Political violence and threats of political attacks, from the national to community level, have soared in recent years. Political conflict and culture wars dominate headlines, causing Americans a sense of dread and despair, leading 42% to actively avoid the news. How can we turn the heat down while we choose our next leaders? In this interview, investigative reporter and conflict mediator Amanda Ripley explains her research to understand better the political conflicts that turn into violent threats and attacks. Her insights teach us to focus on “good” conflict to lessen our perception gaps of each other and provide conflict hacks that can help us break free from the cycle of outrage and blame. 

Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author and the co-founder of Good Conflict, a company that creates workshops and original content to help people get more thoughtful about how they fight. Amanda’s recent book is High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out. In her books and magazine writing, Amanda combines storytelling with data to help illuminate challenging problems—and solutions. She follows people who have been through some kind of a transformation—including the survivors of hurricanes and plane crashes, American teenagers who have experienced high school in other countries, and politicians and gang members who were bewitched by toxic conflicts and managed to break free. 

Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us. 

Finding and fighting against national security threats is a crucial job. In any election cycle, it’s even more necessary as political enemies and disinformation can pose serious threats to our democratic process. As a career veteran and defense specialist, Vance Cryer helps spotlight the threats we may face in the intersection between polarization and national defense and how we can overcome them. Vance describes America’s external threats, what they stand to gain by a weakened America, and how they are using America’s division as a tool to undermine democracy.

Vance Cryer was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1968. To help pay his way through school, Vance worked as a journeyman plumber and also helped his grandfather in a business that prewired new houses for telephone service. During his first semester of school, he joined the Air Force ROTC. He then got a job at the local airport filling airplanes with gas and scraping bugs off windshields, using the cash he earned to pay for flying lessons thereby fulfilling his lifelong dream of being a pilot. By the end of that first semester, he contracted with the Marines to compete for one of two slots in north Texas for Officer Candidate School.

Vance's 27-year career with the Marines took him through flight school in Pensacola, Florida; to Top Level School at the National War College in Washington, D.C., where he earned a master's degree in national strategic studies; to four AV-8B squadron tours, including as the commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211. He completed six combat tours in Iraq and served two tours of duty at the Pentagon-Headquarters Marine Corps in the Department of Aviation. In 2013, he was promoted to colonel and commanded the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton. In 2016, he was handpicked by Secretary Ray Mabus as the Marine Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy.

In August 2018, Vance retired from active duty in the Marine Corps and is now serving as a Director for Special Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control (MFC). He serves as the liaison between MFC and Lockheed Martin Aerospace, working on the leading edge of missile and sensor technologies and future capabilities.

Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.

Since Dr. Matthew Johnson first appeared on 12 Geniuses in September of 2020 to discuss The Future of Psychedelics, popular opinion in favor of this category of drugs has surged and so has the research and potential uses for psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and other drugs that fit into the broader category of psychedelics. Dr. Johnson and his research have been critical to fueling these growing trends.

In this interview, Dr. Johnson discusses the advancements in psychedelic research that have been made in the last few years, how favorable public opinion about the use of these once taboo drugs continues to grow, and he closes the conversation with his sobering advice for people who are experimenting on their own with these drugs, going on weekend psychedelic retreats, or even going to South America to have ayahuasca experiences with a shaman.

Dr. Matthew Johnson is Senior Investigator in Psychedelics at Sheppard Pratt and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University where he is one of the world’s most published scientists on the human effects of psychedelics. He has conducted seminal research in the behavioral economics of drug use, addiction, and risk behavior. Dr. Johnson published psychedelic safety guidelines in 2008, helping to resurrect psychedelic research.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by University of Minnesota professor and family therapist Bill Doherty. He’s the co-founder of Braver Angels, an organization that aims to help Americans with differing political beliefs understand each other beyond stereotypes. Don and Bill discuss how extreme the political divide has become in recent decades, the methodologies used by the Braver Angels in workshops and events, and the benefits that American citizens and politicians alike can gain from learning to communicate better with those who align themselves differently on the political spectrum.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by celebrity chef and restaurant owner Justin Sutherland. When Justin isn’t in front of a camera, he can be found in one of his several Minnesota restaurants making culinary works of art. He’s also heavily involved with the community, opening up a free food shelter to distribute food to those in need during the pandemic. Don and Justin discuss the future of food, including the concept of “food deserts” and how this contributes to food insecurity for disadvantaged Americans, how the food industry can help fight climate change and the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by sextech futurist, podcaster and speaker Bryony Cole. Bryony is on the front lines of sex technology innovation and adoption. She joined the show to discuss what exactly sextech is and how developments in sextech will change the way humans explore their sexuality, find potential partners and build relationships. Don and Bryony also discuss the importance of sex education and the possibility of a new sexual revolution.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by the President of the National Police Foundation, Jim Burch. They discuss the research the National Police Foundation has collected on policing technology, training, and community building as well as the importance of procedural justice. They also discuss the impact of the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement and the subsequent protests and unrest across the United States. 

