I’ve spent 20+ years in product and tech learning the art of product development. I’ve spent months building things that have taken an army of talented software professionals.

And then my 13-year-old son, Arjan, built a fully functioning 3D game with Pokémon-like game mechanics, achievements, AI-generated artwork, and multiple worlds. All in roughly a week and no team.

He’s never coded and doesn’t have a computer science degree. Just a kid, a laptop, and an AI tool called Replit.

Welcome to the age of vibe coding.

What Is Vibe Coding (And Why Should You Care)?

The term was popularised by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy back in February 2025, and the idea is simple. Instead of writing code line by line, you describe what you want in plain English, and AI builds it for you.

Think of it as the software equivalent of generating images with AI. You prompt in natural language as if you are having a conversation.

It’s now gone fully mainstream. 92% of US developers are using AI coding tools daily. 41% of all code globally is AI-generated. And in 2026, vibe coding is becoming the default way non-developers build software.

The Experiment: Dolphin Quest 🐬

A bit of the backstory. About a year ago, I tried getting Arjan to build a game using AI tools. At the time, the results were, let’s just say, very underwhelming.

Fast forward to late 2025, and Replit launched its Agent feature, an AI that doesn’t just generate code but actually plans requirements, builds iteratively, and tests its own work. I thought it was time for round two.

So I set the challenge: Build whatever you want. Unleash your creativity. See what happens.

And what happened was Dolphin Quest (or Dolphin Hatch — we’re still debating the name).

What a 13-Year-Old Built With Zero Coding Experience

Here’s what Arjan created:

A full 3D world with multiple environments — a tropical zone and a frozen land, connected by portals. The AI generated the 3D models, the terrain, and even the ambient music.

An in-game economy built around pearls (the currency) and eggs (which hatch into dolphins). Different eggs cost different amounts, and the dolphins you get have varying stats and rarities.

A combat system — think Pokémon meets Minecraft. Your dolphins fight bosses like Captain Shellback and the Reef Shark. There are potions (freeze and health), turn-based attacks, and animations where bosses explode when you defeat them. A nice touch.

48 unique dolphins, every single one designed using AI image generators (Gemini and ChatGPT). Each has unique stats, and hidden dolphins unlock when you complete a full collection in each world.

An achievement system — because, as Arjan put it, “achievements give you a sense of purpose in the game and something to aim for.” (Product managers, take note)

A submarine for fast travel. Three times faster than walking, implemented in a single prompt. The AI nailed it the first time.

A cheats menu — not for cheating, but for testing. Arjan built it so he could rapidly test features without grinding through the game every time. Basically, he independently invented a QA workflow.

» Dolphin Quest: Click Here «

5 Vibe Coding Lessons From a Teenager

Here’s what struck me most about this experiment and why I think it’s important for anyone in product, tech, or education.

1. Creativity is the real skill, not code

Arjan had a vision: a dolphin collection game with gambling-style mechanics, combat, and exploration. The AI handled the implementation, but the game design, the feature ideas, and the user experience decisions were all human.

2. Prompting is a craft

Arjan learned quickly that vague prompts produce vague results. He also discovered that cramming ten features into one prompt confuses the AI. His approach: be clear, be specific, and go one or two features at a time. Prompting with clarity is a skill that’s only going to become more valuable.

3. AI testing changes everything

Replit’s Agent doesn’t just generate code, it also tests what it builds and debugs its own mistakes. Arjan described watching it essentially have a conversation with itself: “Oh, this name was X, and it should have been Y, and then that meant Z. So I will quickly change that.” This self-correcting loop is what makes modern vibe coding so much better than even a year ago.

4. Domain knowledge beats technical knowledge

Arjan knows the basics of Python code — variables, loops, if statements. He didn’t need any of that knowledge. What he did use was his deep understanding of what makes games fun (years of playing them), his passion for dolphins (years of obsessing over them), and his sense of what felt right as a player. The domain expertise mattered. The syntax didn’t.

5. The friction is gone — and that makes product development accessible to everyone

A year ago, AI-generated games were disappointing. Today, a teenager can build a multi-world 3D game in a week. The gap between “I have an idea” and “I have a working product” has shortened from multiple weeks to days and minutes. And when you remove that friction, you unlock creativity from people who would never have been able to build software.

So What Does This Mean for Product Teams?

I’m not going to pretend that vibe coding is ready for enterprise-grade software. There are code quality concerns that are real and serious security considerations. And anyone building production systems still needs proper engineering rigour.

But here’s what I took away from watching my son build this game:

The most valuable skill in the age of AI isn’t knowing how to code. It’s knowing what to build, why to build it, and for whom. That’s product discovery. That’s a deeply human skill.

And if a 13-year-old with no coding experience can ship a game without all of the bureaucracy we see in corporate environments, then maybe we need a new playbook for product development.

It’s time we all stopped hiding behind technical complexity and started focusing on what actually matters: creativity, user empathy, and the courage to just build something.

Arjan finished the episode with this advice to the world: “Use AI.”

I can’t argue with that. Otherwise, we’ll continue to get around using horses instead of cars.

» Dolphin Quest: Click Here «

Try It Yourself

Feeling inspired? Here’s how to get started with vibe coding:

Tools to try: Replit (what we used), Lovable, Cursor, or even regular tools such as ChatGPT or Claude’s own coding capabilities.

Start simple. Don’t try to build a full game on day one. Build a simple app that does one thing, a timer, a to-do list, or a calculator. Get comfortable with the prompt-build-refine loop.

Be specific with your prompts. Avoid general prompts like “Make a game”. Instead, be specific, “Create a 3D underwater world where the player collects pearls by opening treasure chests, with a pearl counter in the top right corner.”

Don’t batch too many features. Go one or two at a time. The AI gets confused when you throw too much complexity at it.

Build a cheats menu early. Or whatever your equivalent of a testing shortcut is. You’ll thank yourself later.

If you build something cool with vibe coding, drop me a message on LinkedIn and show me what you’ve created.

And the important question: should the game be called Dolphin Hatch or Dolphin Quest? Or something else entirely? Reply and let me know.

Paddy Dhanda is Director of Product Management & Agile at QA Ltd (UK’s biggest Tech Training organisation). He’s on a mission to champion human skills — creativity, collaboration, and communication — in the age of AI. His book Product Discovery Thinking will be available soon.

Subscribe for weekly episodes on product, AI, and the human skills that matter most.

If you’re a Product Owner, you probably recognise this tension. You’re managing competing priorities, navigating uncertainty, and making hundreds of micro-decisions every week — often with limited control over the bigger picture. It’s no wonder that creativity and energy start to drain over time.

That’s why my conversation with Dr Roberta Garceau felt so timely. A practising dentist, yoga and Ayurveda instructor, and author of Bliss, Not Burnout, Roberta blends medical science with human insight to help professionals find balance without stepping away from ambition.

Here are the key takeaways from our discussion — practical ideas every Product Owner can apply straight away.

1. Burnout Is a Spectrum, Not a Switch

Roberta describes “bliss” and “burnout” as two ends of a sliding scale. You don’t fall into burnout overnight, you drift towards it through small compromises: skipping breaks, ignoring signals from your body, saying yes too often.

For Product Owners, this might look like spending more time updating Jira than speaking to customers, or saying yes to features you know don’t fit the vision. The slide happens quietly until focus and enthusiasm disappear.
Start noticing the early signs before they cost you creativity.

2. Adversity Is Often the Real Teacher

Roberta shared the story of her own health scare. She had a life-threatening bleed that was initially misdiagnosed. It forced her to ask a hard question: If this was it, would I be happy with how I’ve been living?

She realised adversity can reveal what really matters.
In product work, we face smaller versions of this every week: failed releases, stakeholder conflicts, missed targets. Instead of treating these moments as disasters, treat them as learning opportunities. Each setback contains information about your priorities, your boundaries, and your decision-making process.

3. Self-Care Through Self-Awareness

The word self-care can sound quite fluffy. But Roberta’s definition is about awareness, noticing how you feel, where tension sits, and how your habits affect your energy.

When you’re aware, you lead better. You make smarter trade-offs.
Ayurveda calls this balance across elements — when one area of your life is out of alignment, it eventually drags the others down.

4. Vulnerability Builds Trust Faster Than Certainty

Early in her career, Roberta believed leaders should appear flawless. Now she sees vulnerability as strength.

When you admit uncertainty — “I don’t have all the data yet, but let’s explore it together”

By taking this approach, you invite collaboration.
Google’s Project Aristotle showed that teams with psychological safety outperform others by a wide margin. Vulnerability creates that safety. And for a Product Owner, that means fewer hidden issues, richer retrospectives, and more honest conversations about risk.

5. Micro-Habits That Actually Work

Roberta’s approach to wellbeing is refreshingly practical. You don’t need a two-hour morning routine. You need repeatable, small resets:

• Exhale first. One slow breath through the nose resets your nervous system.

• Move a little. Ten minutes of walking can boost creative thinking by 60%.

• Protect one non-negotiable. Whether it’s exercise, journaling, or a quiet coffee, treat it like a meeting with yourself.

These micro-habits are easy to ignore but powerful over time. They help you regulate stress before it sabotages your judgement.

6. Don’t Rescue — Support

One story that stayed with me was about Roberta’s son moving into his first apartment. It turned out to be a mess: leaks, broken doors, unfinished repairs. Instead of fixing it for him, she asked, “What do you want to do from here?”

He figured it out and learned more by doing so.
That’s what great leaders do. As a Product Owner, resist the urge to swoop in every time something goes wrong. Coach, don’t control. When teams solve problems themselves, confidence and ownership grow.

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7. Every Frustration Is Data

At the end of our chat, I asked Roberta what she’d abolish from the world of work. Her answer surprised me: “Nothing.”

