On S5E5 of the @MAGICademy Podcast we welcome Dr. Britt Andreata to the show! She is a thought leader and expert in brain science, leadership, and education, with experience developing brain science-based training programs for organizational effectiveness and personal growth. We had a great conversation about emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and how those concepts positively influence the workplace environment, as emotionally skilled leaders can empower themselves and talents more efficiently and magically.

Dr Britt is the CEO of Brain Aware Training, which focuses on applying neuroscience to improve workplace learning and development. In this episode, we dive deeper into empathy and psychological safety, what happens in the brain while emotional intelligence works, and the huge impact it can have on organizations to train their workforce to be emotionally skilled.

Welcome to a new episode of the @MAGICademy podcast! Today on S5E4, our guest is Lisa Cannata, a leadership development expert currently associated with The Blanchard Companies, with over 27 years of diverse experience under her hat in developing new and interesting learning strategies. 

We talk a lot about mindfulness and the relation between a good state of mind and a good skill set to be a well-balanced and empathetic leader. As the work environment continues to evolve, the role of the leader needs to evolve as well, and Lisa shares a lot of valuable insights on this matter.

Currently based in Orlando, Florida, Lisa has focused on visionary learning and talent engagement, leveraging her extensive background in management and healthcare to enhance organizational effectiveness. In this episode, we delve into her pivot to Blanchard, multiculturalism and diversity in the workplace, and how to enter a focused state and concentrate to keep working when we don’t feel like it.

Welcome once again to the @MAGICademy Podcast! On S5E3 we give a warm welcome to Jelena Aleksich to the show. She is a creative entrepreneur, visual storyteller, and founder of The Confetti Project, which began as a photography challenge in her bedroom and now has evolved into a global mental health storytelling platform. We talk about our playfulness and how it’s often something that we ignore but it ends up being vital for us to have a healthy and balanced adult life.

Like many entrepreneurs, Jelena had a completely different background from what she ended up doing, starting as a psychology student and then pivoting to follow a more creative path. In this episode, we explore this pivot and the motivations behind it, the playful mindset and how to cultivate it, mental health and Jelena’s answer to the issue, and much more!

Welcome to a new episode of the @MAGICademy Podcast! In S5E2 we are joined by Evan Sitler-Bates who drops by to have a great conversation about VR. Evan is the CEO and co-founder of XpertVR, a consulting firm that specializes in e-learning and virtual reality solutions, providing companies and skill development initiatives with new ways to deliver their content innovatively and interestingly. 

In this episode, we go through the founding and establishment of XpertVR from a passion project to a viable business; what motivates people to learn through VR and the advances in the industry; some pros, cons, and room for improvement in VR-aided skill development techniques; and much more.

On S5E1 of the @MAGICademy Podcast we’re happy to welcome Stella Lee to the show. She is the Director of Paradox Learning, a consulting firm that specializes in developing innovative learning solutions across various sectors, and she has been working on digital learning strategy, design, and implementation for over 20 years, becoming a known figure in the e-learning and AI fields. We talk about her AI literacy framework, its importance within organizations, and the diverse uses of AI and other tools in education.

One of Stella’s key messages is that while AI can enhance skill development, it still requires significant human oversight to ensure accuracy and relevance, creating a necessity for L&D professionals to continuously evaluate AI-generated outputs. In this episode, we explore the need to improve the assessment part of the framework, the importance of feedback mechanisms, and how different tools can be used to improve the digital learning experience for different organizations.

Welcome to S4E12 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, where we’re joined by Kirill Krasnogir as our guest this week. Kirill is an entrepreneur and the founder of CleverPoint, a company specializing in neurotechnology and virtual reality applications for mental health assessment. We talk a lot about CleverPoint; stress, burnout and how these two concepts influence our professional and personal lives; and how productivity can be improved through the power of will and hard work.

Kirill´s vision is to leverage technology to improve mental health outcomes, making significant strides in how psychological well-being can be assessed and supported by using advanced tools. In this episode we also talk about these advanced tools, analyze some of his stories about mental health and managing stress in the workplace, and how stress doesn’t affect us all the same, but we can still find ways to manage it.

Welcome to a new episode of the @MAGICademy Podcast! Our guest for S4E10 is Dr. Alexander Young, who is very well-known in the fields of education technology and health. Dr. Alex is mostly recognized as the founder and CEO of Virti, an innovative platform aimed at transforming how individuals learn and perform in professional settings. We talk about AI and coaching, how these two concepts intertwine, and how they can be harnessed to develop talents and form excellent professionals.

Dr. Alex graduated with a degree in Medicine from the University of Bristol in 2009 and subsequently trained as a trauma and orthopedic surgeon until 2018 when he decided to fully dedicate himself to Virti and focus on enhancing training and performance in business environments by leveraging advanced technologies. In this episode, he also shares some insights about AI-powered avatars, recognizing AI from real people, and some stories on how AI + coaching have improved talent development.

On S4E9 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, we’re joined by Michael Rucker to talk about something we often forget to prioritize: having fun! Michael is an organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of “The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life”. We talked about fun and happiness in organizations and in our personal lives, the different types of fun and how they have different effects on us, and how we react and process fun internally.

Michael's journey into the realm of fun began after a series of personal challenges in 2016, including the loss of his younger brother. This prompted him to reassess conventional approaches to happiness and led to the realization that chasing happiness often results in feelings of inadequacy. Michael talks about this and also shares some vital insights on fun and mental health while providing some tips on how to improve it by ourselves.