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by Futurist Ross Dawson to discuss the future of social media. They explore the growth of social media over the last two decades, potential forms of regulation, and the role of social media in the coming decades. Ross provides some potential solutions for the negative effects of social media use including nonprofit networks, user ownership of data, and AI technologies for regulating harmful content.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by Futurist David Houle as they discuss the future of humanity. David argues that humans are at a fork in the road with one path leading to utopia and the other leading to oblivion. David and Don examine the forces shifting the future of humanity including climate change, AI, quantum computing, and biomechanics.

Host Don MacPherson is joined by New York City Commissioner for International Affairs, Penny Abeywardena. They explore the future of cities including the impact of COVID-19, combating inequality, and addressing climate change. They also discuss the idea of broadband as a utility and the great steps taken to educate schoolchildren from home.

In this episode, host Don MacPherson is joined by AI expert, Michael Kanaan. Together, they explore the future of artificial intelligence including how it will be used both at home and work, its impact on the workforce, and the potential for AI to both help and harm us. They also discuss the ways in which AI surveillance is being used to target certain groups around the globe and the ethical questions that arise from creating AI algorithms.

In this episode, Don and Dr. Leah Stokes discuss the state of the climate today, possible climate scenarios for the future, the technologies most important to combating climate change, and what we need to do to protect our planet. Dr. Stokes also outlines the impact of new federal leadership in the United States and the role of international collaboration in preserving the climate.

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Justin Reich. Justin is an assistant professor at MIT and the director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab. Don and Justin discuss the future of education, focusing on the impact of COVID-19, online learning, demands on the education system, and how technology will (or will not) disrupt the way we learn.

Throughout his career, Dr. Steven Austad has been exploring aging, longevity, and life extension in a variety of animals. He has written multiple books, including “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body’s Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.”

In this interview, Dr. Austad discusses the topic of longevity and the progress being made toward curing some of humanity’s most devastating diseases - specifically heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. He shares his belief that humanity is on track to make cancer a managed disease. Dr. Austad talks about new drug discoveries made in the last four years that should dramatically improve our ability to fight our most devastating diseases and he even talks about the surprising benefits being realized from the use of popular weight loss drugs. He goes on to address how science has effectively extended life over the last 125 years, but many people who are going to live much longer haven’t changed their attitudes and expectations about their retirement age.

Dr. Austad has dedicated his career to understanding the science of how and why we age. He is a distinguished professor and Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has done field research in The United States, Venezuela, East Africa, Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea. Dr. Austad’s books include “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body's Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.”

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Dr. Bertalan Meskó. Dr. Meskó is known as The Medical Futurist and the Director of the Medical Futurist Institute. In this interview, Don and Dr. Meskó discuss recent developments in the field of medical technology including AI, wearables, telemedicine, risks to privacy, and addiction. They also talk about four different national healthcare models as well as the futures of mental health and the addiction treatment field.

Our theme for Season Three was “The Future” and we had a remarkable group of Geniuses to help us make sense of it. The main lesson we took away is that with time and imagination, the list of impossibilities is a lot smaller than we might think. Both 2020 and this most recent season of 12 Geniuses proved that the unimaginable is definitely not impossible.

For Season Four, we will continue exploring the future and the seemingly impossible. In our first four episodes, we'll look at the future of healthcare, education, climate change, and artificial intelligence. Episode One of Season Four will be available on January 12th.

