leaves dramatic pauses at key points in the story – exactly like any scene that Aaron Sorkin writes – and puts you on the edge of your seat. [1st STORY] Now here's how Steve breaks his 14 minute talk into three bite-sized chunks making it easy for the audience] 30 second OPEN – The Intro1st Story - 5 mins2nd Story – 4 mins3rd Story – 4 mins30 Second CLOSE [CONNECT DOTS] I analysed this talk using the AI storytelling assistants I built to help others tell better stories at IBM and I asked it why this speech connected the dots so well by engaging the audience. It's because 60% of the talk is emotional & 40% is rational. Heart & head. Soul & data "Storytelling is just data with a soul" Brene Brown The language contains 3X more emotional language than data-driven language. A key less for technology speakers right there. (45% Pathos 15% Logos) [2nd STORY] Speaking about love and loss isn't easy. So Steve actually emailed a lot of these parts of the story to himself in-between January & June. He was working on this speech for 6 months. You can actually read those emails if you open "Make Something Wonderful" in iBooks (FREE on every Apple device) and read from p.186. [LOVE LOSS] "and then I got fired". Master storytelling. There's your INTENTION & OBSTACLE triggering that dopamine in your brain to wonder what happened next. Steve used the word "but" 14X – on average once a minute – to emphasize those obstacles. "I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me." So you have INTENTION – you've got OBSTACLES – and now the payoff… [LOVE WHAT YOU DO] Steve's work has always inspired me to do great work. I've got a framed email from him in my office when I set up my first business in 1998. I'll never forget the morning I learned that he'd died – 5th October 2011 - I was in a hotel in Leeds waiting to give a keynote and I had to delay my talk by 30 minutes. I get emotional thinking about it now. [3rd STORY] Talking about death is always going to be intense – so if you remember our episode on Ted Sorensen – JFK's speechwriter – you'll see that's why...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    12 min
  • S01 E06: SESAME ST.

    S01 E06: SESAME ST.
    Feb 18 2025
    How Do You Make Education More Entertaining? In the 1960's TV had a problem. Kids were watching hundreds of hours of ads and cartoons but they weren't learning anything. That was until Joan Ganz Cooney came along. She revolutionised TV and invented a whole new genre when she launched Sesame Street in 1969 against all the odds. She quickly became one of the most influential people in TV. The story of how Sesame St. came to life is a real hero's journey about fighting systems, challenging the status quo and taking the advice of kids over consultants. In this 10-minute episode, I take a quick look behind the scenes of how Joan created Sesame Street, and I share the actual report that secured the original $8M funding. A little inspiration perhaps for something you're trying to change at the moment... 🌈 🍪 EPISODE LINKS Joan Ganz Cooney [Bio]Sesame Workshop - Joan's Legacy Non-Profit"The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education" [THE OFFICIAL REPORT]"How We Got To Sesame St" [FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY] EPISODE TRANSCRIPT S01 E06: SESAME STREET How Do You Make Education More Entertaining? This is a story about how one woman revolutionised children's education—and took on the entire system to do it… In the late 1960's television was not seen as a force for good. Business leaders saw it as a tool for commerce, educators dismissed it as a mindless distraction, and the elite gatekeepers of knowledge believed it was incapable of delivering a real education. But there was a lady called Joan Ganz Cooney who saw something different—a possibility so radical it bordered on the impossible: What if television could teach? What if it could lift children out of poverty? What if TV could level the playing field for kids who didn't have the privilege of expensive preschools and well-funded local schools? This was a problem no one was trying to solve. Joan was a journalist and documentary filmmaker who was focused on the civil rights movement and she had no formal background in education – BUT she would go on to create Sesame Street—the most influential children's TV program in history. [1966 Q] The education gap between rich and poor kids in America in the 60's was staggering. By the time they started school, underprivileged kids were already behind. Joan saw this firsthand while working on public affairs documentaries, covering issues like poverty and civil rights. What struck Joan was the role TV played in shaping children's minds. Kids from wealthier families had books, tutors, and structured learning, while poorer children spent an average of 130 hours a year in front of the TV— but watching ads and cartoons did nothing to prepare them for school. [BEER CLIP] Joan knew TV was shaping children's brains. The question was—could it be used for good? At the time, the idea of "educational television" was almost laughable. No one believed children would willingly learn from TV. Joan saw it differently: What if you combined the power of entertainment with cutting-edge child psychology? What if you created a show that was as addictive as Saturday morning cartoons but filled with lessons that actually prepared kids for school? At a dinner party, Joan was discussing these questions with a guy called Lloyd Morrisett. Lloyd