She sees every annoyance, every delay, conflict, and miscommunication as information about what’s really happening in the system.
For Product Owners, this mindset is gold. Every blocker, complaint or escalation is feedback about your product or process. The more curious you become about those signals, the stronger your product thinking becomes.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a Product Owner feeling stretched thin, Roberta’s insights offer a reset button. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour. Awareness, small habits, and a more forgiving mindset help us keep ourselves healthy and on top of our Product Owner game.

About Roberta Garceau

As a holistic dentist who’s been practicing for decades, I am passionate about helping others enhance their health, function, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Combining my knowledge of Western medicine with my background as a certified Yoga and Āyurveda instructor gives me a unique perspective towards wellness. With an emphasis on self-awareness and self-care, I believe that everyone can learn simple tools and strategies so they may empower themselves to enjoy greater joy and wellness.

Check out Dr Roberta Garceau’s book Bliss, Not Burnout

Website

Over the past 25 years, he’s interviewed thousands of creative minds in 75 countries, from painters in Riga to ministers in Bhutan, from Korean guides to designers in Bangkok.

But the story of how he came to call himself a Creativity Explorer began not with a grand idea, but with a beautiful mistake.

His eight-year-old son once told a class full of students that his dad was a “creativity explorer.” He meant to say “expert” but Fredrik didn’t correct him.

“An expert gives answers,” Fredrik told me. “An explorer asks questions.”

Insight #1: Creativity Is What Makes Us Human

Fredrik’s own definition of creativity shifts depending on who he speaks with. To one painter in Latvia, creativity was “receiving the mystery.” To a former minister in Bhutan, it was “an inward journey of understanding yourself.”

But Fredrik’s current definition is simple:

“Creativity is what makes us human.”

It’s not confined to artists or innovators. It’s the universal process of connecting ideas, emotions, and experiences into something new. Whether you’re a coder, a cook, or a CEO, your ability to imagine and make meaning is what sets you apart from machines.

That’s why, as AI accelerates and automation takes over more tasks, our true edge will come from imagination.

And imagination starts with curiosity.

Insight #2: Inspiration In, Creation Out

Fredrik shared a story about his father, a music teacher who could play ten instruments. When parents asked how to make their children musicians, his father would reply:

“You can teach anyone to play. But to make them a musician, you have to inspire them.”

That distinction changed the way Fredrik views creativity. Techniques and frameworks can help, but inspiration i.e. what we breathe in, is what feeds the creative soul.

Still, as he points out, inspiration alone isn’t enough.

“Inspiration means to breathe in. Creativity means to breathe out.”

Too many of us get stuck inhaling, scrolling, consuming, learning, attending webinars, and never exhaling.

Half the year, he travels, meeting people and soaking in ideas. The other half, he retreats to his island dome, disconnecting from the noise and transforming inspiration into books, talks, and reflection.

That cycle of inhale and exhale is the creative process in its purest form.

Insight #3: Everyone’s Creative Process Is Unique

Fredrik’s philosophy on creativity dismantles the myth of one-size-fits-all innovation. Some people thrive under pressure; others freeze. Some need collaboration; others need silence.

He laughed as he told me he’s a “hardcore introvert” who hates office politics but feels at home on a stage in front of 5,000 people. His island office, he admits, would drive an extrovert crazy, but for him, it’s a sanctuary.

The key, he says, is to understand your own creative process.

In fact, he encourages people to use AI to help map it out. “Tell it everything, what inspires you, what blocks you, what environments help you think, and ask it to summarise your creative rhythm.”

This awareness becomes even more powerful in teams. Before starting a project, Fredrik suggests a simple but transformative question:

“How do we get the best out of your creativity?”

Imagine if every project started that way. Suddenly, introverts wouldn’t be forced to brainstorm on the spot, and extroverts wouldn’t feel stifled by silence. Each person’s process would be valued, not judged.

That’s how true innovation begins, by respecting our differences.

Insight #4: Curiosity Is the Superpower Behind Creativity

Fredrik’s upcoming book, The World of Creativity, explores lessons from 40 countries. But its opening chapter centres on a single word: curiosity.

He discovered that curiosity doesn’t even mean the same thing everywhere.
In Swedish, it translates to “an urge for the new.”
In Bulgarian, it means “the love of asking questions.”
And in Latin, it shares its root with “care.”

“That which you care about, you will be curious about,” Fredrik said.

Curiosity isn’t random. It’s emotional. It’s caring enough to want to understand something deeply.

Fredrik’s mother, a Montessori teacher, embodied this philosophy. She never started a lesson by saying, “Today we’ll learn about dinosaurs.” Instead, she asked, “What would you like to do today?” If the child said, “Draw,” she’d say, “Great—let’s draw a dinosaur.”

Curiosity first. Creativity second. Always.

Final Thoughts

Fredrik Haren’s journey from Sweden to Singapore, from a dome in the sky to the deserts of Oman, reminds us that creativity isn’t a technique. It’s a state of being.

It’s about asking questions before giving answers.
It’s about finding your own rhythm of breathing in and out.
And it’s about caring enough to stay curious, even when the world feels automated, optimised, and over-connected.

Maybe the next great idea won’t come from a brainstorming session or a productivity app.
Maybe it’ll come when you least expect it, on a walk, in the shower, or after watching your favourite movie for the tenth time.

Because in the end, creativity isn’t just how we build better products or art.
It’s how we rediscover what it means to be human.

Resources

Book

• The World of Creativity by Fredrik Haren (Coming November)

LinkedIn

• Connect with Fredrik Haren

Takeaways

1. AI is Already Creative (Whether We Like It or Not)

• If creativity = novelty + value, generative AI already ticks the box.

• Art, music, writing — AI is not just following instructions, it’s generating new creative ideas.

2. “Humble Creative Machines” Should Be the Goal

• Most AI is designed to replace people. We should instead design it to elevate people.

• Like a brilliant, supportive friend: it makes you better, not obsolete.

3. ChatGPT Succeeded Because It Feels Like a Partner

• Earlier models (like GPT-2 or GPT-3) were one-shot tools.

• ChatGPT’s real innovation: it lets you clarify, iterate, co-create. That’s key to its mass adoption.

4. The Real Bottleneck Isn’t Model Size, It’s Interaction

• Text-to-image and music models still lack basic back-and-forth flow.

• Making AI more conversational and collaborative is key.

5. AI Music Creation Is Evolving Fast

• SUNO and Udio are generating full songs from prompts.

• But most models lack cultural diversity and originality — they copy what’s most popular.

• WaveAI (Maya’s company) is tackling this by helping humans explore new lyrical and melodic directions.

6. We’re Underestimating Human Intelligence

• AI may feel “smarter,” but it’s modelled on a fraction of human potential.

• Our own brains are still vastly underdeveloped — and underinvested in.

7. Advice for Parents and Young Creatives

• Let kids follow their instincts — they’re built for the future.

• Invest in hard fundamentals like math, physics, and philosophy — they’re timeless and brain-shaping.

• Embrace pivoting: new paths will open as the world shifts.

8. The Real Threat? Greed.

• AI isn’t dangerous by nature — it’s how it’s deployed.

• When used to replace instead of uplift, we all lose. Elevating others should be the goal.

Resources & Links

• Maya’s book: Creative Machines: AI, Art, and Us

• WaveAI – Tools for songwriters

• LyricStudio

He demonstrates the practical applications of AI in building product requirement documents without any code, emphasising the importance of context engineering.

Key takeaways for product people include:

1) The importance of context engineering in AI to avoid hallucination.

2) Utilising low-code tools like n8n and make.com for automation.

3) The significant shift from code writing to mastering requirements documentation.

4) Real-world case study of Media Zoo, highlighting AI's impact on ROI.

5) Emphasising the reduction of manual tasks, allowing more time for strategic product thinking and client interactions.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAIAutomators

https://www.youtube.com/@nateherk

https://www.youtube.com/@StephenGPope

https://www.youtube.com/@ColeMedin

Contact:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gordon-39135287/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-martin-3aa28490/

That memory came rushing back as I spoke with Laura Ashley-Tims, COO of Notion and co-author of The Answer is a Question. Her journey and the research that underpins her work shines a light on why so many managers are failing to live up to their team expectations. It’s not because they lack the technical skills, but because they lack the superpower of asking better questions.

When Knowledge Isn’t Enough

Laura explained that 82% of managers are “accidental”. They don’t choose the role because they love leading people, they usually fall into it after being promoted for technical excellence. But what follows is often stress, disengaged teams, and the infamous “line manager lottery.” Your experience of work depends less on the company and more on who you report to.

I’m going to share 3 of the biggest insights I took away from our conversation.

Insight #1: Tell Less, Ask More

The core idea behind Laura’s book is deceptively simple, it’s about asking powerful questions. The types of questions that help the other person find clarity, build confidence, and grow capability. Questions that shift the weight of problem-solving back to your team, where it often belongs, not because you're lazy, but because that’s how people develop.

This is what Laura and her team call Operational Coaching^®. Unlike traditional executive coaching, Operational Coaching^® happens in the flow of work, in real time. And the best part is it doesn’t require hours of training. It starts with a simple model:

STAR^®: Stop. Think. Ask. Result.

• Stop: Resist the reflex to solve.

• Think: Is this a coachable moment?

• Ask: Pose questions for their benefit, not yours.

• Result: Guide the conversation to a clear next step.

Managers who practice this consistently report getting back almost a day a week because they stop taking on their team’s problems. More importantly, their people grow in confidence and capability.

Insight #2: The Research Proves It Works

Laura’s book is underpinned by a government-backed study with the London School of Economics. Could their inquiry-led coaching style actually drive productivity? It sounded ambitious. Yet across 62 organisations and 14 sectors, the results consistently proved that their questioning approach worked for everyone, from the C-suite to first-line managers.