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, the United States experienced a terrorist attack that changed everything. While travel, immigration, and international relations were all significantly altered, one change that many of us don’t know about is the way law enforcement monitors, apprehends, and prosecutes terrorist activity.

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Harry Samit. Harry is a former FBI agent who served on the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Minneapolis. He was an integral member of the team of agents who tried to stop the 9/11 attacks. They discuss the events leading up to 9/11, including the arrest and investigation of al-Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui. They also explore how terrorism is still expressed around the world today and the threats the U.S. faces from foreign and domestic terrorists. Harry shares his perspective on how counterterrorism will evolve and the ways in which agencies will change in order to monitor suspicious behavior in the United States.

Harry Samit is a former United States Navy Naval Intelligence Officer. After his Naval career, Harry spent 21 years in the FBI and was a founding member of the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force. In the months and years following the attacks on 9/11, Harry was also a key figure in analyzing ways to prevent future terrorist attacks.

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by MGySgt Scott H. Stalker, the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of United States Space Command. They discuss the future of war, including new technology, how we fight, and the importance of protecting equal access to space. They also discuss new and developing threats against American democracy, the dangers of misinformation and manipulation, and the ways in which the United States military is preparing to protect its citizens from new technologies.

MGySgt Scott H. Stalker has dedicated his career to serving in the United States military. After numerous combat and contingency deployments and decades of service, MGySgt Stalker accepted garrison assignments that include Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff J2. Prior to accepting his current position, MGySgt Stalker served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and United States Cyber Command.

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Dr. Carissa Véliz, an expert in digital ethics with an emphasis on privacy and AI ethics. They discuss the state of privacy today, the countless ways in which organizations track, store, and analyze our data, and the importance of maintaining our privacy both online and in the real world. Carissa offers advice on how to protect yourself online, and insights on how you can stand up and demand better data protection from organizations and the government.

Dr. Carissa Véliz, an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford, is an expert in digital ethics. Dr. Véliz specializes in privacy and AI ethics along with political philosophy and public policy. Dr. Véliz is the author of Privacy is Power and the editor of the Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics.

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Dr. Matthew Johnson, an expert in psychoactive drug effects, addiction, and risk behavior. They discuss clinical research on psychedelics including psilocybin, ayahuasca, DMT, MDMA, LSD, and more. They also dive into the potential therapeutic applications for psychedelics including treating depression, PTSD, and addiction, and improving individual happiness, creativity, and selflessness.

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor at Johns Hopkins, is an expert in psychoactive drug effects, addiction, and risk behavior. He has worked with psychedelics since 2004. He developed and published the first psychedelic treatment of tobacco addiction in 2014. With colleagues, he conducted and published the largest study of psilocybin in cancer distress in 2016. He is Principal Investigator on upcoming psilocybin studies treating opioid addiction and PTSD, and LSD research treating chronic pain.

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Hank Greely, a specialist in the ethical, legal, and social implications of new biomedical technologies. They discuss the roles CRISPR, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and in vitro fertilization will have on the future of reproduction. They also discuss the ethical questions that will accompany selecting specific characteristics for implanted embryos and the possibility of creating babies with superhuman capabilities.

Hank Greely specializes in the ethical, legal, and social implications of new biomedical technologies, particularly those related to neuroscience, genetics, or stem cell research. Hank is a genetics professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, the Director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences, and the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Center for Biomedical Ethics.

Transportation is about to get a whole lot faster. In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Don MacPherson speaks with aerospace engineer, rocket scientist, professor, and pilot, Dr. Anita Sengupta. Together they explore the futuristic forms of transportation that are currently being developed. From Hyperloop technology to interplanetary exploration, Dr. Sengupta explains how travel and transportation will be disrupted in the coming years. Don and Dr. Sengupta also discuss her work at NASA, and her current project at Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) where they are designing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft as a commuter transport option in urban environments.

Dr. Anita Sengupta is an aerospace engineer, rocket scientist, and pilot who for 20 years has developed technologies that have enabled the exploration of Mars, asteroids, and deep space. She is a Research Professor of Astronautics at the University of Southern California where she is conducting research on transportation technologies including electric propulsion for aviation, Hyperloop technology, and in-space propulsion systems.

