The Occupational Philosophers - A not-so-serious business podcast to spark Creativity, Imagination and Curiosity
Would you like to unlock the creative, imaginative and innovative potential in your team or organisation…BUT…don’t want to listen to another serious podcast which offers 7 steps, 5 habits, 3 mantras, and a hard sell in a pear tree? Then join ‘The Occupational Philosophers’, a ‘not-so-serious’ podcast with Simon Banks (middle-aged Australian surfer man, artist and published author) and John Rice (middle-aged British man with a love of curiosity and philosophy) as they chat with a ‘clowder’ (great word!) of curious cats from the fields of Comedy, Academia, Philosophy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Design, Marketing, and Business, to explore how you, your team, and your organisation, can develop your curiosity, spark your creativity, and free your imagination, so you can grow your business and your people….sounds great huh?! But don’t just take our word for it, read what our listeners think: “Worth a listen, one of them has a strange Australian accent” “They’re not philosophers, they’re idiots” “If you like business, philosophy, humour, creativity, and imagination, then have a listen - if not, then I would leave well alone” http://www.occupationalphilosophers.com
Episodes
In Episode 109,The Occupational Philosophers chat with Eric Weiner, an award-winning journalist, a New York Times bestselling author, and much sought-after keynote speaker on a variety of topics, including happiness, innovation strategies and the "power of place." He regularly leads writing workshops around the world.
He is a former foreign correspondent for NPR and reporter for The New York Times. He's reported from more than 30 n...
John and Simon explore the creative wisdom of music producer Rick Rubin and what it means to bring creativity into everyday work and life
What does it really mean to be creative? In this Inbetweener episode, The Occupational Philosophers explore the insights of legendary music producer Rick Rubin, whose work spans from the Beastie Boys to Adele. Drawing on his book The Creative Act: A Way of ...
In episode 107, The Occupational Philosophers chat with the highly curious Dr Jochen Schweitzer, a strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship researcher and education leader at UTS, Director of the Executive MBA, advisor, and author.
His research, teaching and consulting focus on issues of strategy, collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation with a special interest in design thinking, emerging technologies and open innovation....
Hello and welcome back to 2025! (Noting the irony that is is now April...)
The Occupational Philosophers have returned from walking the Earth, exploring the heavens and astral travelling beyond the stratosphere - metaphorically and literally. Feeling refreshed, joyous and 1.27% more wise, they are excited for the new season of the show.
This episode combines the loves of both John and Simon: Great questions and raucous dinner par...
Reflecting on the year of 2024 seemed like such a good idea. That's the thing right?
Launching that episode as quickly as planned didn't go as well as planned....
Drinking their own Kool-Aid and embracing serendipity, mistakes and experimentation The Occupational Philosophers still hit launch and took on the gift of a slightly delayed episode like a gift from the Norse Gods.
In this episode the deep themes of:
- Are bananas...
In episode 103, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Creative Director, Brand Strategist and Poly-Disciplinary Creative Chameleon, Rozhia Tabnak.
Her work includes interior design, art curation, film production design, and graphic work across the spectrum of media. which unite under the umbrella of spatial design. She believes that the design of a space is holistic yet interpretive and that the experience of the client is inext...
In this short, sharp Inbetweener episode, The Occupational Philosophers celebrate their “One hundred and something” birthday! As well as an opportunity to blow up some balloons, eat some cake, and pat themselves on the back…they delve back into some highlights from the first 100 episodes and some sage advice from guests who have helped populate the ‘Maniguesto’ tree…
- Dr Brock Bastian….Social psyc...
To Simon’s delight, this week's guest is fellow Tasmanian Toby Wilkin.
For over 15 years, Toby has been a noteworthy leader in the entrepreneurial space. Born and raised in Tasmania Toby, thoroughly understands tourism and business in the state and beyond. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family in the construction, business and development industry he has shared this passion and success in his entrepreneurial adventures.
Toby ha...
In Episode 100, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Julie Trell, whose career has been an adventurous journey spanning three decades and various corners of the world.