Here's what the research showed:

• Managers who used Operational Coaching^® saw higher productivity, stronger collaboration, and lower stress.

• Teams became more self-sufficient, leading to fewer escalations and more time for high-value strategic work.

• Perhaps most striking yet unexpected outcome was that relationships improved, not just at work, but also at home.

One manager even wrote that using the STAR^® approach helped transform his relationship with his neurodivergent son. Another said simply, “Happier wife. Priceless.”

Insight #3: The Human Edge in an AI Age

For decades, knowledge was currency. That’s why experts got promoted. But AI is eroding that advantage. What will set leaders apart in the future is not how much they know, but how well they can unlock the potential of others. Operational Coaching^® is not just a technique it will help us future proof our value as managers and leaders.

Final Thoughts

Laura’s journey, from running change programmes to proving her methods in one of the largest studies of its kind, reinforces that leadership is not about having more answers, it’s about creating more thinkers.

The challenge for each of us is to rewrite our own managerial story. Are we still clinging to the belief that our value lies in fixing, directing, and controlling? Or are we willing to experiment with a different story, one where curiosity and better questions become our superpower?

The next time someone comes to you with a problem, try the pause. Resist the urge to take it on. Ask one question that helps them take ownership. Then notice what shifts.

Because in the end, the managers who leave a mark are not the ones who knew the most. They are the ones who helped others grow into their best selves.

Resources

• Book
  The Answer Is A Question by Laura Ashley Tims and Dominic Ashley Tims

• Framework
  The STAR^® model for Operational Coaching^®
  Stop, Think, Ask, Result

• Research
  London School of Economics evaluation of Operational Coaching^® and its impact on productivity and retention across multiple sectors

• Talks and Ideas Mentioned
  Sir Ken Robinson, Do schools kill creativity
  George Land, creativity research originally developed for NASA

Guest: Laura Ashley-Timms

Laura Ashley-Timms is recognised as one of the UK’s top Executive Coaches and is the co-creator of the STAR® model (2010) and the multi-award-winning STAR® Manager program (STARmanager.global).

She is an expert and thought leader on how to leverage Operational Coaching™ behaviors across organizations to drive commercial results and improve productivity and engagement levels.

As the co-founder and COO of Notion, a performance improvement consultancy established in 2000, Laura has led the team to win a string of awards for innovation, learning design and academic partnerships and for its work with FTSE and Fortune 500 clients, including Personnel Today magazine's prestigious Learning & Development Supplier of the Year award in 2021.

The Answer is a Question

LinkedIn

As product professionals, we’re all grappling with the same question: how do we stay relevant when the machines are learning faster than we ever could? This conversation gave me both a sense of urgency and a sense of hope.

Key Takeaways

• AI isn’t just a tool—it demands a mindset shift.

• Knowledge is no longer scarce; what matters is the quality of questions we ask.

• Critical thinking is more valuable than blind trust—“trust but verify” must become our mantra.

• AI will eliminate some roles but unlock new opportunities, especially for those who lean into learning.

• Creativity isn’t about talent anymore—it’s about willingness to experiment with the tools in front of us.

Why We Need to Rewire Our Thinking

David began with a powerful observation, when he stands in front of a classroom today, his students already know more than he does on any given topic, thanks to the internet and now AI. That completely changes the role of an educator—and, by extension, the role of a product leader.

We can no longer define our value by what we know. Instead, our edge lies in how we think, the questions we frame, and our ability to guide others through ambiguity. For product teams, this means shifting from being “answer-givers” to being “problem-framers.”

From Transactional to Transformational Use of AI

One of David’s most striking points was his distinction between transactional and transformational use of AI.

• Transactional: Copying a prompt, pasting an essay, ticking the box. The human learns nothing.

• Transformational: Using AI to brainstorm, critique, and stretch thinking. The human becomes stronger in the process.

This is a crucial lesson for product managers. If we use AI merely to speed up backlog refinement or write quicker user stories, we risk being replaced. But if we use it to explore customer perspectives, model scenarios, or pressure-test strategies, we elevate our role into one that AI alone cannot fulfil.

The Superpower of Knowledge on Tap

David described AI as the superpower he once wished for in his doctoral days. The ability to touch a book and instantly absorb its contents. Today, generative AI offers that to all of us.

But there’s a caveat. AI often hallucinates, just as Wikipedia sometimes misleads. The trick is not to accept its answers as gospel, but to use them as starting points for deeper inquiry. Product leaders who master the art of “trust but verify” will be better equipped to navigate uncertainty and build resilient products.

Jobs, Creativity, and the Future of Work

We couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room, job security. David was candid—no one has a crystal ball. But history shows us that technology creates as many jobs as it destroys. The difference now is speed.

Junior roles may be vulnerable, but mid-career professionals still have an advantage—if they adapt. What’s more, AI lowers the barrier to entrepreneurship. As David put it, you can now “go from idea to startup” faster than ever. For product people, that means our ability to imagine and experiment becomes even more valuable.

And on creativity, David was refreshingly honest:

“I can’t draw, sing, or dance. But with AI, my ideas can come to life.”

That’s a powerful reminder that creativity is no longer about innate talent. It’s about curiosity and courage.

The Word We Forget: Yet

Perhaps my favourite moment in our conversation came when David talked about the pace of AI progress. Traditional computing doubled every two years. AI is doubling every five to eight months.

The lesson? Whenever you catch yourself saying, “AI can’t do that,” add the word yet.

For product professionals, that mindset is critical. The tools that look clumsy today will be standard tomorrow. The question is whether we’ll be ready to use them in the most effective ways.

Conclusion: Becoming Better, Not Faster

This episode left me with a simple but challenging reflection: AI can make us transactional or transformational. The choice is ours.

If we use it to cut corners, we diminish ourselves. If we use it to expand our thinking, spark creativity, and ask braver questions, we become the kind of product leaders the future needs.

So next time you open ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other tool, ask yourself: am I using this to get something done faster, or am I using it to become better?

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Rewiring Your Mind for AI by Dr David A. Wood (If you but the book through the publishers website https://technicspub.com/rewiring/ and use the code TP25 you can save 25% on a digital version)

• Film reference: Short Circuit (1986) – “more input” robot metaphor

• Mo Gawdat – former Google X executive, author and AI commentator

• Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses – mentioned as part of the discussion on wearable AI

• Google Gemini Storybook – AI-powered tool for creating illustrated stories

• Stanford University studies on AI progress – reference to exponential development cycles

Guest: Dr. David A. Wood

Dr. David A. Wood is passionate about understanding new technologies and implementing them into the curriculum of Brigham Young University, where he works as the Glenn D. Ardis professor of accounting. He has published over 200 articles in a combination of respected academic and practitioner journals, monographs, books, and cases, including a recently released book on AI titled, “Rewiring your Mind for AI: How to Think, Work, and Thrive in the Age of Intelligence”. He has been awarded more than 30 awards for teaching, research, and service contributions. He has helped companies and organizations around the world learn about and implement GenAI and other tech topics. In 2023, he was named by Accounting Today one of the 100 most influential people in accounting. He is a cocreator of a free generative AI governance framework (see here), and of two companies related to GenAI training and reviewing Excel workpapers (http://skillabyte.com/ and https://hiddenhawkai.com).

In this episode, Dee Rhoda chats with Superpowers School host Paddy Dhanda (yes, that's me!) about how Communities of Practice (CoPs) can go from being side projects to powerful tools for collaboration, culture, and learning.

Drawing from my experience of leading one of the UK's most vibrant visual thinking communities, and creating a new Communities of Practice Health Check with Comparative Agility, I share practical insights on what actually keeps communities alive, what causes them to fizzle out, and how community leaders can stop chasing vanity metrics and start focusing on real impact.

Learn:

• Why most internal Communities of Practice (CoP) fail within a year—and how to stop that happening to yours

• The 5 dimensions of a thriving CoP: Purpose, Engagement, Collaboration, Leadership, and Impact

• Why “reach” is a useless metric and how to talk to execs about real cultural change

• What the 90-9-1 Rule can teach us about community engagement (and where to focus your energy)

• How to keep virtual communities alive using cadence, conversation, competitions, and curiosity

• What a visual thinking community taught me about consistency and co-creation

• Why AI tools are helpful—but human connection is irreplaceable

Plus: why the most powerful question a leader can ask isn’t “What did you deliver?” it’s “Who did you help?”

Try the Communities of Practice Health Check from Comparative Agility: Click Here

This episode was first recorded for the Comparative Agility Podcast, hosted by the brilliant Dee Rhoda.

Key Takeaways:

1. One BA at a Time:
   Laura’s mission is to empower individuals rather than fix the system from the top down. Her approach focuses on confidence-building, clarity, and career transformation.

2. What is a Value-Driven BA?
   Being value-driven means aligning your work to business outcomes, not just deliverables. It’s about solving the right problems, asking why, and creating momentum—not just documenting.

3. The 8-Step BA Process (from her book):

   1. Get Oriented

   2. Discover the Business Objectives

   3. Define Scope

   4. Plan the BA Work

   5. Elicit and Define Requirements

   6. Support Implementation

   7. Support Business Rollout

   8. Assess Value & ROI

4. Clarify Your Role:
   Too often, BAs are unclear about what’s expected of them. The first step to adding value is understanding your role on each project.

5. The BA Identity Crisis:
   Business analysis still suffers from an unclear definition. Compared to roles like UX, the BA title lacks specificity—yet that ambiguity can be empowering if navigated with intention.

6. Why She Wrote the Book:
   After years of refining her training, Laura felt ready to crystallise her methodology. The book is both a culmination and a gateway to what’s next.

7. BA as AI Educator:
   BAs should be early adopters of AI, not just for personal productivity, but to guide stakeholders in understanding AI’s possibilities, risks, and business relevance.