In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Don MacPherson speaks with writer, founder, and host of On Being, Krista Tippett. Together they dive into the way we practice faith, what it means to be human, and the dichotomy between good and evil. They also discuss how religion will animate the 21st century, including the next religious reformation, the relationship between science and religion, and the rise of the religious "nones."

Since the mid-1990s, Krista Tippett has studied the religious, spiritual, and moral aspects of human life. Krista is a Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, a New York Times Bestselling Author, and a National Humanities Medalist. She is also the CEO, Founder, and Host of On Being.

In this interview, biologist and aging expert Dr. Steven Austad joins host Don MacPherson to discuss how and why we age, various ways to extend human life, and ethical questions that accompany a 100-year life expectancy. They also dive into medical treatments that show signs of slowing the aging process, the impossibility of immortality, and the societal changes that will occur if we all live longer.

Dr. Austad has dedicated his career to understanding the science of how and why we age. He is a distinguished professor and Chair of the Biology Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has also authored numerous books, academic papers, and articles on aging.

“Peak Oil” is the point that global oil production is set to begin its decline. “Peak Auto” is the point that global automotive production will begin its decline. “Peak People” is the point that global population will being to shrink. All of these points are set to happen during this century according to futurist and author David Houle.

In this interview, David Houle discusses how oil use, the number of vehicles around the world, and the number of people on the planet will all begin to decline in this century. To replace oil production, David shares how electric vehicles will become the norm supported by renewable energy along with innovative battery storage capabilities. To facilitate the trend toward vehicle decline, David says the idea of owning a vehicle that people drive 5% of the time is outdated. Fleets of driverless cars are a much more practical solution even as more countries experience affluence. China recently began a decline in population in 2023 and the rest of the world will experience the same as the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declines in industrialized countries. David says that as girls around the world continue to advance in educational opportunities, the global TFR will decline below the 2.1 TFR required to maintain the number of people on the planet.

To finish the interview, David also talks about what these declines mean to the global economy and how people should be using this information to plan for their futures.

David Houle is a futurist, thinker, and keynote speaker. He is the author of “The Shift Age,” “Shift Ed: A Call to Action for Transforming K-12 Education,” “Entering the Shift Age, Brand Shift: The Future of Brands and Marketing,” “The Spaceship Earth,” and more.

There is something beautiful about selflessness. With a simple gesture, a little kindness, or an act of generosity, we can make the world a better place. This is a four-minute story of someone who exemplified the spirit of giving and never cared that no one was watching.

In this interview, entrepreneurial expert and best-selling author Gino Wickman joins host Don MacPherson to discuss what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur including how to tell if you are a “true entrepreneur,” how to plan for a successful career, and how to make the best decisions for your business. They also discuss common mistakes made by entrepreneurs, the entrepreneur’s identity after they sell their business, and the impact of COVID-19 on entrepreneurship.

An entrepreneur since the age of 21, Gino has an obsession for learning what makes businesses thrive. Gino is the founder of Entrepreneurial Leap and EOS Worldwide. He has also authored Traction and Entrepreneurial Leap while continuing to help entrepreneurs-in-the-making thrive and succeed in their endeavors.

The curve is flattening. There is an end in sight to the shelter-in-place orders that have been made across many parts of the world. We may soon be able to experience life outside our homes and the freedom we are used to having. While no one knows exactly what normal will be like this summer or fall, society will certainly be presented with new ideas, companies, and works of art. Countless people have been using this gift of time to their advantage and we will be the beneficiaries.

As this four-minute podcast tells us, there is creative greatness amid our duress.

A decade from now when we look back at what we’ve overcome, we will remember the connections who helped us through this moment and the meaning that gave us the will to endure and the power to persevere.

The way we trust our peers, governments, and corporations will evolve dramatically over the next decade. The COVID-19 pandemic, deep fakes, fake news, and social media manipulation are all challenging our ability to trust. In this interview, 12 Geniuses host Don MacPherson speaks with Method’s Álvaro Marquez about the Trust 2030 Project and the three potential societies into which our world could evolve over the next decade.

