Apr 9, 2024
Play-fuelled Leadership: Balancing AI and Education with Geoff Stead
Commenting about the PAUSE, PLAY, CONNECT Ⓡ philosophy
'What is widely established is a good thing for those busy professionals with manically stressed out lives as you were describing is to find a way of partitioning your day up or having a time when you sort of reflect and plan on what’s coming.
It’s really bad practice to rush into the next day and it is important to stop and pause and reflect a little bit - which is the pause. Lots of people, I know who succeed at senior levels in the workplace meditate and have other practices like breath holding practices, yoga, which is perhaps not quite play, but creates a moment when you disassociate from the work you need to do. I think my takeaway I’m having is that I need to have more active time to be more playful in my day-to-day.
At work I’m a bit playful, it’s common that we arrange hack days and include moments of creativity. Change the pace or mood in a meeting by getting everyone to stand up and move. Having levels of goofiness. Helps to lower levels of stress and get stuff done so I’d like to mix these things into the day, and it makes me feel more human.'
About Geoff:
Geoff is a digital product leader. He builds the teams and shapes the vision for the next generation of EdTech innovation. A technology optimist, he's a deep believer in the power of diverse, creative human teams. He's happiest working in the blend between humans and technology, adapting emerging tools like AI to find better ways to reach or teach learners across the globe. Geoff is CPO at MyTutor, the world's leading platform for near-peer learning. Prior to that he played the same role at Babbel, building learning tools that make a difference for millions of language learners. He's the proud author of 'Engines of Engagement ' A Curious Book About Generative AI'. Freshly printed, in Amazon's top 50 business books on AI (and available free as an ebook). He divides his time between working as a Chief Product Officer, advising emerging start-ups, and sharing insights that can increase the value and impact of learning technologies that make a meaningful difference in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffstead
Engines of Engagement Book link:
https://seasaltlearning.com/engines-of-engagement-generative-ai-book/
About Debi John:
Debi John is a dedicated advocate for the therapeutic power of play and the host of the Play Healing Podcast. With her expertise in play therapy and child psychology, Debi explores how integrating play into daily life can foster emotional growth, healing, and strong family connections. Through her engaging interviews, she provides listeners with insightful strategies for overcoming challenges and enhancing relationships through play.