Podcast

SPOS #927 – Scott Shigeoka On Unleashing The Power Of Curiosity

Welcome to episode #927 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast – Episode #927. Let’s get much more curious in our work (and in our daily lives) to help bring this world closer together. Scott Shigeoka has spent his time exploring the power of curiosity. This has not only won him accolades but also transformed how we think about bridging divides in our increasingly complex world. His new book, Seek – How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World, offers a look into curiosity as a force for positive change, earning praise from thinkers like Malcolm Gladwell and Adam Grant, and recognition as an Amazon Best Book of 2023. Scott’s unique perspective is shaped by a diverse background — from his roots in Hawaii to teaching groundbreaking courses at the University of Texas at Austin, and speaking for brands like Google and Pixar. His journey through curiosity began as a personal quest and has evolved into a universal call to action, underscored by his work at UC Berkeley‘s Greater Good Science Center. Our conversation also touches on the impact of the pandemic on curiosity, a time when questions and the search for understanding became more critical than ever. Scott discusses how embracing curiosity can empower us to navigate through crises with resilience and hope. He also delves into the challenges of cancel culture and scrutiny, which can stifle curiosity. Beyond individual growth, Scott explores how institutions like universities can serve as incubators for curiosity, promoting an environment where challenging discussions can occur without fear. The role of emotions in fueling or hindering curiosity emerges as a key theme, with Scott advocating for emotional intelligence as a complement to intellectual inquiry. As Scott splits his time between the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area and the tranquil Mojave Desert, he embodies the balance between action and reflection, making him an ideal guide for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the world through the lens of curiosity. Whether you’re a leader, educator, or simply someone looking to foster more meaningful connections, this conversation promises to offer valuable insights into making curiosity a dynamic part of your everyday life. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 1:00:26.
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Here is my conversation with Scott Shigeoka.
Seek – How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World.
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This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Takeaways

Hope and optimism are essential for fostering curiosity and a vision for the future.
Cancel culture and the fear of scrutiny can hinder curiosity and prevent the exploration of different perspectives.
Power dynamics play a role in curiosity, with those in positions of power needing to be curious about the perspectives of others.
Emotions can impact curiosity, and it is important to create spaces where different perspectives can be shared without fear of judgment.
College campuses can serve as laboratories for fostering curiosity and bridging differences.
Curiosity has the power to change perspectives and create positive relationships.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction and Background
02:15 – The Science of Curiosity
04:54 – The Catalyst for Writing the Book
07:49 – Curiosity During the Pandemic
12:51 – The Importance of Curiosity in Healing
18:36 – The Role of Curiosity in Bridging Differences
19:13 – The Power of Asking Questions
21:31 – The Dive Model
28:38 – Scaling Curiosity and Bridging Differences
43:17 – The Importance of Hope and Optimism
44:03 – The Fear of Scrutiny and Cancel Culture
45:00 – The Impact of Cancel Culture on Curiosity
46:47 – The Role of Power in Curiosity
49:17 – The Impact of Emotions on Curiosity
52:41 – Curiosity and Polarization on College Campuses
55:23 – Creating Spaces for Curiosity on College Campuses
59:04 – The Power of Curiosity to Change Perspectives

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast – Episode #927.

Before you go… ThinkersOne is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.