8. Tools ≠ Outcomes:
   A reminder that overly polished artefacts (like digital models) can discourage collaboration. Use low-friction tools like whiteboards and sticky notes to co-create value.

9. Sustainability and the Bigger Picture:
   Laura’s wish for a superpower? Abolish narrow definitions of value that ignore environmental and societal impact. She advocates for a more regenerative, circular economy mindset in business.

Guest: Laura Brandenburg

Laura Brandenburg, CBAP, is an internationally-recognized leader who helps mid-career professionals start and thrive in business analysis careers. She is the founder of Bridging the Gap, author of The Value-Driven Business Analyst and How to Start a Business Analyst Career, and creator of The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program. With over 20 years of experience, Laura is passionate about building the profession one business analyst at a time and empowering others to achieve confidence and success.

Book: https://www.bridging-the-gap.com/value/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BridgingtheGapBA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabrandenburg/

In today’s episode I sat down with Rishad Tobaccowala, author of Rethinking Work, to explore the changing world of work, what skills we’ll need to thrive in the future, and how we can all prepare for a world where traditional jobs may no longer be the norm.

Rishad is not just another business author. He’s spent four decades helping global organisations adapt to change—first as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe, and now as an advisor, speaker, and writer. His weekly newsletter, “The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past,” is read by tens of thousands of leaders every week. His book is a timely, human-centered response to a rapidly changing landscape.

Why Reading Physical Books Still Matters

We opened the conversation with a discussion about books. Physical ones. Rishad shared how his personal library isn’t just for reading—it’s a place for thinking, remembering, and reconnecting with past ideas.

He believes physical books help us learn in a deeper way. He rereads his old books during something he calls “library hour,” revisiting notes and highlights he made years ago to see how his thinking has changed.

The Big Shift: Work Is Not the Same as a Job

One of the most important insights from Rethinking Work is this: a job and work are two different things.

You can have a job and do no real work. And you can do meaningful work without ever holding a formal job title.

Rishad explained that in his current career, he’s busier and more successful than ever—but he has no employer, no salary, and no traditional employment contract. He calls this “work without a job”—and it’s becoming increasingly common.

As we move further into an AI-powered economy, this shift will accelerate. Freelancers, contractors, part-time specialists, portfolio workers, and AI agents will begin to outnumber traditional employees. This has massive implications for how companies hire, how leaders lead, and how individuals build careers.

The Five Real Reasons Why People Work

Rishad reminds us that people don’t work just for money. In fact, he identifies five reasons why we work:

1. Income – for basic needs like housing, food, and stability

2. Identity – because what we do is part of who we are

3. Purpose – to feel like our work matters

4. Community – to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging

5. Growth – to learn, stretch ourselves, and become better

The future of work will require us to think about all five—not just the paycheck.

How Companies Will Change in the Future

Rishad believes we’re entering a world where the company itself is being redefined. Instead of massive organisations with thousands of employees, we’ll see ecosystems of smaller, more agile companies.

Some workers will be full-time employees. Others will be part-time, project-based, or fractional. And of course we will have plenty of AI agents.

As a result, traditional HR and leadership models will need to be rebuilt. Performance management, culture building, and collaboration won’t be based on physical presence or timesheets. Instead, they’ll rely on influence, trust, and shared purpose.

Why Bosses Are Outdated and Mentors Are Needed

In the traditional workplace, a boss was someone who told you what to do and measured how well you followed instructions. But in the world we’re heading into, control-based leadership won’t work.

Rishad argues we need fewer bosses and more mentors.

He defines the future of leadership as moving from “zones of control” to “zones of influence.” Leaders in this new world won’t micromanage. They’ll inspire, guide, and support—especially when teams are remote, global, and increasingly blended with AI.

The Six Skills You Need for the Future of Work

In Rethinking Work, Rishad outlines six core skills—what he calls the “Six Cs”—that are essential for staying relevant in the workplace of tomorrow. They’re broken into two categories.

Three Internal Skills:

1. Cognition – the ability to keep learning and updating your mental models

2. Creativity – not just coming up with ideas, but expressing who you are

3. Curiosity – staying open to new possibilities and asking “what if?

Three External Skills:

1. Collaboration – working well with humans and AI

2. Convincing – using storytelling and communication to persuade

3. Communication – writing and speaking clearly to share ideas that matter

These are the human skills that AI can’t easily replicate—and they’re becoming more valuable every day.

A Message for the Next Generation

As a parent, I shared something personal with Rishad. My teenage daughter, who’s passionate about art, recently told me she felt like AI had ruined her future. “What’s the point of creating,” she said, “if machines can do it faster?”

Rishad’s explained, AI isn’t a threat—it’s a collaborator. Just like a chess player plus a machine is better than a machine alone, a human artist plus AI tools can do more than either could do by themselves.

His advice to young people is simple: don’t give up. Use technology to amplify your creativity, not to replace it.

Take the Wheel of Your Own Career

One of Rishad’s most memorable lines came near the end of our conversation:

“When it comes to your future, don’t let your boss or your company take the wheel. You should take the wheel.”

That message is at the heart of Rethinking Work. The future is coming faster than we expected—and it’s up to each of us to prepare, learn, adapt, and grow.

You don’t need a degree from a top university or a Silicon Valley job title to stay relevant. You need curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn new things every day.

That’s what this book—and this episode—is all about.

I would love to hear your thoughts, and please share this episode with others who might benefit from this thinking.

Guest: Rishad Tobaccowala

Author, futurist, and one of the most respected voices in business reinvention. With over 40 years of experience advising some of the world’s biggest brands, Rishad has been named by BusinessWeek as one of the top business leaders and by TIME magazine as a marketing innovator. He’s the author of the bestselling book Restoring the Soul of Business and his latest, Rethinking Work, challenges us to redesign work to be more human, more purposeful, and more future-ready. He also writes a brilliant weekly thought-letter, read by over 30,000 leaders worldwide, and hosts the podcast What Next?

Website: https://rishadtobaccowala.com/

After landing back in the UK, I was off again 24 hours later to present a keynote (with my good friend Grant Wright - my co-founder of the Visual Jam community) at the BA & Beyond conference in Belgium. The talk was titled Collaboration Mania and it turned into battle of opinions.

And just when I thought my jet-setting had come to a close, I was at QA Ltd’s annual sales conference in Manchester. Was so good to catch-up with so many of my work colleagues and celebrate the past year.

I was then back in the States in Pheonix Arizona for the Building Business Capability conference. Grant and I delivered a half day workshop titled The Sketchy Business Analyst - I’ll let you guess the core theme of the session. But once again, it was received positively and we walked away making a ton of new friends and connections. And I got to ride in my first ever driverless car (more about that in a future newsletter).

And the other week I presented a lightening talk at the Agile Assembly community event. The session was themed around high-performing teams and I got to speak about the power of Communities of Practice.

Other exciting mini projects that I have been working on include a new assessment for an amazing Agile maturity assessment platform, Comparative Agility. It is the world’s largest Agile maturity index with over 3.5m data points and over 14,000 organisations using it. I created the Community of Practice Healthcheck, designed to help groups measure the effectiveness of their communities. You can check it out here.

I’ve also been writing a book which is themed around Product Discovery. It’s been a life long ambition of mine to write, so I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience of actually going through with it. I’ll share more on the progress in the coming weeks.

And finally, I’ve been busy planning our very own conference focused on Visual Thinking, titled International Sketchnote Camp. It will take place between 4th - 6th July in Birmingham. We have international speakers flying in and over 100 attendees flying in from around the world.

That brings us up to date and I am excited to share today’s episode with you. In this episode, agile coach and creative facilitator Laura Re Turner shares how her neurodivergent traits have shaped her facilitation style—and what every product person should do to make workshops more inclusive, energising, and effective.

🧠 The Big Idea

We often obsess over new frameworks, but forget the most powerful tool we have in discovery: the human brain. And not all brains work the same way. Laura argues that if we’re serious about building inclusive products, we need to start by building inclusive collaboration experiences—ones that allow for reflection, creativity, autonomy, and rest. Neurodivergence isn’t a limitation. It’s a lens that can make facilitation radically better for everyone.

1. Design for All Minds, Not Just Loud Voices

Neurodivergent team members often thrive with self-directed learning and visual tasks. Laura recommends:

• Using reflection time before group discussion

• Providing options for visual or written contributions

• Designing activities that balance autonomy with structure

💡 "People who are neurodivergent love to take responsibility for their own learning," says Laura.

2. Reclaim “Old School” Tools Like PESTLE and SWOT

You don’t need a new canvas to do deep thinking. Laura reminds us that tools like PESTLE and McKinsey 7-S have stood the test of time—not because they’re trendy, but because they work. The key is how you facilitate them.

👉 Don’t just run SWOT. Help teams make meaning from it. Ask: What patterns do we see? What feels urgent? What’s actionable?

3. Acknowledge the Exhaustion of Online Work

Being on camera all day is a huge ask for many neurodivergent people, especially those who mask or experience Zoom fatigue. Laura advises:

• Turn cameras off for reflection activities

• Shorten sessions or break them into chunks

• Don't expect constant "camera smiles" — they drain real energy

🎧 “Just being stared at on screen for hours is exhausting,” Laura explains. And she's not alone—research backs this up (see: Bailenson, 2021).

4. Tap Into Creative Flow as a Facilitator

Laura lights up when facilitating because it gives her energy, not drains it. She shares how co-designing games, using physical space intentionally, and letting go of rigid plans can transform workshops from flat to electric.

🖼️ Her art practice has rekindled this creative spark. “Artists are mad in a really great way,” she laughs—and it’s that playful madness that makes facilitation memorable.