She started as an inner-city classroom teacher and later became a middle school technology specialist, where she embraced inner playfulness (as well as fixing - and breaking - the computers and network).
Through serendipity and curiosity, she evolved into the VP ...
In episode 99, The Occupational Philosophers, as an antidote to the worrying rise of 'play at work'. ponder the idea of "Is it time for a National Serious Day?
Sure, play is good for many things (that the show talks about a lot), but what about the forgotten folk?
Those who like to start blankly at a wall, never smile and love doing spreadsheets?
What about the person who hasn't smiled since 1997?
Who is thinking of them?
They sh...
How might one think like a Philosopher in the workplace?
In this short, sharp Inbetweener episode, diving into a book by a previous guest, Dr Julian Baggini’s “How to Think like a Philosopher” " the Occupational Philosophers discuss exactly that!
Julian Baggini has 12 key principles that the book is built around for a more humane, balanced, and rational approach to thinking.
These include:
- Pay ...
Have you ever sat in a brainstorm and thought, "Well this is pretty shit."
Most of us have and it sucks the energy out of the room like a backwards tornado.
John had a great week, read a book and got so excited about it, he wanted to share some of the possible antidotes to those crap house brainstorms.
In this short, sharp Inbetweener episode, The Occupational Philosophers discuss:
- How convention...
In Episode 96, The Occupational Philosophers chat with a returning guest, Neil Mullarkey! Neil who embodies the ethos of this shows and plays at the intersection of curiosity, creativity, and serendipity!
His last conversation with the show was way back in 2021 when the world was still reeling from the pandemic, the Tories were still in power, and Jeff Bezos was launching himself into space into a strangely shaped spacecraft….
He c...
In episode 95, whilst exploring the nuances of everyday occurrences and slipping between conscious states of being, The Occupational Philosophers dive into the concept of ambiguity.
Why?
The reason? So many challenges that need to be solved have a huge amount of ambiguity around them.
- There may be multiple answers
- It's a multi-faceted question
- It's something where there are no comparable, predictable scenarios
- As such, the...
Professor of Engineering Innovation and expert in creative problem solving
In Episode 94, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Dr David Cropley, a Professor of Engineering Innovation at the University of South Australia. He specialises in helping people and organisations become better, more effective, problem solvers.
After serving for four years in the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, David joined the School of Engineering at the ...
In this short, sharp inbetweener episode The Occupational Philosophers explore Synesthesia...when senses get their wires crossed...
Amongst other things, they discuss:
- How artists notice the world through multiple senses
- What happens when different senses blend together
- How does synesthesia affect how Pharrell Williams composes music?
- Why we should listen to our 'gut brain' more often
- What does Billy Joel smell when he plays p...
Dr Diane Hamilton is an expert in curiosity, perception, emotional intelligence, and behavioural science with nearly four decades of real-world experience and creator of the Curiosity Code Index®, the Perception Power Index, and the author of five books sold worldwide.
She is a thought leader in the fields of leadership, sales, marketing, management, engagement, personality, c...
In Episode 91, The Occupational Philosophers chat with Dr. Anthony Simcoe, a multi-hyphenate, creative polymath! He is as comfortable on stage as he is in infrastructure projects in leadership, interpersonal and communication skills, and organisational culture.
He is an Australian actor, a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney and has appeared in over 20 TV shows and films including everything from A Country...
In this short, sharp inbetweener episode The Occupational Philosophers explore Humility, and it's Sith brother, Hubris...
Amongst other things, they discuss:
- How curiosity needs to be wedded to humility
- What the Greeks made of humility and why hubris was a crime
- Why you should listen to your father (Heads up Icarus!)
- What is an 'Idea Baby' and why you need to let your baby be called ugly
- How humility fuels learning and listenin...
Have you been at a business event and someone, with a very serious face, stands on the stage and talks about a VUCA environment? If so, there is help! (and if not, still read on!)
In this short, sharp inbetweener episode The Occupational Philosophers dive into the world of acronyms used to describe the current business environment/s we are in.
Amongst other things, they explore:
- What does VUCA mean?
- Why are all VUCA speakers...
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