Welcome to S4E8 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, where we give a warm welcome to Barbara Oakley. She is a professor and the master brain behind the course “Learning How to Learn”, available in Coursera, which has been taken by more than a million people making it one of the more successful open learning courses on the platform. We talked about the curiosity in all of us, and how it’s necessary for everyone who wishes to learn a new concept, language or anything they need to know.

In S4E7 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, we welcome Leigh Sachwitz from Berlin, Germany. She has been dedicated to creating immersive experiences for over 25 years, finding new ways for people to learn and explore different concepts and challenging traditional educational environments. We have a great conversation about these types of experiences and how they manage to provoke an emotional response in people by creating stories that touch them in emotional ways they might not have thought about.

Leigh shares some of her background studying architecture in Scotland and pivoting to the music business, where she started experimenting with immersive experiences and had a chance to analyze the deep emotional response they spark in people. She also shares some insights on what makes these experiences unique and tells some anecdotes about past successful events and their outcomes

In S4E6, Dr. Keith Keating joins us at the @MAGICademy Podcast. He is an author and a learning advisor who’s passionate about encouraging and empowering people to take control of their futures by truly learning how to learn. We talk about his recent book, “The Trusted Learning Advisor” and his views on formal education, which require a change since they don’t provide the right tools for talents to fully develop their potential and be the figure the business needs them to be.

Dr. Keith shares some insight into business strategy; the pivoting from its business without a clear goal to what the Innovation Lab is now; and some other stories about learning and analyzing the potential and gaps in businesses, which invite reflection on how we, as professionals in the modern business environment, need to properly develop our talents and our company culture.

In S4E5 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, my guest is Andrew Cohen. He is the founder of Brainscape, which is a programmed and adaptive flashcard app to learn and practice new skills and keep information fresh. We talk about his adventure and exploration of optimizing memorization, from learning a new language to optimizing skill and performance development; as well as how new technologies can support this optimization by helping us overcome the forgetting curve.

In S4E4 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, we are joined by Ben Nelson, the founder of Minerva University and a visionary educator and innovator. In this episode, Ben discusses the critical importance of wisdom in learning and its application in real-world contexts, emphasizing that critical wisdom goes beyond rote memorization; it involves applying practical knowledge in novel situations. 

Ben also shares his insights on how traditional learning models often fail to cultivate this essential skill, leading to a generation that is less-than-well-equipped for the complexities of modern life. He advocates for a shift towards nurturing critical wisdom (for both leaders and talents), which he defines as the appropriate application of knowledge in unfamiliar contexts. He highlights the need for lifelong learning as a means to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world.

In this episode of the MAGICademy Podcast, Brendan, founder of IDEO Play Lab and a fruitable toy inventor discusses how integrating play into learning and work can lead to greater engagement and creativity. IDEO Play Lab is a global design consultancy helping the world’s most audacious dreamers create braver tomorrows. Through his iconic toys like Fisher-Price Jumperoo, Barbie Products, Pictionary Air, and Twister Air Brendan illustrates how maintaining a playful mindset can significantly improve the design process and combat boredom in the workplace.

In S4E02 of @MAGICademy Podcast, Dr. Chris Dede discusses the transformative potential of immersive technologies and artificial intelligence in human development. 

He explores how we can create engaging learning environments to enhance skill development and foster a deeper understanding of complex subjects. 

Dede argues that by combining the strengths of human learners with AI capabilities, we can achieve a new level of effectiveness that was previously unattainable.

In S4E01 of @MAGICademy Podcast, we dive deep into digital storytelling with @Michael Owen and @Robin White Owen from MediaCombo. With over 40 years of experience, they share insights on leveraging emerging technologies to create engaging experiences for museums and cultural institutions. Learn about their innovative approach to digital storytelling, the power of visual thinking strategies, and how they're using virtual reality to enhance empathy and communication skills in healthcare education. Discover the magic behind creating engaging digital experiences and the potential of VR in transforming learning.

In S3 E11 of @MAGICademy Podcast, we discuss leveraging the power of AI and emerging technologies to redefine and enhance the coaching experience, while addressing the important considerations and challenges involved in integrating intelligent systems into the deeply human-centric practice of coaching with @Vince Han, Founder of Mobile Coach. Vince shares his journey and insights on the evolving landscape of AI-powered coaching. He also addresses important considerations around privacy, bias, and the complementary roles of human and AI coaches.

In S3E10 of @MAGICademy Podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of neuroscience and learning with @Lauren Waldman, founder of @Learning Pirate. Lauren shares her expertise on how our brains process information, form memories and adapt to change. She explains the crucial role of attention in learning, the concept of schemas, and how novelty stimulates our brains. The conversation explores the importance of rest and sleep in memory consolidation, the challenges of changing established neural networks, and the potential impact of new technologies on learning.

Dive into the world of organizational dynamics and talent management with @MAGICademy S3E9 featuring @Alex Furman, CEO of @performica as we discuss a range of topics from organizational psychology, the need to move away from traditional hierarchical models to focus on mapping collaboration networks within companies to the potential impact of AI and emerging technologies on work.

💕Dive into the world of ADHD with @MAGICademy S3E8, featuring @Rawi Nanakul (He/Him), an experienced ADHD coach and tech industry product management expert. Discover the hidden potentials of ADHD talents and practical strategies for managing its challenges, including optimizing sleep, exercise, and meditation techniques. Whether you're diagnosed with it, suspect you might have it, or lead a neurodiverse team, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable advice toward a collaborative environment with overall well-being.