5. Facilitation Isn’t Just About Running the Room—it’s About Reading It

Laura shares a moment when her line manager said she looked “radiant” while facilitating. That wasn’t accidental—it was the result of:

• Creating an energetic environment (layout, music, tactile materials)

• Encouraging play and curiosity from the minute people walked in

• Trusting her instincts as a neurodivergent thinker

🧠 When facilitators embrace their own wiring, they help others feel safe to do the same.

🎙️ Favourite Quote from Laura

“Facilitators don’t just use tools—they create space. For safety, spontaneity, and self-expression.”

🧭 How to Apply This in Your Role This Week

• Add a self-guided activity to your next workshop

• Offer an opt-out from being on camera

• Replace one group discussion with a solo sketch-and-share

• Bring an old tool back—PESTLE, SWOT, McKinsey 7S—and use it creatively

• Observe your own energy: What drains you? What fuels you?

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Laura’s book: Becoming Agile

• MG Taylor Method (used at PwC, EY, Capgemini)

• Vanessa Van Edwards on resting face & nonverbal cues

• Bailenson (2021) – Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue

Guest: Laura Re Turner

Laura Re Turner is an experienced coach and facilitator who blends professional coaching, expert facilitation, and Lean-Agile principles to support organisational change. As the founder of Future Focus Coaching, she helps leaders and teams thrive in complex environments through one-to-one coaching and dynamic group facilitation. Known for creating psychological safety and fostering deep collaboration, Laura draws on a wide range of approaches including systemic coaching, applied positive psychology, and Nancy Kline’s ‘Time to Think’. She is the author of Becoming Agile: Coaching Behavioural Change for Business Results and a regular speaker on the intersection of coaching and Agile.

Website: https://futurefocuscoaching.org/

Book: https://futurefocuscoaching.org/about-us/laura-re-turner/becoming-agile/

Tickets: Click Here

Listen Now: Apple Podcast // Spotify

Donna DuPont is a futurist, systems designer, and founder of Purple Compass. She helps organisations in complex industries—like healthcare, defence, and mining—develop foresight capabilities to lead through uncertainty. But in this episode, Donna goes deep on the inner work: how our mindset toward the future impacts our personal growth, product decisions, and career trajectories.

We explore what it means to build an anticipatory mindset, how to break out of a reactive life or career cycle, and how to use the Futures Triangle to surface insights that your backlog (and brain) might be ignoring.

If you’re a product professional feeling stuck, disillusioned, or directionless—this episode is a reset button.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What the “anticipatory mindset” is and why it matters in product

2. Why your belief system can either shrink or expand opportunity

3. A practical walkthrough of the Futures Triangle

4. How to reframe career stagnation as a signal for growth

5. Ways to reconnect to purpose during burnout

6. What the mining industry taught Donna about innovation

7. Why human skills—not technical ones—are the future of product work

8. How to balance fear and optimism in the AI era

Recommended for:

Business Analysts navigating their next move

Product Owners facilitating strategy conversations

UX designers seeking clarity in complex orgs

Anyone feeling like they’ve outgrown their current direction

Leaders creating space for innovation in their teams

Key takeaways:

1. Your mindset is the invisible roadmap.

How you see yourself—and your future—shapes what you build, ship, and even believe is worth working on. Donna urges product people to audit their mental models like they would any other framework.

2. The Futures Triangle is a game-changer.

This foresight tool helps you map:

The pushes of the present (pressures or signals creating change)

The weight of the past (beliefs or behaviours holding you back)

The pull of the future (your personal or team north star)

3. Burnout is often a signal, not a flaw.

Feeling disengaged, bored, or lost? Donna says that’s your inner system asking you to reconnect with a vision that excites you.

4. We are addicted to comfort.

Most of us resist change not because of laziness, but because uncertainty triggers fear. Recognising that fear—and questioning its root—is how you build courage.

5. Start with awareness, not action.

Before you change roles, products, or habits—ask: What’s my orientation to the future? Are you operating from fear or curiosity?

6. AI doesn’t kill jobs—disconnection does.

Donna encourages product professionals to lean into the AI conversation instead of avoiding it. Focus on where your human value shines: creativity, empathy, systems thinking.

7. Constraint-free zones create innovation.

If Donna had a superpower, she’d abolish judgment, fear, and politics in meetings for 24 hours—just to see the untapped ideas that emerge when everyone feels safe to speak.

8. Transformation takes space.

You can’t redesign your future while drowning in your calendar. Donna suggests carving out time for “mental wandering” to explore your evolving direction.

Referenced:

The Futures Triangle (Slaughter, 1999)

World Economic Forum: Top 10 Skills for the Future of Work

Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk: “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”

Purple Compass: https://purplecompass.ca

I’ve been a long-time admirer of Henrik Kniberg’s work. He re-wrote the rule book when it comes to the way Agile teams work together.

His YouTube videos have had millions of views, and his work at Spotify, LEGO, and Mojang (the people behind the Minecraft game) shaped how entire industries think about Agile and product development.

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So having him on the podcast was a big deal. I was nervous.

Henrik’s latest video, “Generative AI in a Nutshell,” has clocked over 3 million views. As a visual thinking practitioner myself, I have to say, it’s a masterclass in visual storytelling. And he’s recently turned the video into a book with the same title.

📚 How the Book (and Viral Video) Happened

Henrik didn’t plan to write a book.

It started with a sketch. Literally.

He sat in his cabin, grabbed his pen, and made a video about what he’d learned after a year immersed in AI. That 18-minute video exploded. Millions of views later, people wanted more. So he expanded the insights into a book — still filled with doodles.

“I wanted to show people that this stuff isn’t magic. It’s learnable. And it can give you superpowers.”

🦾 From Chatbots to Colleagues: What Are AI Agents, Really?

Henrik explained the difference like this:

• A chatbot is like an intern who sleeps at their desk until you poke them.

• An AI agent is like a teammate who knows their job, checks their email, flags issues, and just… gets on with it.

One of his clients built an agent that screens thousands of investment opportunities a year — faster and more consistently than any human. Not just saving time, but actually making better calls. Why? Because AI doesn’t get tired, distracted, or bored.

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And you can talk to these agents like you would a junior human team member:

“Here’s what you need to do.”
“Here’s how we handle exceptions.”
“Let me know if anything weird comes up.”

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Two Humans and an AI Walk into a Standup...

With the rise of AI Agents, I was keen to explore the future of Agile teams. In fact, I’ve been inspired by one of his articles on the topic titled “Agile in the Age of AI”. I also recently wrote a blog article on the subject of whether AI is making Agile teamwork obsolete.

According to Henrik:

“You don’t need a six- or seven-person Agile team anymore. If you understand how to work with AI, two people and a few agents can get the same — or more — done.”

Two people and some AI agents. That’s it.

That may sound like something out of a science fiction movie. But Henrik’s already living it. He’s building AI platforms where small teams — sometimes just a developer and a customer co-create with agents that can triage bugs, write code, route invoices, and research competitors.

The coordination cost drops. The team size shrinks. You ship more. And no more lengthy boring meetings.

🧑‍💼 So What Do Humans Still Bring to the Table?

We still have an important role. But it’s changing.

Henrik made it clear: if your value at work is just gathering data, running reports, or managing processes, that’s the kind of stuff AI will easily take over.

But if your skill is framing the right problem?
If you know how to make decisions with messy data?
If you’re great at talking to real people and spotting nuance?

Then there’s less risk of you becoming redundant.

Especially when the AI can help with the heavy lifting — pulling insights, generating options, summarising articles — leaving you more time to think, sense, and steer.

Henrik put it best when he said:

“You become more of a problem-formulator than a problem-solver.”

📉 Why AI Is Making Discovery Even More Important

AI makes it easier than ever to build products… but that also means more bad ideas will get built, faster.

Henrik’s seen it firsthand. It’s not the tech that makes the difference — it’s how close the team is to the real users. That’s where the magic happens.

At Spotify, it was about rapid releases and user data.
At LEGO, it was sitting with kids, watching them play.
At Mojang, it was livestreams and raw player feedback.

Whatever the method, the principle was the same: ship small and listen hard.

AI doesn’t change that. It just lets you iterate faster. In fact, Henrik now sits next to users and co-creates with them live — building working code in real time based on their feedback.

🧠 And What About Agile?

Henrik still believes in the values behind Agile — small teams, fast feedback, working closely with users. But the events? The roles? The team sizes?

All up for debate.

“When you’ve got two people and an AI, you don’t need sprint planning or stand-ups. You’re just talking all the time. It’s continuous flow.”

He’s not saying get rid of everyone. He’s saying we need to rethink how teams work — and stop organising around the constraints of the past.

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🚀 So What Should We Learn Now?

According to Henrik, the biggest risk isn’t AI replacing jobs.

It’s people not adapting. Not learning. Not experimenting.

“If you don’t know how to use this stuff, you’ll struggle. Like trying to work today without knowing how to use the internet.”

Learning AI doesn’t mean becoming a prompt ninja overnight. It means being curious. Tinkering. Playing. Asking better questions. And yes — using it to think better, not just do faster.

Henrik learns by building, teaching, writing, and running into roadblocks. And he says the people who thrive in this new world will be the ones who are willing to experiment — and learn out loud.

✂️ And If He Could Abolish One Thing From Work?

Time sheets.

“They’re a waste of time — literally. You spend time filling them in, someone spends time reading them, and nothing useful comes from it.”

He even wrote a whole blog about how he got rid of them as a CTO. (And now I’m wondering how I can forward that to my manager.)

🎯 Final Takeaway

The way we work is about to change — faster than we expect. And we don’t need to fear it. But we do need to get ready.

Smaller teams.
Smarter tools.
More meaningful human skills.

If you can talk to users, shape a problem, and work out what matters — you’ll be ok.

👣 What to Do Next

• 📕 Grab Henrik’s new book: Generative AI in a Nutshell (yes, it’s full of hand-drawn doodles)

• 💬 Message me on LinkedIn and tell me your thoughts on this episode.