A true global citizen who speaks five languages, Álvaro Marquez is Chief Design Officer at Method, where he led a team of researchers for the Trust 2030 Project in partnership with Hitachi.

In 2008 and 2009, a software company was hammered by the Great Recession. Layoffs were imminent in order to stay in business. Instead, the owners chose to share the sacrifices across the organization, keep its team together, and weather the storm. The company recovered and thrived while protecting the families of its employees.

The last few weeks have rocked the world in ways that most of us have never experienced. We are self-quarantined, restaurants and shops are closed, school children have been sent home, events we have held sacred are canceled. Whatever normal was seems like a distant memory. Our souls are being tried.

Times of uncertainty have a way of unifying us. They also create extraordinary acts of heroism from ordinary people. Bill MacDonald and Richard Seale are two of those heroes. When Hurricane Sandy rocked their community in 2012, they decided to step up. This is their story.

The leader of the future ranks high in emotional intelligence, uses technology to enhance leadership effectiveness, moves up the ladder quickly, and practices mindfulness throughout their work. In this interview, podcast host Don MacPherson and Dr. Robert Eichinger look ahead at the future of leadership and identify trends that will disrupt the way we develop, promote, and practice leadership over the next decade. They discuss the importance of emotional intelligence, the role of mindfulness, and how technology will support our leaders as we shift from IQ to an EQ focus.

Dr. Robert Eichinger is an expert in leadership with over five decades of experience. He is co-founder of TeamTelligent and has authored over 50 books, articles, software products, and other intellectual property around the topic of talent management and succession planning.

Over the last decade, technology has transformed life as we know it and innovation continues to accelerate. To help us understand how to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, we spoke with widely acclaimed futurist Cecily Sommers.

In this interview, podcast host Don MacPherson and Cecily look ahead at the forces shaping our future and identify some trends that will disrupt the way we live and work over the next decade. We touch on the impact of climate change, migration, changing birth rates, and more. We also discuss how we can be best prepared to embrace the changes to come and lean into new technology that makes us uncomfortable.

Cecily Sommers is a futurist and innovation expert. She speaks, write and consults on emerging trends, markets, and technologies shaping business and society.

12 Geniuses is back and celebrating the new decade with a new season. Season Three is dedicated to the theme of “The Future of…” We are dedicating all 12 episodes to interviews with geniuses who are creating the future or who can help us understand the dramatic changes the future will bring. If you want to better understand how you, your team, and your organization can be better prepared for the future, this season of the podcast is for you. The first episode of Season Three is an interview with futurist Cecily Sommers. That episode is available on February 11th. We hope you’ll subscribe and tune in!

In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Scott Stalker joins the show to talk about his career transition, the future of space exploration, and the signals the wars in Ukraine and Middle East are sending us about the future. Scott has been a guest of 12 Geniuses twice in the past while he was Command Senior Enlisted Leader of US Space Command in Colorado Springs, CO. After 31 years of dedicated service, Scott retired from the United States Marine Corps in August of 2023.

In this discussion, he shares some of the important lessons he learned from his own career transition. He talks about being prepared for opportunities before they arrive, the importance of activating his personal network and having respected supporters ready to advocate for him, and why it is critical to know his value and worth. Scott believes anyone going through a career transition should understand what they love and enjoy. He said he took a test of his personal strengths to help determine that. He also shared his belief that transition is a journey and he is actively preparing for where that journey may take him years into the future.

The second part of the conversation focuses on the potential of space - mining, tourism, and colonization. Scott talks about how investment in space will continue and grow significantly in the next decade. He cites regulation as one of the challenges to current expansion, however, he believes that - much like the International Space Station - there will be space hotels in the future where humans will be able to take vacations. Scott talks about the incredibly valuable resources - precious metals and water - in space available for mining that will keep the Earth economy going. He truly believes humans “will be a multi-planetary species.” He notes that the current advances in space are not led by governments as in the past. Instead, it is commercial investments like Space X that are leading the way.

The conversation finishes with Scott’s assessment of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He talks about the signals they are sending about the future. Traditional assessment of an enemy involves thinking about the weather, the enemy, and the terrain. Scott says the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that another assessment variable needs to be added to this list - “the will” of the leader and the people. He believes other governments are watching the international support of Ukraine with caution.