turned out to be an educational psychologist from the Carnegie Foundation. Lloyd made his name pioneering educational assessment scoring, but his passion was around human creativity. He was just as frustrated as Joan that academics were not interested in TV. He listened to Joan's pitch over dinner and didn't just see it as an interesting idea – he thought it was a vision for how you might educate under-privileged kids. So – in 1966, Lloyd got the Carnegie Foundation to commission Joan to create a report called "The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education". [SELL – HERE'S AN OLD CLIP OF LLOYD] In the report, Lloyd & Joan laid out the science and strategy for what would become Sesame Street. It proposed a show that wasn't just for fun, but carefully engineered to teach children the alphabet, numbers, social skills, and even emotional intelligence. It would be fast-paced, filled with humour, and designed using research-backed techniques. And, crucially, it would feature a diverse cast that reflected the real world—something unheard of in children's programming at the time. The report was so well researched it secured $8M of government funding. So Joan & Lloyd gathered a small team of 10 cognitive psychologists, educators, and television producers to bring "The Children's Television Workshop" concept to life — this was an unprecedented collaboration at the time. The skeptics were everywhere. The TV execs weren't convinced education and entertainment could mix. Educators doubted that children would actually learn from television. Alongside the team were also a few "advisors". And those ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    11 min
  • S01 E05: JEREMY x AI

    S01 E05: JEREMY x AI
    Feb 13 2025
    What Would Happen If I Got an AI to Interview Me? Let's find out... I just asked an AI to INTERVIEW ME and here's what happened!!! 🤯 Everything in this clip is real and the only thing I have edited is the sound quality. (I can't export audio yet from the LLM so I needed to use a lav mic). I gave the AI model my social media posts, my Linkedin profile and my podcast as a basis for her to ask me questions - so that we could have a conversation about the art & science of business storytelling. This is only a short playful exercise using the paid version of ChatGPT-4o - but it really shows how much fun anyone can have with AI as your creative collaborator. Too many folks are still using AI to just do basic tasks, such as writing emails or creating exec summaries of large documents - but the real power is in using it as a critical thinking assistant, or as a curator of content, to help you think about something differently. Perfect for brainstorming. Great for interviewing yourself! 🤣 EPISODE LINKS FREE GEN-AI ACADEMY by IBM"Achieve More With AI" MASTERCLASS.com [SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED] -- For a deeper dive inot the art and science of generative AI, my colleague Amand Ruiz has created a short course to help you know all the core concepts of Generative AI, in just 5 minutes a day. Topics he covers: 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 Overview of generative AI and its importance in business. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮: 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 Exploring different generative AI models like GANs, VAEs, and transformers. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗟 𝘃𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 Comparing traditional machine learning with generative AI methods. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟰: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗣𝗨𝘀 Understanding the role of GPUs in AI and machine learning tasks. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 Insights into the resources and processes for training large foundation models. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟲: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 Discussing techniques for customizing foundation models for specific uses. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟳: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗟𝗟𝗠𝘀 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 - Overview of the most widely-used large language models and their features. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟴: 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 Exploring practical applications of generative AI across business sectors. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 Understanding the components and architecture of the generative AI tech stack. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟬: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 Discussing the rise and importance of small language models in AI. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟭: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 Exploring the role, responsibilities, and required skills of AI engineers. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟮: 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗜 Discussing the ethical challenges in AI development and deployment. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟯: 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 How to develop a strategic AI integration roadmap for businesses. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟰: 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗜 Exploring future developments and trends in AI. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟱: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗜 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 Providing resources and advice for continued AI learning and exploration. Sign up for FREE here