And if you want more human-first insights like this, sign up for the Superpowers School newsletter. I don’t promise to fix your time sheets. But I might help you build the skills that matter next.

Guest: Henrik Kniberg

Henrik Kniberg is Chief Scientist and cofounder of Ymnig.ai. He is an AI whisperer, trainer, product developer, and author. He created the viral video "Generative AI in a Nutshell" and the book with the same name. He is also famous for his videos "Spotify Engineering Culture", "Product Ownership in a Nutshell", and for silly metaphors such as the skateboard metaphor for product development, and for his work as Minecraft developer. He lives in Stockholm with his wife and four kids and a bunch of random music instruments.

Links: www.abundly.ai

The Myth of the "Techy" Tech Job

Ask a teenager what a tech career looks like, and you’ll probably hear them mention coding.

But did you know less than 10% of tech professionals come from a Computer Science background?

And yet, we keep telling young people they need to pick computing at A-level, or ace Python at school, if they ever want to break into tech.

From UX to service design, DevOps to product management, tech is full of roles where curiosity, collaboration, communication and creativity matter more than coding capabilities.

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Squiggly Careers Are the New Normal

Christina's advice to students and early-career professionals is simple: you don’t have to have it all figured out.

Forget the career ladder. Careers in tech are more like spaghetti. They twist. They turn. They squiggle.

She reminds us that many of today’s tech leaders came from non-linear paths. The job you end up loving might not exist yet.

So instead of stressing over a five-year plan, Christina urges us to make the next best decision from where we are right now.

Apprenticeships: The Best-Kept Secret in Tech

While everyone else is fixated on going to university, Christina shares insights about an alternative path through apprenticeships.

From Level 3 (equivalent to A-levels) up to Level 7 (Master’s), digital apprenticeships offer a real job, a salary, and hands-on experience in roles like business analysis, software testing, DevOps and even AI.

And you don’t need to be 18. There’s no upper age limit.

More companies are adopting a "grow your own" strategy, investing in early talent through apprenticeships and grad schemes. Why? Because finding experienced talent is hard—and the industry needs fresh perspectives.

The Human Skills That Tech Really Needs

Tech companies aren’t actually looking for just hard skills.

They’re looking for human skills that are difficult to replicate through AI:

• Curiosity

• Communication

• Creativity

• Collaboration

Tech is becoming more people-focused than ever. Whether you're designing services, improving user experiences, or managing digital products—your ability to understand people will be your real superpower.

Why We Need to Talk More About Our Jobs

Christina made a powerful observation: most people working in tech don’t talk about what they do.

When asked, we shrug and say, "I work in IT" and hope there are no follow-up questions.

But here’s the problem: If we don’t talk about our roles, how can young people aspire to them?

Christina urges every tech professional to give back just one hour a year. Visit a school. Join a career panel. Share your story.

Because the career advisor sending your daughter to a generic website isn’t enough. Kids need to hear real experiences from real people in the field.

If You’re Young and Unsure, That’s OK

This episode wasn’t just for professionals—it was for anyone that is confused about the future or staring at their GCSE results wondering what comes next.

Christina’s message: you don’t need to have a plan. Just follow what you enjoy, build on your strengths, and don’t close doors too early. You can always pivot later.

Because tech isn’t a destination. It’s a space full of paths, detours, and second chances.

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And Finally... A World Without Imposter Syndrome

If Christina had a superpower for one day, it would be to abolish imposter syndrome.

Because it’s not individuals who are broken. It’s the systems and workplaces that make us doubt ourselves.

Imagine what we could achieve if everyone felt they belonged.

Now that’s a superpower worth building.

📚 The Book Careers in Tech, Data and Digital: From Education to Employment by Christina Lovelock is available now via Amazon, BCS, and other retailers.

Thanks again to Christina for joining me on the Superpowers School Podcast.

Guest: Christina Lovelock

Christina Lovelock has worked in the tech sector for over 20 years and is committed to the development of the future tech workforce. She has introduced entry-level roles into her organisations and chaired the development of a UK National Digital Apprenticeship standard.

Working for a range of public sector organisations, she has led teams of up to 120 people to deliver digital transformation and organisational change. She is the author of two books, including Careers in Tech, Data and Digital: from education to employment. She lives in Yorkshire and is a consultant, writer, speaker and qualified coach. She would be delighted to connect via linkedIn!

From the industrial heartbeat of Birmingham to the deep tunnels of South African gold mines, Chris Thomason’s career has been anything but ordinary. He's rebuilt failing companies. He’s helped global giants unlock millions in revenue. But perhaps most importantly, he’s asking better questions that are changing how we work.

In this episode, I sat down with the creator of Freaky Thinking and the Meeting Maximizer to explore one simple but powerful idea:
Most meetings are broken because they were never designed to create value.

Not because of bad agendas.
Not because people are disengaged.
But because they focus on answers to the wrong questions.

🤯 Why Brainstorming Might Be Broken

Most of us were taught that brainstorming is the holy grail of creativity. Get a group in a room. Shout out ideas. Write them on Post-it notes. Keep going until the whiteboard looks like a Jackson Pollock painting.

Chris doesn’t buy it.

“I’ve run the experiments. I’ve tested it. And honestly—I hate brainstorming. It’s demeaning to real thinking.”

Here’s why:

• You’re forced to think on the spot, which favors the loudest voices, not the best ideas.

• The “one person speaks at a time” rule means there's always noise—never time to think.

• People start aligning to group norms too quickly. Nod at an idea? Suddenly, it's everyone’s focus.

• You fill space with quantity, not quality. 100 ideas. 95 are trash. Maybe more.

Instead, Chris proposes a thinking-first model:

• Pose an open-ended but tightly scoped killer question

• Leave the room. Literally.

• Let it percolate during dog walks, showers, or driving commutes

• Reconnect later to explore—not rush—the answers

“You don’t get great ideas in meetings. You get them in moments of reflection.”

🔍 What Makes a Killer Question?

According to Chris, it’s not the questions you already know the answer to. Those are performance traps designed to make you look clever.

A real killer question:

• Is hard to answer

• Has no immediate or obvious solution

• If answered, would unlock serious value

• Forces people to say, “I don’t know”—and that’s okay

Chris believes that saying “I don’t know” in a business setting should be seen as a power move, not a sign of weakness.

In fact, he’d like to abolish:

“All questions where the asker already knows the answer.”

Because those questions? They waste time. They waste thinking. And they kill creativity.

🔧 Introducing: The Meeting Maximizer

Chris’s Meeting Maximizer isn’t a gimmick. It’s a complete rethink of how we use the most expensive resource in any organisation: people’s time and brainpower.

Here’s how it works:

1. Start with a killer question – One you’ve never asked before. One that really matters.

2. Don’t try to answer it in the meeting – No brainstorming. No pressure.

3. Give everyone time – Let it sit. Days, weeks. Let the subconscious do its work.

4. Collect asynchronous input – Use a shared document or platform.

5. Curate the best responses – Review them before the next meeting.

6. Discuss, refine, act – Then, and only then, do you bring the question back to the group.

This approach leverages a concept many of us overlook:

💡 We think better outside meetings than in them.

It’s why our best ideas arrive mid-shampoo, not mid-sprint planning.

🤖 What About AI? Will ChatGPT Replace BAs?

Chris is optimistic—but not naïve.

“ChatGPT is like a junior colleague with access to the world’s knowledge, but no experience. It’s great for accelerating learning. Not replacing judgement.”

He encourages BAs to break down their tasks and explore how AI can assist with:

• Research and synthesis

• Drafting stakeholder documents

• Learning new domains quickly

• Exploring alternatives before a workshop

• Becoming a faster expert, not a fake one

But the magic still lies in how you ask the questions.

🔁 Meetings vs Workshops: Know the Difference

Chris draws a firm line between the two:

• Meetings = Reporting sessions. Information exchange.

• Workshops = Creation spaces. Problem solving. Co-design.

And he warns:

“If you’re just having meetings to brainstorm, you’re probably wasting your team’s genius.”

🎤 Chris at BA Life: Why Brainstorming is 72 Years Too Old

Chris will be giving a keynote at the upcoming BA Life Conference, and let’s just say… he’s got strong opinions.

• Brainstorming? Born in 1953.

• Most BAs wouldn’t use a tool that’s 72 years old in any other part of their role.

• So why are we still defaulting to it for ideation?

He’ll be talking about:

• How to think differently with Freaky Thinking

• Why killer questions sit in the “Important but Not Urgent” quadrant of the Eisenhower Matrix

• And how you can be the BA who transforms meetings from time-wasters into value generators

⚡️Final Thought: Be the BA Who Changes the Question

Chris left us with a challenge. One that you might want to try tomorrow:

For 24 hours, refuse to answer any question that already has an obvious answer.
And if someone asks you one? Respond with:
“Do you have a better question we should be asking?”

You might be surprised at what happens.

Guest: Chris Thomason

Chris Thomason is the founder of Ingenious Growth and a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with a truly global and eclectic business background, having lived and worked across the UK, Africa, and Australia. From turning around a failing manufacturing company into a market leader, to helping major corporates like HSBC, Toyota, and Vodafone unlock millions in revenue through innovative thinking, Chris has consistently applied what he calls “business creativity” to solve complex challenges. His unconventional journey—from deep-level gold mining in South Africa to writing award-nominated business books—has shaped a unique perspective on growth, rooted in asking better questions rather than chasing quick answers. With a track record that includes civil war zones, platinum mines, and boardrooms alike, Chris now helps organisations think differently and thrive through the structured creative approaches of Ingenious Growth.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a Community of Practice (CoP), or you’ve already got one that feels more like it’s not gaining traction, then this post is for you. Whether you're a community leader or just someone who wants to bring people together around a shared passion then I’m here to give you the ingredients for your very own secret sauce.

