Collective Intelligence

How learning from others can be a way through change.

Gavin Weeks talks with innovation expert Aidan McCullen who says the only lasting organisational competitive advantage is learning and reinvention.

Aidan is author of Undisruptable: A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention, is host of The Innovation Show, winner of a Thinkers50 award, and a former Ireland team rugby player. He founded The Reinvention Summit and teaches on emerging technology trends at Trinity Business School.

A thread throughout this episode is what borrowed wisdom has taught him about reinvention, in organisations and in our own lives. Some highlights of their conversation:

-Why reinvention asks us to let go as much as to learn.

Aidan explains why reinvention is harder than innovation because it means unlearning the very things that made you successful. He shows why every attempt that fails still leaves “assets in the ashes”, in the form of new capabilities, new data and a new, unplanned directions.

-Listening to the people who see change coming first.

‘Snow melts from the edges’ - it's most often not those in the boardroom who sense change first. It’s the people at the edges of the organisation - suppliers, in logistics and on the front line - and they have often been calling for change for years before strategy catches up.

They discuss why culture has to come before any innovation work, and why the J-curve of learning (the dip in competence before you get good) is where so many people, and so many AI rollouts, flounder. Aidan explains why your sceptics may be “gainsayers” rather than naysayers.

- Crazy Penguins and the small rituals that teach a team to reinvent itself.

Aidan talks about the practical rituals that change a culture. They include idea funerals, Disney’s dreamer, critic and realist rooms, a monthly reading circle that outlived its founder, and the Crazy Penguin Award for whoever takes the first calculated leap. They also cover how Microsoft went from “know-it-all” to “learn-it-all”, and what any leader can do with the team they already have. Connect with Aidan · The Innovation Show · Aidan's book: Undisruptable: A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Despite billions invested in offices, many workplaces still fail to deliver what matters most: better performance, stronger relationships, and meaningful collaboration. In this episode, Tracey Camilleri and Adrian Davidson unpack why so many offices fall short and what needs to change.

They explore the limitations of designing for cost and convenience, and argue for a shift toward environments that reflect how humans truly operate: socially, emotionally, and in teams. From the loss of apprenticeship in hybrid work to the missed opportunity of designing for belonging and trust, this conversation offers a roadmap for creating spaces that people not only use, but genuinely value. JLL website · Connect with Adrian on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Rebuild shared experiences, brand responsibility, and "create the party".

What happens when convenience quietly replaces connection?

In our first episode of 2026, Sam Rockey speaks with Charl Bassil, the BBC’s first Chief Brand Officer, about what’s changed in the way we live, work, and belong. Charl argues we haven’t lost our need for connection — we’ve just been seduced by frictionless alternatives: streaming, scrolling, hyper-personalised feeds, and “social” platforms that deliver media with only a thin trace of social.

Together they explore the BBC’s public-service role in a fragmented world — truth with no agenda, backing homegrown creativity, and bringing people together — and why shared cultural moments still matter for social cohesion. Charl also shares lessons from iconic global brands on balancing short-term growth with long-term brand equity, the power of aligning values with commercial reality, and why “care” and “kindness” aren’t soft words — they’re strategic.

Plus: a moving story of how Charl built a Lebanese community in Cape Town from scratch, and the leadership principle at the heart of it all: don’t wait to be invited — create the party. Charl Bassil on The Leadership Enigma Podcast: Branding the Iconic · Charl Bassil on The Lead Creative: Banning Campaigns and Reimagining Brands · Bridging the Gap with Charl Bassil · Connect with Charl Bassil · Absolut Vodka music video: Khuli Chana: One Source · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Finding meaning, support, and community in a profession under pressure.

“Bring back the real. Bring back the mess. Bring back the colour. When people are allowed to be human, performance doesn’t drop — it rises.”

Antoinette Moriarty, of the Law Society of Ireland, joins Sam Rockey to chat about the forces reshaping legal work: the lure of certainty versus the reality of complexity, AI’s threat-and-opportunity, and identity shifts within a status-driven profession.

Drawing on psychotherapy, group analysis, and her “This Is Absurd” festival, Antoinette reframes overwhelm as a signal — not a failure — to rebuild community, language, and leadership in law. They talk existentialists, Sisyphus and making meaning amid geopolitical flux, polarisation, and the “anti-fact” moment. Antoinette argues for richer language — kindness, compassion, forgiveness — precisely where business jargon falls short, and shows how leaders can hold ambiguity without rushing to premature certainty.

From celebrating the profession’s ethical role to designing joyful, cross-disciplinary gatherings, this conversation offers concrete ways to reduce isolation, renew purpose and restore courage in a system that often asks the impossible.

Practical, humane, and hopeful — this episode maps how lawyers can thrive without losing what makes the law matter. Connect with Antoinette on LinkedIn · Law Society of Ireland website · Justice Matters newsletter · Gazette magazine · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

The hidden power of social health, and how connection helps us thrive.

Whether you’re leading a team, building community, or simply craving deeper human connection, this conversation offers insights into building more connected, compassionate, and creative teams.

What if our social lives are as vital to our health as sleep or exercise?

In this episode of Collective Intelligence, Tracey Camilleri speaks with acclaimed science writer David Robson — author of The Intelligence Trap, The Expectation Effect, and The Laws of Connection — about the growing research around social health and its profound implications for how we live and work.

Together they explore how our connections shape not just our happiness but our physiology and longevity, and why modern work culture still undervalues this essential “third pillar” of wellbeing.