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    8 min
  • S01 E04: THE ARC OF JUSTICE

    S01 E04: THE ARC OF JUSTICE
    Feb 12 2025
    Why Do Great Talks Do Six Things? How do you connect with an audience who has no idea who you are? And more importantly, how can you inspire an audience to do something which they didn't expect to do - especially if that concerns giving you a lot of money? This episode is a fast but thoughtful deep-dive into the art and science of persuasive storytelling according to civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson. His TED Talk received the longest standing ovation in TED history, but not only that - he received $1.3M in donations to his organization from the audience without even askibng for it! How did Bryan's 21 minute talk do that? Especially when, on paper, it looks like this talk shoud not have worked. In this episode, Jeremy takes a few minutes longer than usual to unpack this talk, and using AI, Jeremy goes behind the scenes to look at what you can learn from Bryan in order to become a better mission critical storyteller yourself. EPISODE LINKS Bryan's TED TalkEqual Justice InitiativeJust Mercy by Bryan Stevenson [BOOK]Just Mercy [TRAILER] EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Why Do Great Talks Do 6 Things? When I worked at Adobe several years ago I conducted some research which tried to understand what made a great piece of content. Basically – what was the value of a story? It was based on research I did with Facebook a few years earlier when I was working on measuring the value of an audience. The conclusion that me and my team came to, after simplifying the findings of our research, was that great stories do 6 things really well. They INFORM, INSPIRE, EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, CHALLENGE and SOLVE PROBLEMS. I started to spend a lot of time with neuroscientists and psychologists, and soon started to realise why these 6 elements were present in great stories. It was a simple left brain – right brain story. Our emotions are triggered by our right brain (within our lymbic system) – and we then justify those emotions with rational and logical thought based upon our left brain (our neo-cortex). Right Brain = INSPIRE, ENTERTAIN, CHALLENGELeft Brain = INFORM, EDUCATE, SOLVE PROBLEMS I was working on this research 13 years ago but it came to life again for me this week after I watched the Jamie Foxx & Michael B. Jordan film "JUST MERCY" based on the book by civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson. If you don't know who Bryan Stevenson is – you should – and you soon will! Bryan is one of the most compelling voices in the global pursuit of justice. As a civil rights lawyer, Bryan has dedicated his life to confronting some of the deepest injustices in society. He is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that defends the wrongfully convicted, advocates for the poor, and represents inmates on death row. His work is not just about individual cases but about exposing the systems of inequality that have shaped the modern legal landscape. Through his advocacy, he has fundamentally reshaped conversations about race, incarceration, and human dignity. His TED Talk has been viewed over 10M times, and his memoir, Just Mercy, (also, film) is a powerful testament to the possibility of hope even in the darkest corners of society. Bryan's impact is rooted in his extraordinary ability to communicate truth, inspire empathy, and persuade others to see the humanity in every individual. So let's have a look at how he uses the power of words and ideas to create change — and how storytelling, truth, and hope can move people, challenge systems, and influence history. For Bryan, this is about more than the law. It's about the art and science of persuasion and the role communication plays in building a more just world. OK... So I said great stories do 6 things. After watching the movie Just Mercy I watched Bryan's TED talk again. It's a famous TED talk even among the inner circles of TED because it's famous for having the longest standing ovation of any TED talk. And not just that – when Bryan spoke at TED in Long Beach California in 2012, his organisation was in urgent need of $1M to continue fighting a key case in the US Supreme Court. Bryan didn't mention this once in his talk, but his stories had such an impact on the audience that he left California with $1.3M of contributions from members of the audience. That's mission critical storytelling for you. So - just for fun (!) I fed the transcript of Bryan's talk into the AI Storytelling Assistants I used at work to analyse talks – to see if I could understand WHY this talk had such a profound impact on the audience - and I made some pretty astonishing discoveries. Bryan's talk contained – you guessed it – 6 parts. His 21 minute, 3,981 word talk meant that he spoke at 190 WPM – which pretty much means it should NOT have worked. But it had a VERY low readability score of 8.94 (meaning he used short sentences and lots of two-syllable words) which made it easy for the audience to follow, despite the fast pace at which he spoke. He used the ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    13 min