Scott Stalker served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps for 31 years, retiring in August 2023. While on active duty, Scott served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Cyber Command, National Security Agency, and in his final assignment with United States Space Command. He served in a multitude of locations during his distinguished military career to include combat operations in Somalia and Iraq and was assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command from 2010 to 2014.

Scott has a bachelor’s degree in intelligence studies and a master’s degree in cybersecurity, as well as an organizational leadership certificate from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He completed studies at John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, where he became a SECDEF Strategic Thinkers Program CAPSTONE graduate.

Scott currently serves as a senior consultant and executive advisor for several different corporations. He is a keynote speaker for high-profile events within the federal government, intelligence community and national security sector and serves on the boards of several businesses and nonprofits. Additionally, Scott currently serves as a senior fellow for the National Defense University.

Previous episodes with Scott Stalker:

The Future of War with MGySgt Scott H. Stalker from November 10, 2020

Leadership and Love with MGySgt Scott Stalker from November 9, 2022

Podcast host Don MacPherson wraps up Season Two of the show by sharing five lessons learned about creativity and innovation. The lessons include:

To be your most creative, you have to be creative for yourself

It’s important to be frugal when you embark on an innovative pursuit

There is no creative magic. You have to show up and put in the work

Most of the guests interviewed had found their calling in their work

Beware the false fail. Many people chasing an innovation quit too early when they reach a false fail

Season Three of 12 Geniuses debuts February 11, 2020!

Shakeel Nelson and the Inner City Ducks are using sports in very innovative ways to reach young people and ensure they are on the right path in life. They provide mentoring, a safe space to play and learn, discipline, and exposure to new experiences for the young people in his community. The players have participated in tournaments in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Eating in restaurants, staying in hotels, and seeing new places expands their sense of what is possible in their lives and teaches them life skills they will apply in adulthood.

In this interview, Shakeel shares his personal experience growing up without a father and candidly shares the challenges he faced. Shakeel explains his inspiration for creating the Inner City Ducks and how he sees the organization and its players growing in the years to come. Shakeel also tells us about the creative ways he is introducing his kids to new experiences and teaching them life skills while developing athletes hungry for success.

At the young age of 25, Shakeel volunteers four days a week to support the youth of his community as a coach, role model, and mentor through the Inner City Ducks. Shakeel’s vision for the organization is to serve 150+ boys and girls and to provide a community center where the kids can go after school to play, study, work out, and receive mentoring.

In arguably the greatest upset in sports history, the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union and then went on to clinch the gold medal against Finland. The sports world was shocked and the “Miracle on Ice” was complete.

In this interview, Lou Nanne, a key influencer of the team, takes us back nearly 40 years and tells the story of the 1980 “Miracle” team, his involvement in securing Herb Brooks as head coach, and how the team was best prepared to face the international competition through innovative practice routines and training methods.

Lou Nanne has been a leading figure in the hockey community for decades. Lou was captain of the 1968 United States Olympic Hockey Team. Later he played, coached, and served as general manager for the Minnesota North Stars. Lou is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. He has also been awarded the Lester Patrick trophy for his impact on the sport of hockey.

Following pressures from international powers in the 1980s, the deconstruction of the Berlin Wall began. This month, the world celebrated the 30th anniversary of the wall’s demise. The fall of the wall symbolizes a series of events that led to freedoms and opportunities for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

For a year, I knew I wanted to join the celebration in Berlin and I wanted to share the celebration with my three-year-old daughter. Together we spent a week in Germany. I was certain I would come home with a story about how Berlin and the demise of its wall was a microcosm of the world today. It turns out the story is a lot more complicated than I expected.

Flying back to the United States, my daughter slept next to me as I jotted down three lessons I took away from the trip. It’s these three lessons I want to share with you today in this bonus podcast episode.

A lifelong innovator and expert on innovative practices, Safi Bahcall shares his process for nurturing “Loonshots” - the crazy ideas that disrupt industries, cure diseases, and change the world.

