12 Geniuses

Finding and fighting against national security threats is a crucial job. In any election cycle, it’s even more necessary as political enemies and disinformation can pose serious threats to our democratic process. As a career veteran and defense specialist, Vance "Jethro" Cryer helps spotlight the threats we may face in the intersection between polarization and national defense and how we can overcome them. Vance describes America’s external threats, what they stand to gain by a weakened America, and how they are using America’s division as a tool to undermine democracy. This episode is live now on the 12G website or your favorite podcast app.

12 Geniuses has partnered with Starts With Us on this special podcast series, Debate Without Hate: 2024 Elections, to help people navigate the overall 2024 election. The goal of this season is not to sway votes, but rather to help people make informed decisions when they step into the voting booth. Episode One - released today - is with Jay Van Bavel, PhD. Jay, along with host Don MacPherson, discuss why people side with political parties, how social identities and partisanship play in today’s politics, why people believe the other side is the problem, and, most importantly, how people can overcome bias and partisanship. Author and researcher Dr. Jay Van Bavel explores the psychology and neuroscience behind why our brains think the way we do and how we can overcome the toxic polarization in this upcoming election.

This brilliant, young Genius is one of the people working to make AI safe for humanity. In this clip, Charlotte Siegmann breaks down ways in which law makers should be thinking about regulation. She argues algorithms should be "explainable, predictable and aligned with humanity's values." She goes on to talk about the distribution of AI benefits and how AI is used. Charlotte is a PhD student in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she is working on the economics of AI governance, the intersection of mechanism design, game theory, and AI safety. She has worked as a Predoctoral Research Fellow in Economics at Oxford’s Global Priorities Institute, as a Research Assistant for a professor at Stanford University, and as an intern in the European Union Parliament.

"Is it true? Is it relevant? Is it helpful?" These are the questions that need to be asked when someone is challenging their imposter syndrome, according to leadership expert Hortense le Gentil. She says "mindtraps" like imposter syndrome can start early in a career or even during childhood and remain powerful, limiting factors to career or individual success without the proper tools to overcome them. In the full podcast episode (S11 | E2) about leadership development, author and executive coach Hortense describes how leaders can unlock their power by learning to lead with empathy, authenticity, and humanity. Hortense describes how many leaders are held back by mindtraps like imposter syndrome, fixed mindsets, emotional stereotypes, familial expectations, etc. Hortense shares how leaders can overcome these mindtraps by becoming aware of them, having a desire to change them, and the courage to directly face the obstacles holding the leader back. She finishes the conversation by describing how leaders can build and anchor new perspectives and new practices that will unlock more empathetic and effective leadership capabilities. Hortense le Gentil is a world-renowned executive leadership coach, speaker and author. She guides CEOs and senior executives on their journey from hero leaders to human leaders. She is the author of the book Aligned: Connecting Your True Self with the Leader?You’re Meant to Be, which was published in 2019 and “The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free your Own Voice, Lead With Empathy and Shine Your Light in the World,” released in 2023. 12 Geniuses explores the trends shaping the way we live and work.

In S11 | E8, Dr. Christopher Tucker, Chairman of the American Geographical Society, discusses when, how, and why the human footprint on Earth has grown, along with a population explosion, since the 19th century. He goes on to talk about the incredible progress and benefits realized during this time. Dr. Tucker shares why the education and empowerment of young women and girls is the key to reducing global population to a more manageable carrying capacity. He talks about how we can avoid catastrophe by “shrinking to abundance,” how leaders should be thinking about global population and a future that may not be incented by growth, and he gives his very candid, critical assessment of people and countries that say we need to continue growing Earth’s population. He finishes the interview by talking about the mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. Dr. Christopher Tucker has spent the last two decades at the intersection of technology, strategy, geography and national security as an innovator, investor, social entrepreneur, author, and strategic advisor to the US national security community. As Chairman of the American Geographical Society, he launched a multi-year strategic dialog known as Geography2050, focused on the vital trends that will reshape the geography of our planet over the coming decades. He has served on a wide variety of public sector, corporate, and non-profit boards. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD from Columbia University. His passion for geography and the fate of future generations animates this work. 12 Geniuses explores the trends shaping the way we live and work.

Charlotte Siegmann, one of the founding members of KIRA (The Center of AI Risks & Impacts), discusses AI regulation with a focus on how to make sure it is explainable, reliable, and companies are held liable for their algorithms. She also discusses the philosophical question of how to properly distribute the benefits to humanity that AI will bring. In full interview (S11 | E9), Charlotte talks about how Artificial Intelligence can benefit humanity, ideas for how AI should be regulated, and how the decisions we make today have the potential to affect many generations to come. She gives advice for business leaders interested in harnessing the power of AI for their organizations, she talks about the competencies employees will need to develop to thrive in an AI world, and she discusses how the taxation of AI and robots could fund social programs and be a source for universal basic income. A PhD student in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Charlotte Siegmann is one of the incredibly bright, thoughtful people working to keep Artificial Intelligence safe and beneficial for all of humanity. She is a founding member of The Center for AI Risks & Impacts (KIRA). At MIT, she is working on the economics of AI governance, the intersection of mechanism design, game theory, and AI safety. She has worked as a Predoctoral Research Fellow in Economics at Oxford’s Global Priorities Institute, as a Research Assistant for a professor at Stanford University, and as an intern in the European Union Parliament. 12 Geniuses explores the trends shaping the way we live and work. Stay informed by subscribing to the podcast and our YouTube channel.