"Time spent forging bonds with others isn’t time away from work — it is the work.”

David explains the neuroscience of crating a shared reality — how two brains literally sync when people truly connect — and the traps that hold us back, from the “liking gap” that makes us underestimate how much others enjoy our company, to the fear of asking for help.

Tracey and David also bring in practical wisdom: how to become better conversationalists, how to give feedback that lands, how to bridge divides in a polarised world, and why singing, eating, or even walking together can spark what sociologist Émile Durkheim called 'collective effervescence' — that free energy of genuine belonging.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison.

Contact details in the Links section below. David Robson on LinkedIn · David Robson's website · David's newsletter: 60-Second Psychology · The Laws of Connection book on Amazon · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Leadership lessons forged in extreme uncertainty.

In this deeply thoughtful episode, Sam Rockey is joined by Dr. James Mountford — leadership expert, editor-in-chief of BMJ Leader, and former NHS doctor — to reflect on what it means to lead with purpose, kindness, and clarity in moments of crisis. Drawing on his experience launching London’s Nightingale Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, James shares leadership lessons forged in extreme uncertainty: the power of psychological safety, the value of fast learning cycles, and why kindness is anything but soft.

From field hospitals to AI coaching, the conversation explores how we scale compassion, build collective intelligence, and remember what truly matters in a world that’s always changing.

“Kindness is not the opposite of strength. It’s the foundation of trust, speed, and transformation.”

Whether you’re a leader in healthcare, business, or beyond, this episode is a moving reminder that what makes us human is what makes us great. Follow James on LinkedIn · Douglas Knowledge Partners website · HBR article - 10 Leadership Lessons from Covid Field Hospitals · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Leadership lessons forged in extreme uncertainty.

In this deeply thoughtful episode, Sam Rockey is joined by Dr. James Mountford — leadership expert, editor-in-chief of BMJ Leader, and former NHS doctor — to reflect on what it means to lead with purpose, kindness, and clarity in moments of crisis. Drawing on his experience launching London’s Nightingale Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, James shares leadership lessons forged in extreme uncertainty: the power of psychological safety, the value of fast learning cycles, and why kindness is anything but soft.

From field hospitals to AI coaching, the conversation explores how we scale compassion, build collective intelligence, and remember what truly matters in a world that’s always changing.

“Kindness is not the opposite of strength. It’s the foundation of trust, speed, and transformation.”

Whether you’re a leader in healthcare, business, or beyond, this episode is a moving reminder that what makes us human is what makes us great. Follow James on LinkedIn · Douglas Knowledge Partners website · HBR article - 10 Leadership Lessons from Covid Field Hospitals · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Why the future belongs to the imaginative — what leaders can learn from art.

In this rich and provocative conversation, Tracey Camilleri welcomes best-selling author, entrepreneur, and professor Margaret Heffernan to talk about her latest book, Embracing Uncertainty: How Writers, Musicians, and Artists Thrive in an Unpredictable World.

Together they explore how creativity — long undervalued in our data-obsessed, STEM-centric culture — might just be the most essential leadership skill of all. From the dangers of over-measuring what matters, to what leaders can learn from poets, painters, and protest artists, Margaret makes a compelling case for rediscovering the human capacity for imagination and curiosity in uncertain times.

Expect insights on:

• Why “efficiency” may be your organisation’s biggest weakness

• What drawing someone’s face can teach you about leadership

• How to stop being a “dancing bear” in your own life

• The deep social intelligence embedded in the arts

• And why we should beware the seductive illusion of certainty

This is a conversation about reclaiming our agency, attention, and creative courage — in work, in leadership, and in life.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison.

Contact details in the Links section below. Embracing Uncertainty book · Margaret Heffernan's website · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

What Primates, Group Dynamics, and the Dunbar Number teach us about Thriving.

How do we create truly connected, thriving teams in an increasingly hybrid world?

Join Tracey Camilleri and Robin Dunbar, co-authors of The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups, as they delve into the science of social connection and organisational dynamics.

In this thought-provoking episode, Robin Dunbar shares the fascinating origins of the Dunbar Number — 150, the optimal group size for human connection — and explains how group size impacts everything from information flow to organisational success. Together, they explore:

• Why face-to-face interactions still matter in a virtual world

• How organisations can design social strategies to foster trust and collaboration

• The psychological and physical health benefits of strong social bonds

Whether you’re a leader, an HR professional, or simply curious about how relationships shape our workplaces, this conversation offers actionable insights for building better teams and rethinking hybrid work strategies.

The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section below. Fractal structure of human & primate social networks optimises into flow · Connect with Robin on LinkedIn · More about the Social Brain book here · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn

Building Community and Connection through Humour.

Join Sam Rockey in a captivating conversation with comedian, leader, and educator John Vlismas as they explore the profound intersections of comedy, leadership, and personal growth. In this episode, John shares his transformative journey from a high-energy entertainer seeking adoration to a reflective performer embracing vulnerability, presence, and connection.

Dive into topics like the art of audience connection, the shift from exhaustion-driven work ethics to a Buddhist-inspired balance, and the role of gossip in comedy and society. With humour and insight, John discusses generational responsibility, planting seeds for the future, and how leaders can integrate stillness and self-knowledge into their practices.

This is more than a conversation, it's an invitation to think deeply about how we connect, laugh, and grow, both on stage and in life. Perfect for anyone curious about the fusion of art, wisdom, and leadership.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section below. Connect with John on LinkedIn · OGO Creative website · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn