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“I’ve spent years studying the brain, but it’s the heart that’s taught me how to lead, heal and grow.” It’s all about our brains on today’s episode! Meet Silvia Damiano, a scientist, author, filmmaker, and lifelong explorer of the brain who has, over two decades, dedicated her work to understanding the inner workings of the mind and the power of emotion. The Argentina-born Silvia is the founder of the About my Brain Institute and creator of the i4 Neuroleader™ Model & Methodology which has been taught around the world and is reshaping the way we think about leadership. Silvia blends her background in neuroscience, education and leadership to help people reconnect with their innate creativity, intuition and sense of purpose.

Silvia’s documentary Make Me A Leader and her books Leadership is Upside Down and Brain-Friendly Leadership have inspired global audiences to rethink success, balance and self-awareness in the modern world. She collaborates closely with her adult children, Relmi and Sacha. Together they’ve recently created two powerful card decks: ‘Heart to Heart Conversations’ and ‘The Elephant in the Room’, designed to spark meaningful dialogue and deepen human connection.

[03:40s] Her journey into neuroscience

[11:51s] On neuro leadership and her work in About my Brain Institute

[21:45s] Top ‘brain-friendly’ leadership practices

[28:28s] On her ‘i4 Neuroleader™ Model assessment

[38:19s] On evolution of neuroscience – the near future

[44:07s] Looking ahead: About my Brain Institute

[46:13s] RWL:

Read ‘Your Brain at Work’ by David Rock;

Read Atomic Habits’ by James Clear

Read ‘Mind-Gut Connection’ by Emeran Mayer

Watch Silvia’s documentary film ‘Make Me A Leader’

Read Silvia’s book ‘Brain-Friendly Leadership’

Connect with Silvia on LinkedIn

Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn

What did you think about this episode? Write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.com

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This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’.

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Bringing over a decade of experience in Leadership facilitation and coaching, driven by a passion for transformative learning experiences, Linmin (Michelle) Zhang, Founder and MD of IncluSmart, is widely recognized as an accomplished facilitator in DEI with specialized expertise in Strategic Planning, Culture Shaping, Action Planning, and Leadership Transformation. Her company, IncluSmart, inspired by the Chinese pictographic characters of 容锐, represents the idea that an inclusive environment evokes wisdom for both individuals and teams.

With a background as a Global Product Manager in the Medical Equipment Industry at Mindray and GE Healthcare, Michelle leverages her 13 years of corporate experience to serve clients across various industries. Her portfolio spans across sectors and over 20 countries. Her unique approach combines facilitation, coaching, and drama-based role plays, enriching individual leadership development while fostering a sense of belonging among clients’ employees. Her diverse skill set has enabled her to adapt her facilitation style to a variety of settings, including corporate meetings, government learning programs, and organizational development for NGOs.

Michelle holds an MBA degree specializing in Strategic Planning for Leadership in Change Management, along with a medical degree specialized in Anesthesiology. A Certified Professional Facilitator, Michelle also serves on the Board of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).

[04:41s] From medicine to sales and marketing to facilitation

[13:36s] Pivot into consulting and facilitating

[30:38s] Discovering the world of IAF

[39:09s] On the magic of facilitation #FacPower

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with Vinay on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn

What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.com

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,

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As a kid in Colorado, United States, he grew up thinking he was part Japanese (after a playful prank from his mother). Today, he has been living in Japan for almost three decades. One could call that destiny alright! Meet Dr. David Sweet, Founder and CEO of FocusCore Group, a leading executive search consultancy in Tokyo which has consulted for top-tier companies across the region, helping them find exceptional talent and fill critical roles with the best candidates.

David holds a PhD in Leadership Development and is also a certified ICF Executive Coach. His expertise in leveraging social networking for recruitment in Japan has earned him recognition in publications such as ‘Facebook & LinkedIn: Social Media Job-Hunting Techniques That Don’t Require a Resume’. Before moving to Japan, he spent a decade working in Labor Relations and Employee Development for the U.S. Government. David is the author of ‘Sweet Sales’, ‘Sweet Success’ and ‘Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller’ as well as two books of poetry and a children’s book! He also hosts the FocusCore Podcast. David is also an 'obsessed mid-pack marathon runner' (best time 3:09) and a musician playing the ukulele and the mandolin as a member of the Sweet Strings Orchestra.

[03:20s] Colorado to Tokyo

[11:16s] Recruitment and HR in Japan

[19:10s] Top skills in demand in Japan

[26:22s] Evolution of business culture in Japan

[35:30s] FocusCore Group’s growth, learning, challenges, opportunities

[43:17s] Future of the talent recruitment industry

[50:49s] RWL: Check out David’s books ‘Sweet Sales’, ‘Sweet Success’ and ‘Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller’; Listen to David’s podcast FocusCore Podcast

Follow FocusCore Group’s work at https://focuscoregroup.com/

Connect with David on LinkedIn

Connect with Vinay on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn

What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.com

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, and more.

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook