I did the heavy listening for you and filtered the best podcasts (and specific episodes) I listened to this year.
For me, podcasts are one of the best ways to multitask and elevate mundane tasks. Although I am prone to professional development, sometimes I opt for a good, interesting listen that veers off the pure programme management topics I am typically drawn to—because hey, I do have a life! Here are the six most inspiring podcasts episodes I listened to this year:
Hidden Brain “Our Noisy Minds” | 48-Minute Listen
I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say that Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow is one of the most educational and impactful books I have ever read. Kahneman and Tversky’s work on prospect theory is groundbreaking and Nobel Prize worthy.
Kahneman’s new book, Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement, is just as fascinating and this podcast furthers the discussion. I invite you to give this one a listen and explore how noise distorts our decision making process.
I will mention, I enjoy the Hidden Brain podcast by Shankar Vedantam for its exploration into the uncious patterns that drive human behavior, but if you are only willing to commit to one episode, let this be it.
How I Built This “Remembering Jake Burton Carpenter” | 37-Minute Listen
Some of you may know, I am an avid snowboarder. Jake Burton Carpenter was a true visionary and a leader who followed his passion and dream. This episode was first published in 2019 as tribute to Jake’s passing.
At one point (not that long ago) snowboarders were banned from certain ski resorts. Jake’s passion and leadership in the sport lead to the shift of how snowboarding is perceived by the masses and to snowboarding becoming an Olympic discipline.
There are such powerful, key takeaways found in Jake’s story and I really hope you’ll give this one a listen.
Planet Money “The Fondue Conspiracy” (Ep. 575) | 16-Minute Listen
If you like cheese and conspiracy theories as much as I do, you’ll love this podcast. Who knew there was a cheese cartel?! The first rule of the Swiss Cheese Union is: You do not talk about the Swiss Cheese Union.
And if you enjoy this podcast, your next Planet Money episode should be: Big Government Cheese, episode 862. Because Plant Money from NPR is probably my favorite podcast, it is almost unfair to mention just these two episodes! I cannot recommend these short bursts of entertainment enough.
The Psychology Podcast “Ed Catmull, The Soul of Pixar” | 105-Minute Episode (but it’s worth it, I promise!)
Another podcast episode that was inspired by a 2021 read, Creativity Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull. Although I didn’t love the interviewer, but this episode is an amazing option for those who don’t have time to read the book. It provides a great summary straight from the man himself, Ed Catmull.
I know that I said this podcast was outside of the major programme space, but let’s not forget that Pixar is one of the most successful “major programme” delivery organizations. With 24 successful major programmes in a row, each movie made a significant amount of money for their shareholders.
From Where I Sit with Ben Almond “Back to Bias” (Ep. 35) | 17-Minute Listen
This is a shorter listen that explores biases through the eyes of my colleague, Ben Almond’s very illuminating personal experience. Trust me, take 17 minutes and listen to this one.
aecHIVE “Neil Thompson Project Communication Beyond Chasm” | 51-Minute Listen
This discussion with my colleague Neil Thompson of DirectorDigital Construction and Ralph Montague and John Egan highlights the innovation of our built environment. Along with Neil’s professional history, this podcast dives deep into the standardisation of new ways to communicate and how the adoption of BIM by the masses has changed the industry.
As always, I would appreciate any recommendations that you’ve come across recently. What podcast genre are you drawn to the most? What should I listen to next? Join in the conversation over on my LinkedIn.