• KAI Foundation Five - Episode 5 - “Leading Diverse Teams in Uncertain Times.”
    Jan 8 2024

    Welcome to Part 5 of the KAI Foundation 5 podcast series, our five part introduction to building better teams and great leaders with the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory.

    KAI is the world's foremost measure for problem solving style. It's used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world. 

    In these five podcasts we want to provide you with an understanding of why KAI is so effective, so powerful, and indeed life-changing for so many teams and team leaders. As Kirton himself said, “The better I know myself, the more I can help others.” 

    Today's fifth and final part of the Foundation 5 series is entitled “Leading Diverse Teams in Uncertain Times.” And as the title suggests, it's all about diversity, or more specifically, diversity in problem solving styles - the Problem B in Kirton’s original thesis, which can so often derail teams as colleagues grapple with one another instead of the project that they're supposed to be addressing. 

    Hosted by Dave Harries, with Anne E Collier (professional certified coach and CEO of Arudia) and Dr Iwan Jenkins (Toronto-based KAI certified coach and ‘practitioner of the practical.’)

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    35 mins
  • Focus on Work & Wellbeing - interview of Nicola Kirton by Karen Pawlowska of TakeOne Business Communications
    Apr 14 2023

    Wellbeing and Diversity are hot topics at the moment, and in this podcast, Nicola Kirton discusses the importance of understanding and respecting our various cognitive styles. 
    We all think, operate and problem solve in different ways - this preference is set very early in life. Here Nicola discusses how this natural preference can help us:

    • make good career choices, 
    • work to our strengths and those of our colleagues
    • effectively manage and lead
    • manage change in the workplace
    • reduce our stress and increase wellbeing (and enhance the wellbeing others)

    Nicola, Director of the KAI Foundation, is being interviewed by Karen Pawlowska Director of TakeOne Communications (UK), as in a series of Podcasts  called 'focus on ..'

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    12 mins
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing - How KAI can help
    Sep 21 2021

    Welcome to the KAI podcast series ‘Building Better Teams and Great Leaders.’ 

    KAI or the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory is one of the world’s foremost measures for problem solving, team work and creativity. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a wide range of academic research from around the world. In these podcasts we aim to shine the light on the issues and problems facing all teams as they strive to be the best version of themselves. 

    In today's episode, we're going to explore how KAI is linked to well-being and good mental health, especially in the workplace. We'll also look at what this has meant in COVID times. 

    Hosted by Dave Harries, who is joined by Mel Dowdy, a hugely experienced clinical psychologist with over 40 years of consulting practice behind him. He's also a business coach and consultant, all of which he does through his company Delphy Initiatives, which focuses on leadership development and diversity programmes to advance the quality of life for organisations and their communities. 

    Samia Shehadeh is a coaching and business psychologist with over 30 years’ experience helping individuals and organisations. She is an NLP Master practitioner, and a practitioner in applied neuroscience, and has worked with many blue-chip organisations and Government departments to develop and enact change programmes, and leadership and culture development.

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    31 mins
  • Using KAI in Product Development
    Apr 28 2021

    Welcome to the KAI Podcast Series, ‘Building Better Teams and Great Leaders.’  KAI, or the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory, is the world's foremost measure for problem solving style. It's used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world. In these podcasts, we aim to shine a light on the issues and problems facing all teams as they strive to be effective and productive. 

    In today's episode, we're going to talk about KAI in relation to product development, with two expert guests. 

    Michael Chuchmuch is a senior leadership development advisor for strategy and change at Chevron. Based in Houston, Texas, Michael has responsibilities that include oversight of critical transformation initiatives affecting company-wide functional improvements. He is an industry recognised strategic change professional with over 30 years’ experience delivering enterprise level change initiatives around the globe. He is also a certified advanced KAI practitioner.

    Laura Moncrieffe is Global Director of Innovation for Bamboo Worldwide, and she too is a certified advanced KAAI practitioner, who in her own words helps steer global brands into blue oceans. She's been doing this for the past 21 years, with the likes of Comcast, MBC Universal, Wrigley Mars, SC Johnson, PepsiCo and Starbucks to name just a small selection of the many huge global brands she has partnered with. 

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    29 mins
  • Diversity within the context of KAI
    Mar 3 2021

    Welcome to the KAI podcast series ‘Building Better Teams and Great Leaders’. 

    KAI, or the Kirton Adaption Innovation inventory is the world's foremost measure for problem solving style. It is used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world. In these podcasts, we aim to shine a light on the issues and problems facing all teams as they strive to be effective and productive. 

    In today's episode we are going to explore the issue of diversity and how this plays out within the context of KAI. 

    Hosted by Dave Harries, with Dr James Anderson: Associate Professor of Leadership Education at the University of Georgia and a qualified KAI practitioner. He has over 20 years’ experience in both educational and corporate settings, with a professional focus on the creation, implementation, and evaluation of training initiatives aimed at personal and career competencies.