And spoiler alert: there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe. But there are some key ingredients you can start experimenting with today.

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Why Communities of Practice Matter (Now More Than Ever)

According to research by Josh Bersin, the average knowledge worker only spends 1% of their week on formal learning. That’s about 24 minutes. You’ve probably spent longer today scrolling LinkedIn.

And yet, we’re expected to keep up with rapid change, stay relevant, and magically “collaborate” across silos. What if there was a better way to learn? Social learning and CoPs.

When done well, Communities of Practice offer:

• Real-time problem-solving

• Peer-to-peer learning

• A safe space to explore messy challenges

• A magnet for top talent

• A secret weapon for organisational knowledge retention

But getting there takes more than setting up a few events. So let’s break down what really makes a community thrive.

The Real Meaning of “Community”

When I asked folks at the Meetup what comes to mind when they hear the word “community,” I got responses like:

“Togetherness. Support. Safe space. Communication.”

And they were spot on.

Community is more than Slack channels and SharePoint sites. It’s human. It’s built on trust, vulnerability, and a shared purpose.

For me, this all started in Punjab. As a kid visiting our village, I witnessed this powerful concept of seva — selfless service — and how elders gathered not because they were paid, but because they cared. They’d help resolve disputes, mentor the young, and support each other. No job titles. No KPIs. Just community in its purest form.

So What Is a Community of Practice?

There’s a difference between a Community of Interest and a CoP.

As defined by Etienne Wenger and Beverly Trayner, a true CoP has:

1. A shared domain – Something you deeply care about (not just a casual interest).

2. A community – People engaging, helping, challenging, and supporting one another.

3. A practice – Real practitioners learning and evolving their craft together.

Think of nurses sharing war stories over lunch. They may not label it a CoP, but it ticks the above three boxes.

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Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Crowd

Quick story: In the early 1900s, a guy called Francis Galton used to attend English festivals. At the festivals, people would enter competitions to guess the weight of an ox. If they got it right, they wouldn’t win a cuddly toy, instead they’d win the ox. Individually, most were way off. But when he averaged their answers, it was always very close to the actual weight.

Lesson? The crowd is often wiser than the expert if the group is diverse, independent, and not coerced. And if you are an Agile practitioner, you will know that one of the core mindset beliefs is to collaborate when tackling tricky problems such as Agile estimation. And it’s exactly why CoPs can be such a powerful engine for innovation.

Another one: Xerox engineers used to solve machine problems not by reading the manual, but by phoning each other. Eventually, Xerox captured this underground knowledge-sharing network and turned it into Project Eureka, saving the company millions.

Engagement Is Your Biggest Challenge (And There’s a Rule for That)

Most communities fail not because they don’t have smart people, but because no one shows up.

What if I told you engagement for your community will probably at best follow this pattern?

• 90% of members will lurk silently.

• 9% will contribute occasionally.

• 1% will become your core contributors.

That’s called the 90-9-1 Rule. It’s a rule that most marketers use when estimating engagement for their campaigns. So don’t waste energy trying to engage the whole company. Focus on nurturing that top 10%. Reward them. Spotlight them. Get them involved.

How to Influence Without Forcing (Cialdini’s 7 Levers)

To increase further increase engagement, check out Robert Cialdini’s book titled Influence, it’s the Bible of persuasion, and here’s how his 7 levers apply to CoPs:

• Authority – Showcase your experts. People trust those who walk the talk.

• Liking – Be human. Be kind. Toxicity kills engagement.

• Social Proof – Show others are joining. FOMO is a great way to entice others to engage.

• Commitment – Get people to make public commitments (even small ones).

• Scarcity – Limited seats? One-time event? More FOMO.

• Unity – “We’re in this together” works better than “Come to our meeting.”

• Reciprocity – Give first. People will feel compelled to give back.

Even a free mug works wonders.

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Communities Have a Lifecycle Too

CoPs also go through stages, just like teams do.

1. Potential – We imagine what could be.

2. Forming – Everyone’s excited.

3. Storming – Real life kicks in. People disappear.

4. Maturing – Things stabilise… or they don’t.

5. Transformation or Closure – We evolve, or we end.

Support is critical in the early phases. Appoint a community lead. Set the vision. Run events. Then slowly step back as members take the wheel.

A Few Tips from My Own Experiments

Here’s what’s worked for me (feel free to steal with pride):

• At Deutsche Bank, we grew our Agility Guild to 5,000 people. The secret? We launched Agile Awards with categories like “Most Collaborative Team.” We got 80 case studies overnight. People love prizes.

• For a BA community, we used the Kano model (value vs. effort) to prioritise initiatives. External events had the highest satisfaction. Peer-run training sessions built real ownership.

• And food. Never underestimate the power of pizza.

Final Thoughts

If there's one thing I’ve learned from building communities, it’s this: it takes time.

There’s no plug-and-play solution. Every organisation is different. Every group of people has its own quirks. But what does work is consistently and providing value.

Start small. Build trust. And don’t be discouraged if engagement starts slow. Most communities begin with a handful of committed people, not a crowd.

If you’re trying to build something and want to bounce ideas around, I’m always up for a chat. Simply reply to this post or ping me via LinkedIn.

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Key Takeaways:

📍 Play Ignites Joy and Creativity

• Adults instinctively reconnect with joy when given opportunities to play.

• Play is fundamental to human experience, naturally sparking creativity and imagination.

📍 LEGO Serious Play as a Transformative Tool

• Originally developed by LEGO in the 1990s to stimulate innovation within organizations.

• Enables participants to communicate complex ideas and feelings through building LEGO models, leveraging storytelling and metaphor.

• Encourages equitable participation from introverts and extroverts alike.

• Physical manipulation of LEGO activates deeper cognitive and neural networks, enhancing creativity and ideation.

📍 Overcoming Cynicism and Building Connections

• Play techniques help break down hierarchical and interpersonal barriers in teams.

• Facilitating playful exercises can dramatically shift a group's dynamics, overcoming initial resistance or cynicism and creating deeper connections.

• Games and playful methodologies foster an environment that reduces fear and encourages vulnerability, openness, and collaboration.

📍 Practical Applications of Play in Facilitation

• Suitable for diverse settings, including strategic planning, innovation sessions, team building, and agile training.

• Games inspired by improv comedy are particularly effective in helping teams adopt a positive, "yes and" mentality.

• Virtual adaptations are possible, though some physical aspects of play remain irreplaceable.

📍 Importance of Analogue Experiences

• Despite technological advancements, analogue tools like LEGO provide unique psychological and emotional engagement.

• Human connection, collaboration, and authentic team dynamics become increasingly critical in an AI-driven world, making playful analogue methods essential for future-proofing teams.

📍 Superpowers to Abolish in Workplaces

• Brandon highlights two critical impediments: anger and fear, both of which hinder openness, creativity, and genuine team connections.

• By using playful methods, facilitators can effectively mitigate these negative emotions, fostering healthier and more productive work environments.

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Guest: Brandon Wetzstein

Founder and Chief Play Officer (IN8 Create)

Brandon is driven by a passion to reshape the way we collaborate. In a world brimming with digital tools and automation, he's convinced that our real strength lies in how well we work together. With this belief, he founded IN8 Create, aiming to unearth the hidden potential in all of us. Given the right tools, environment, and support, Brandon believes we can reach incredible heights, enriching our lives, relationships, and communities.

Links:

https://in8create.com

https://herdingsqurrels.com

https://linkedin.com/in/brandonwetzstein

What I love about Emily’s perspective is that she doesn’t treat facilitation like a job title.
She treats it like a mindset — a way of working that anyone, at any level, in any industry, can adopt.

“Facilitation isn’t something reserved for workshops and whiteboards,” she said.
“It’s something we do every time we guide a conversation, bring clarity to a room, or help people collaborate better.”

The problem?
We’ve buried this skill under corporate jargon.
We’ve assumed it belongs to “other people” — the official facilitators.

But you’re probably already doing it.
And now’s the perfect time to get intentional about it.

AI is Coming for Knowledge Work — Not the Relationships

Here’s where this conversation really hit home.

You can automate code.
You can outsource content.
You can even get ChatGPT to generate a workshop agenda.

But you can’t automate trust (yet).
You can’t replicate psychological safety (yet).
You can’t teach a bot how to read the energy of a room and gently steer the conversation to something meaningful (yet).

“Facilitation is about holding space,” Emily says.
“It’s about helping people navigate complexity. It’s relational, not robotic.”

And in an age where AI is absorbing more and more of our cognitive tasks, facilitation is a deeply human skill that technology can’t replace (yet).

Practical Tips You Can Use Right Now

Facilitation doesn’t have to mean leading workshops.

Here are two subtle but powerful things you can do in your next meeting:

1. Create psychological safety
Just say this at the start:
“All ideas are welcome — even the half-baked ones. We’re here to explore, not to judge.”
That one line can shift the energy of the whole room.

2. Balance airtime
Use the chat feature in a remote setting. Do a quick “go around” where everyone gets 30 seconds.
Introverts get to speak. Dominators pause and listen.
Suddenly, you’ve got real collaboration.

It doesn’t need to be complicated.
Facilitation is about creating moments of intention in environments that usually run on autopilot.

Rethinking the Icebreaker

Emily’s golden rule?

“Don’t call it an icebreaker.”

The word itself makes people squirm.

Instead, she suggests breaking an opening activity into one of three types:

• Mindset-relevant: Shift the thinking by challenge everything we know about something we’re familiar with (e.g. "A restaurant – what if it were a place for offering health tips?")

• Environment-relevant: Tap into culture (e.g. "What’s one song you’ve got on repeat right now?")

• Topic-relevant: Anchor to the session (e.g. "What brand are you most loyal to – and why?")

These are just a few ways to invite people in. To say:

“You belong here. You’ve got something to offer.”