Dr. Amy Edmondson says how "one size does not fit all" when talking about failure in companies. Using examples from aviation, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and automotive manufacturing, she says the nature of the organization matters when failure is concerned. Regardless, creating an environment of psychological safety where people are encouraged to speak up when things are likely to go wrong is critical to any organization. In the full 12 Geniuses episode (S11 | E4), author and Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School Dr. Amy Edmondson upends our understanding of failure and shares how we can more effectively make it work for us. Based on the research from her book “Right Kind of Wrong,” Dr. Edmondson provides the framework to think, discuss, and practice failure wisely. Outlining the three archetypes of failure - basic, complex, and intelligent - she describes how to minimize unproductive failure while maximizing what we gain from missteps at all levels. Dr. Edmondson goes on to talk about her pioneering work in the space of psychological safety. She demystifies failure by distinguishing between good failure from which we can learn and the bad failure that should have been prevented. Dr. Edmondson makes it clear that when organizations provide a safe environment for failure during the process of experimentation, both knowledge and innovation are gained. She finishes the interview by giving advice for how leaders, teachers, and even parents can use failure as a learning tool. Dr. Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. She has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021; she also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017.? Dr. Edmondson’s latest book, Right Kind of Wrong (Atria), builds on her prior work on psychological safety and teaming to provide a framework for thinking about, discussing, and practicing the science of failing well.

From this October 2022 interview, MGySgt Scott H. Stalker talks about his approach to developing the people in his organization. He shares the deliberate and collaborative process he has with other leaders to put a plan together to ensure the right people are getting the right development opportunities at the right time. In the full episode (S8 | E9), MGySgt Stalker discusses developing culture, the importance of values, giving and receiving feedback, dealing with failure, motivating and inspiring a team, sacrifice for the good of the team, onboarding new leadership, building trust, and leading in battle. He ends the conversation with a discussion about mental health and why “Love” can be the most important leadership trait. Congratulations to Scott, who after 31 years of dedicated service, retired from the United States Marine Corps yesterday. What an incredible career!

Eduardo Brice?o discusses how the greatest performers (athletes, performing artists, chess masters, etc.) intentionally work on their weaknesses by embracing the "learning zone" - the space specifically focused on activities for improvement - and developing what they haven’t mastered yet. In the full interview (S11 | E3), author and growth mindset expert Eduardo Brice?o shares how leaders, teams, and organizations can create a culture of growth, where experimentation and feedback are encouraged, and learning is integrated into the everyday. Integrating learning and performance is the central idea behind Eduardo’s book “The Performance Paradox.” Eduardo shares why people in any profession should embrace the “Learning Zone” - a space where they can be deliberate about improvement - rather than constantly focusing on minimizing mistakes and peak performance. He talks about how leaders and coaches should create psychological safety so members of a team can experiment, and even fail, without negative repercussions. Eduardo Brice?o is a global keynote speaker, facilitator, and guide supporting leaders cultivating growth mindset cultures. He is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, a member of the Aspen Institute's Global Leadership Network, and an inductee in the Happiness Hall of Fame. For over a decade he was the CEO of Mindset Works, which he cofounded in 2007 with Stanford professor Carol Dweck, Lisa Blackwell, and others. Earlier, he served as a technology investor with Credit Suisse's venture capital arm the Sprout Group. Eduardo grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. He holds bachelor's degrees in economics and engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an MBA and M.A. in education from Stanford University. He was shortlisted for the Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award in 2023.

Futurist and author of "The Future Normal" Rohit Bhargava talks with 12 Geniuses host Don MacPherson about how experiments in intergenerational living are helping to both end loneliness and make housing affordable. He goes on to talk about how virtual relationships - both with people in other parts of the world and with virtual machines - are another way to provide lonely people with meaningful relationships. In the full episode (S10 | E6), Rohit Bhargava paints a picture of life in 2053. Rohit talks about the growing desire for analog experiences that deepen human connection, innovative ways for ending loneliness, the future of virtual relationships, and how we will manage our authentic selves in a multi-versal world. Rohit also talks about the future of space exploration. He ends the conversation by talking about some of the things that we are doing today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. Rohit Bhargava is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of nine books and is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original speakers on disruption, trends and marketing in the world. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and founding two companies, he spent 15 years leading brand strategy at Ogilvy and Leo Burnett where he advised global brands on human behavior, marketing and storytelling.