    Dave is also joined by Dr Mary Rodriguez, an Assistant Professor of Community Leadership at The Ohio State University. She has worked in higher education since 2012 and is particularly skilled in data analysis, programme evaluation and research into community leadership. She is also a KAI practitioner. 

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    30 mins
  • Using KAI in Healthcare
    Jan 7 2021

    Welcome to the KAI Podcast Series, ‘Building Better Teams and Great Leaders.’  KAI, or the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory, is the world's foremost measure for problem solving style. It's used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world. In these podcasts, we aim to shine a light on the issues and problems facing all teams as they strive to be effective and productive. 

    In today's episode, we're going to explore health and healthcare systems in the context of KAI and how the patient to provider relationship at the heart of all healthcare, impacts health outcomes, and what KAI can tell us about that relationship. 

    Hosted by Dave Harries, who is joined by two distinguished guests. Dr Megan Siebel is an Associate Director at the Centre for Cooperative Problem Solving at Virginia Tech in the United States. She is a highly experienced leadership programme director with a background in health care, she's a registered nurse, higher education and the agricultural industry. She is a KAI Associate Fellow. 

    Dr Robert Samuel is a healthcare technology executive from Bluebell, Pennsylvania. He is an experienced enterprise architecture manager specialising in emerging technology and innovation in healthcare. He's also a graduate level adjunct instructor at Penn State University, and he has been an accredited advanced KAI practitioner since 2009. 

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    31 mins
  • KAI Foundation Five - Episode 4 - Welcome to the Land of Getting Things Done - The Creative Adaptors
    Nov 25 2020

    Welcome to Part 4 of the KAI Foundation Five Podcast Series, our five part introduction to building better teams and great leaders with the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory.

    KAI is the world’s foremost measure for problem solving style.  It’s used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders.  It’s been in use for about 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world. 

    In these five podcasts we want to provide you with an understanding of why KAI is so effective, so powerful and indeed life changing for many teams and team leaders.  As Kirton himself said, “The better I know myself, the more I can help others.” Today’s fourth part is entitled “Welcome to the Land of Getting Things Done – The Creative Adaptors” and in it we’re going to be looking specifically at the role and effectiveness of the leaders and team members on the more adaptive end of the KAI inventory, and how vital – but often unrecognised – they are in achieving the goals of teams and organisations. 

    My name is Dave Harries and joining me from across the Atlantic I have two very distinguished guests to help us understand the role of adaptors. 

    Dr Iwan Jenkins is a Toronto based KAI certified coach and describes himself as a practitioner of the practical.  He understands cognitive theory and complex system science, but more importantly he also knows how to make that theory applicable in today’s business world.  In his own words, he turns potential into profit. 

    Dr Eric Kaufman is a dedicated leadership educator and scholar.  The focus of his work is collegiate leadership education and leadership development with adults in community and volunteer settings.  He is Professor Leadership Studies at Virginia Tech and a certified practitioner of KAI. 

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    30 mins
  • KAI Foundation Five - episode 3 - Welcome to the Land of the Big Idea: The Creative Innovators
    Sep 29 2020

    Welcome to Part 3 of the KAI Foundation Five Podcast Series, our five part introduction to building better teams and great leaders with the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory.

    KAI is the world's foremost measure for problem solving style. It is used widely to create cohesive and productive teams and effective leaders. It's been in use for over 40 years and is supported by a large body of academic research from around the world.

    In these five podcasts we want to provide you with an understanding of why KAI is so effective, so powerful and indeed life changing for so many teams and team leaders.

    Today's third part is entitled 'Welcome to the Land of the Big Idea - The Creative Innovators' and in it we're going to be looking specifically at the role and effectiveness of leaders and team members on the more innovative end of the KAI inventory and how such people approach order and structure and why it's vital they understand and appreciate the creative adaptors in their teams.

    My name is Dave Harries and joining me today I have two guests who know a thing or two about creative innovation and are going to help us to explore this topic. Our regular guest, Dr Iwan Jenkins, is a Toronto based KAI certified coach and describes himself as a practitioner of the practical. He understands cognitive theory and complex system science, but more importantly he also knows how to make that theory applicable in today's business world.

    Michael Weissman is the CEO of SYNQY, a retail media platform for retailers that hate ads, where we works with global brands such as Unilever, Pepsi, Nestle and Starbucks. Amongst many other achievements, he's a published author in seven languages believe it or not! And has managed and successfully grown five different start-ups, and turned around existing businesses too, creating over $700 million in revenue growth in the process. He also happens to be KAI certified, and I'm sure he won't mind me saying that he's well over on the innovative end of the KAI inventory.

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    26 mins