The Most Powerful Question You Can Ask

Before your next meeting, ask yourself:

Where are we starting from, and where do we want to get to?

That simple “from → to” mindset creates a transformation.

It brings focus. It brings purpose.
And it subtly nudges the group from “discussion” to “progress.”

If you want to go deeper on how you can start to build a facilitator’s mindset then check out Emily’s awesome book, The Path of the Guide.

“Facilitation isn’t about leading the room. It’s about lighting the path.” — Emily Gardner

Guest: Emily Gardner

Emily is a trainer, facilitator and speaker specialising in innovation and facilitation skills. Her passion is empowering people from all career stages and backgrounds to create more productive and inclusive workplaces that solve problems faster and launch better products. Across her career, Emily has equipped over 1000 innovators and 250 facilitators.

Her work has taken her across the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds, from small charities such as Reason Digital to global foundations and industry heavyweights like Generali.

Her previous work, creating and leading training business the Ninety Academy, was awarded Silver at the Learning Awards for Learning Provider of the Year 2024.

With her background in financial services innovation - developing propositions and growing the innovation program for a well-loved UK PLC - she brings empathy and nuance to the challenges of implementing new approaches in traditional organisations.

Website: https://www.emilyfacilitates.com/

Book: https://amzn.eu/d/9zVN6ny

Michelle dropped insight after insight on how trust shows up in every interaction, especially when we’re facilitating conversations at work. Whether you're running a meeting, facilitating retros, or leading teams—trust is the most important ingredient to build deeper team connections.

Here’s what we explored.

The 4 Pillars of Trust (That Most People Get Wrong)

1. Authenticity

You can’t fake it. And people can smell it when you try.

Michelle reminded us that being authentic doesn’t mean oversharing. It means aligning your actions with your values. When you’re clear about who you are, people will gravitate toward you—or at least, trust that you’re consistent.

2. Vulnerability

“Vulnerability leads to credibility.”

That one line stuck with me.

We often think credibility comes from perfection. But real connection happens when we show our humanity. Michelle shared how even senior leaders build stronger teams when they’re willing to say, “I’ve been there too.”

3. Transparency

You don’t have to tell people everything. But you do have to tell them something.

Michelle warns that silence creates a vacuum—and vacuums get filled with gossip, anxiety, and made-up stories. Trust grows when we’re upfront about what we can share, what we can’t, and when we’ll follow up.

4. Consistency

Possibly the most underrated of all.

You can be authentic, vulnerable, and transparent—but if you show up one way on Monday and another on Wednesday, people stop believing you. As facilitators, our consistency is what creates psychological safety.

Mood Memory: The Real Impact of Facilitation

“They might not remember what you said. But they’ll remember how you made them feel.”

That’s mood memory—and according to Michelle, it’s more powerful than any agenda or set of slides.

This really hit home for me. Because so often, we focus on the content of our sessions and forget the experience we’re creating.

Do people feel seen? Heard? Respected?

Or do they walk away drained, dismissed, or disengaged?

Every micro-interaction matters. And that’s what separates good facilitators from great ones.

Designing for Neurodiversity (Without Overcomplicating It)

As a mother of neurodiverse children, Michelle brought a deeply personal lens to inclusive facilitation.

Different people process the world in different ways. That means as facilitators, we must flex—not abandon—our natural style.

Introverts need advance notice. ADHD participants might need silence and simplicity.

Michelle’s tip? “Listen with your eyes.” Pay attention to body language, tone, and energy shifts. And always design with at least two modes of engagement: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic.

If you can hit two, you’ll reach almost everyone.

Facilitators, Stop Surprising People

“If you want a contribution from someone, tell them in advance that you’ll be asking for it.”

Too often, we throw people into brainstorms or icebreakers without giving them time to process. Especially introverts.

Give people context. Give them time. Watch your participation rate soar.

Connection Is a Superpower

Michelle’s entire philosophy boils down to one idea:

Connection runs through everything.

Whether it’s building trust, designing inclusive experiences, or making small talk with your CEO at the Christmas party—connection is the thread that holds it all together.

And when we as facilitators get intentional about building that connection, the results are incredible:

• More engagement

• Better collaboration

• Higher team morale

• And yes, better business outcomes

Final Thought: Be the Facilitator People Trust

You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room. You don’t need to have all the answers. But you do need to create an environment where people feel safe enough to bring their whole selves.

And that starts with trust.

Big thanks to Michelle Tillis Lederman for this powerful conversation.

If you want to learn more about her work, check out connectedleaderclub.com, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Guest: Michelle Tillis Lederman

Michelle Tillis Lederman, is an expert on workplace communications and relationships. Named by Forbes as one of the Top 25 Networking Experts, and one of the Top 30 Communications Professionals in the World by Global Gurus. Michelle, a MG100 Coach, is the author of four books including the internationally known, The 11 Laws of Likability, and her latest The Connectors Advantage. Michelle is a connection creator and CEO of Executive Essentials, which provides customized communications and leadership programs for fortune 500, non-profit, university and government clients. A former finance executive and NYU Professor, Michelle is a regular in the media appearing on NBC, CBS, Fox, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, CNBC, and others. Michelle is known for helping people work better together and advance their individual impact.

But what if we’ve been thinking about icebreakers all wrong? What if, instead of smashing the ice with a sledgehammer, we let it melt naturally?

That’s exactly what Jan Keck, an expert facilitator and creator of the “Ice Melters” approach, believes. In our conversation, we explored why traditional icebreakers often backfire, and how shifting from ‘breaking’ to ‘melting’ the ice can transform the way people connect in workshops, meetings, and beyond.

This episode is for you if you are a:

✅ Product Facilitator looking to make your sessions more engaging and less awkward.
✅ Team Leader or Manager who wants to build real connections in meetings.
✅ A Workshop Designer searching for fresh ways to start sessions.
✅ Anyone who dreads traditional icebreakers and wants to create meaningful conversations instead of forced fun.

Key Takeaways

🔹 Why traditional icebreakers don’t work and what to do instead.
🔹 The ‘Human Search Engine’ method for starting conversations that actually matter.
🔹 How to transition from surface-level small talk to deep, meaningful discussions.
🔹 The best Spark Activities to replace awkward icebreakers in your sessions.
🔹 Why “What do you do?” is the worst networking question—and what to ask instead.
🔹 How to design meetings that engage people from the moment they walk in.
🔹 The role of AI in facilitation—will it replace human facilitators?
🔹 The #1 work habit we need to abolish right now.

Why Icebreakers Don’t Work (and What to Do Instead)

Jan has a simple but powerful visual: Most facilitators approach a room full of strangers as if they’re frozen solid in blocks of ice. Their solution? Smash them out of their icy shells with a big, clunky activity. But this often leads to discomfort, resistance, or surface-level interactions that don’t create real connection.

Instead, Jan suggests a different metaphor: fire.

Just like building a fire, creating connection takes time. You start with a small spark—something easy, low-pressure, and natural. Then, gradually, you add fuel: deeper conversations, shared experiences, and trust-building activities.

This approach isn’t just for introverts who dread icebreakers. It benefits everyone. Because let’s be honest—if your ‘fun’ activity makes people uncomfortable, is it really helping them engage?

The Problem with “What Do You Do?”

We’ve all been at a networking event or a workshop where the first question someone asks is: “So, what do you do?”

Jan calls this the one question he would eliminate from people’s vocabulary—at least for the first 10 minutes of any conversation.

Why? Because asking about someone’s job forces them into a box. Maybe they love their work, maybe they hate it. Either way, it’s not the most inspiring way to start a conversation.

Instead, Jan recommends asking open-ended questions that spark memories and stories.

Try these instead:

✅ What’s something you’re excited about right now?
✅ What’s a goal you’re working on this year?
✅ What’s a random skill or hobby you’re obsessed with?

These questions get people talking about something they actually care about—which is the real key to meaningful connection.

The Human Search Engine Game

One of Jan’s signature techniques is what he calls the Human Search Engine Game.

Here’s how it works:

1. Instead of asking people for generic introductions, have them ‘search’ the other person’s mind like a search engine.

2. They type in a word or topic—something broad, like “travel” or “food.”

3. The other person shares the first memory or thought that comes up.

4. Then, they ‘double-click’ on a detail in that story to dig deeper.

For example:

🗣️ “I was in Colombia last year.”
🔍 “Oh, interesting! What was the best meal you had there?”
🗣️ “A tiny family-run restaurant served the best empanadas I’ve ever had.”
🔍 “Tell me more! What made them so special?”

Instead of surface-level small talk, you’re leading people down a path of genuine curiosity—which is where real connections happen.

The Right Way to Ease Into a Workshop

So if traditional icebreakers don’t work, how should we start a session?

Jan swears by Spark Activities—simple, engaging prompts that get people thinking, talking, and easing into the topic naturally.

One of his favorites? A word cloud check-in.

🗣️ “When you hear the words ‘giving feedback,’ what feelings come to mind?”

Participants submit their answers anonymously, and a live word cloud forms in real time. Instead of an awkward, forced discussion, you’ve got a shared starting point that helps people warm up.

The key? Making sure the activity relates to the session’s purpose—so people see its value right away.

Final Thought: Let the Ice Melt

Next time you’re planning a meeting, workshop, or networking event, ditch the forced fun. Forget the awkward icebreakers. Let the ice melt instead.

🔥 Start with a Spark Activity.
🔥 Ask better questions.
🔥 Design moments that feel natural, not forced.

Because true connection doesn’t come from smashing ice—it comes from building trust, curiosity, and shared experiences.

Huge thanks to Jan Keck for the insights behind this article. Want to learn more about his work? Check out icemeltersbook.com.

Guest: Jan Keck

Connect with Jan

www.jankeck.com

www.linkedin.com/in/jankeck/