In this interview, Safi dives into how good ideas are often killed by great teams and how we can develop the skills to nurture and encourage “Loonshots.” Safi also discusses company culture and organizational structure, why companies need to separate their innovators from executors, the importance of getting incentives right, and why “failing fast” is not the best path toward innovation.

Safi worked for three years as a consultant for McKinsey before co-founding a biotechnology company that developed new drugs for treating cancer. Safi regularly speaks with senior executives about how to implement the ideas in his bestselling book “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries.”

A veteran technology entrepreneur, producer, and musician, Patrick Riley shares his experience of being a life-long creative while working as an executive for a software company.

In this interview, Patrick discusses the making of his new film Tuscaloosa, including collaborating with the cast and crew, solving for unexpected problems, and the complexity of creating an accurate depiction of 1970s Alabama. Patrick offers advice for creatives and provides examples for how to nurture your creativity while working in a professional career. Patrick also explains the innovations developing in the film industry and their impact on the way we consume, create, and find films.

As a technology entrepreneur, Patrick co-founded and was CEO of Modern Survey. Over the course of his career, Patrick has directed and produced dozens of music videos, documentaries, and short films.

One of the most respected independent voices in music, Brother Ali shares candid anecdotes about his creative process and describes the importance of spirituality in creating meaningful art.

In this interview, Brother Ali discusses what the touring lifestyle is like, how he grounds himself while traveling, and the importance of Islam in his life and in his creative pursuits. Ali describes his process for creating songs and albums, how he pushes himself to get out of his creative comfort zone, and the collaboration process with other artists and producers. Later in the interview, Ali dives deep into the role music and art has on informing the human experience and expression.

Over the last two decades, Brother Ali has earned critical acclaim for his deeply personal, socially conscious, and inspiring brand of hip-hop.

An innovator in the field of carbon dioxide capture and building materials, Mehrdad Mahoutian discusses his journey to discovering a new process for creating concrete and his quest to use waste materials to create high-value products. More than 5% of global CO2 emissions comes from the production of concrete. The impact of this is so high that for every ton of concrete made, a ton of carbon is released into our air. Mehrdad’s innovative concrete-making process solves this problem and more, while making a stronger, cheaper, and carbon-negative construction material. As we tackle climate change, we will need thousands of innovations like Carbicrete to stop global warming.

In this interview, Mehrdad describes the problem cement and the resulting CO2 creates for our environment and shares how he came up with a carbon-negative process to create cement-free concrete. He also shares the failure along his innovative journey and how he came to see his new process as a viable product for mass production. Mehrdad also discusses the barriers to industry-wide adoption of the new process and how governments are responding to Carbicrete. Finally, Mehrdad explains the potential for the emerging market of CO2 based products and the integral role consumers and organizations will play in reducing our carbon emissions.

Mehrdad Mahoutian is CTO and Co-Founder of Carbicrete, a company that has developed a concrete-making process that is cement-free and carbon-negative.

An innovative leader in the field of people analytics, Ben Waber discusses the creative ways companies can unleash the full potential of their employees. Through data, companies can devise new management techniques, adjust the physical environment, and even re-design the employee experience to improve performance at all levels. Companies already have mountains of data available to them through ID badge scans, emails, meeting assignments and much more. Driven by a passion to help companies interpret this data, Ben Waber has created a company that uses AI to simplify the numbers and help leaders make better decisions.

In this interview, Ben talks about the creative environment at MIT. He explains how analytics can be used to inform company-wide decisions, understand how teams are working together, and improve individual career development. Ben also describes how the data can help us better understand bias and influence decision making. Finally, Ben talks about the future implementation of the technology and the ethical questions it may raise about employee and user privacy.

Ben Waber is President and Co-Founder of Humanyze, a behavior analytics company. For over 15 years, Ben has studied, researched, and implemented new technology to better understand human behavior.

What did you accomplish in the third quarter of 2019? How do you plan to finish out this decade? What are your goals for 2020? In this special episode, Don and Devon talk about what they’re paying attention to, where Don traveled, what they’ve learned, and what they have planned for the show. Devon McGrath, Assistant Producer of 12 Geniuses talks with Don about recording the Leadership Moments, lessons from parenthood, remarkable travel moments, and what guests they have planned for Seasons Two and Three.

The world is changing faster than ever. The “Accelerating Rate of Change” suggests that humans will experience exponential rates of change this century. With the first quarter of the century nearly complete, there is little evidence that these predictions are false. We’ve seen massive changes in healthcare and medical technology, Artificial Intelligence has moved from potential to reality, space technology sees breakthroughs on a daily basis, climate change and climate technology are engaged in a battle that could determine the future of humanity, and social trends threaten to further divide us. All these things are true and we haven’t even experienced the potential of quantum computing and fusion energy. That’s a lot of change!

In 2003, Ray Kurzweil said “the 21st century will be equivalent to 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate of progress, which is a thousand times greater than the 20th century.” That’s an unimaginable amount of change that has the potential to steamroll the rigid and those who are convinced that they can continue doing what they have always done. To thrive in a future that moves this quickly requires intention and a rare set of ingredients. These skills will help people flourish in the workplace and in their personal lives.

In this interview, Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman discusses the necessary ingredients to thrive at work now and in the future. She talks about the importance of resilience, creativity and innovation, forming strong social connections, doing work that matters, and being able to identify future scenarios well before they arrive. Most importantly, Gabriella unlocks the secrets for building our skills in each of these areas.

Gabriella Rosen Kellerman is an author, entrepreneur, start-up executive, and Harvard-trained physician with expertise in behavioral and organizational, change, digital health, wellbeing, and AI. Her first book, Tomorrowmind, co-authored with Professor Martin Seligman, will be published by Atria in January 2023. She has served as Chief Product Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at BetterUp, a transformation platform for global professionals, and as Head of BetterUp Labs, BetterUp’s research arm, which studies whole person development in partnership with labs at Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, and many more. 

An established justice architect, Ken Ricci discusses the impact building design has on those involved in the justice system. Nearly two thirds of those held in jails are still innocent in the eyes of our legal system, yet they are detained in dark, dingy, unsafe spaces that deprive them of a healthy lifestyle and access to the outside world. Driven by a passion to make correctional facilities more humane, Ken has dedicated his career to using innovative design to create facilities that are both safer and more comfortable for those inside.

In this interview, Ken describes the impact of design on the detention experience and provides insight into how we can build facilities that are safer for the guards and the detainees while still providing comfortable, open spaces with natural light. Ken also discusses his perspective on the future of our justice facilities.

Ken Ricci is a nationally recognized leader in the field of justice planning and design. Ken has devoted his entire career to designing better correctional facilities and he continues to educate others as a lecturer for the American Institute of Architects and the National Institute of Corrections.

A breakthrough tech entrepreneur, Morgan Mercer discusses the power of Virtual Reality in building empathy and creating a safer work environment. Of the women that report sexual harassment in their workplace, 80% leave within two years. This has significant ripple effects from a career change, loss of economic opportunity, and even tarnished company profiles. As we look to the next decade, we have many social issues to resolve and one of the best ways to do that will be through empathy.

In this interview, Morgan Mercer explains why we need better training for a safer workplace, the impact of #MeToo on training standards, and how to build empathy through immersive experiences. She also discusses her experience as a woman of color in the tech industry, her drive to empower others through VR, and her take on the future of VR.

Morgan Mercer is the CEO and Founder of Vantage Point which serves clients around the world from their headquarters in Los Angeles.

An innovation expert, Simone Bhan Ahuja explains how large, established organizations can innovate and avoid disruption even in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous time. Only 14% of new graduates want to work for large organizations. Instead, they’re attracted to the start-up path and opportunities to be creative and innovative in their careers. In order to attract top talent and remain disruptive in any industry, larger organizations will need to adopt innovation at every level of their organization.

In this interview, Simone explains the argument for encouraging innovation and intraprenuership, the barriers many organizations face in the pursuit of innovation, and the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety. Simone also provides insight on how to build an innovative structure within an organization, the benefits of keeping projects frugal, and what leaders can do today to start implementing these ideas.

Simone is the author of Disrupt It Yourself, and a co-author of Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth. For over 15 years Simone has studied emerging markets and how organizations can continue to innovate across all levels.