Shows
Your Working LifeEmbracing Uncertainty with Margaret HeffernanDr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter. The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. In 20...2025-07-2226 min
London Writers' Salon#152: Margaret Heffernan — The Secret Weapon of Great Artists: Harnessing Uncertainty, Wandering & Creative Instincts That Machines Can't CreateWhat if uncertainty wasn’t something to fear, but your greatest creative ally?Dr. Margaret Heffernan—author, entrepreneur, and TED speaker—on how artists and writers thrive in chaotic times. We also talk about embracing the unknown, navigating AI-driven anxiety, and staying creatively resilient in a world that rewards certainty.We discuss:Margaret’s early creative life and career across TV, tech & writingWhat artists can teach us about navigating uncertaintyWhy AI can’t replicate the human imaginationHow writers manage doubt, income & purposeThe danger of over-planning and the value of wanderingLessons from writing Embracing Uncertainty under dead...2025-07-051h 00
The Mind Takeaway PodcastEmbracing Uncertainty: How to Lead in a Complex World with Margaret HeffernanIn this episode of The Mind Takeaway Podcast, we explore the topic of uncertainty with the remarkable Margaret Heffernan, a renowned entrepreneur, author, and professor at the University of Bath. With her extensive experience in mentoring senior executives and her acclaimed books, including "Willful Blindness" and "Embracing Uncertainty," Margaret shares her insights on the importance of embracing uncertainty in the business world.We discuss the often overlooked connection between creativity and uncertainty, as Margaret highlights how traditional business mindsets can stifle innovation and adaptability. We discuss the challenges leaders face in fostering an environment that values creative...2025-06-0950 min
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc543. The Freedom of an Uncertain World with Margaret HeffernanHow is our fear of uncertainty holding us back? Could an acceptance and willingness to embrace the unknown unlock new potential and innovation? Margaret Heffernan is a professor of Practice at the University of Bath, an entrepreneur, and a mentor to CEOs. Her books include Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril, Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future, and most recently Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians and artists thrive in an unpredictable world.Margaret and Greg discuss the importance of embracing uncertainty in business and life, the value of creative thinking, and th...2025-05-2152 min
Extraordinary CreativesThe Creative Power in Uncertainty with Margaret HeffernanCeri speaks with author and former CEO Margaret Heffernan about embracing uncertainty as a creative tool. From her journey through theatre, BBC production, tech leadership, to becoming a bestselling author, she shares how uncertainty isn't something to fear but a space where possibility thrives. Her latest book also explores how artists navigate and flourish in unpredictability and how in uncertainty lies choice, freedom, opportunity, exploration and adventure. KEY TAKEAWAYS Margaret embodies creative flexibility and has in her career, from theatre to BBC producer to tech CEO to acclaimed author, proved creative thinking transcends industries and can l...2025-05-051h 09
The Curious Advantage Podcast#74 Wilful Blindness, "The Naked Truth" and Super Chickens with Margaret HeffernanIn this episode of The Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones speak with renowned author and speaker Margaret Heffernan about curiosity, leadership, and organizational culture. She shares insights from her diverse career, exploring the impact of questioning conventional wisdom, the dangers of wilful blindness, and the role of playwriting in research.
Heffernan discusses how curiosity and helpfulness drive productivity and collaboration, warning against excessive competition and the ‘super chicken’ effect—where individual performance overshadows team success. She advocates for rethinking workplace culture to foster learning, connection, and innovation.
About The Curious Advantage Book
The Curious Advant...2025-03-2448 min
In Conversation with Nathalie Nahai147. Creativity, Uncertainty & How To Thrive In Volatile Times / Dr Margaret HeffernanIn this conversation, I speak with Dr. Margaret Heffernan – a renowned entrepreneur, CEO, keynote speaker and author, and professor of Practice at the University of Bath’s School of Management.Having produced programmes for the BBC in the UK for 13 years, Margaret moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard & Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter. Lead Faculty for the Forward Instit...2025-03-231h 02
The Curious Advantage Podcast#74 Wilful Blindness, the Naked Truth and Super Chickens with Margaret HeffernanIn this episode of the Curious Advantage podcast, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones engage with Margaret Heffernan, a renowned author and speaker, to explore the themes of curiosity, leadership, and organizational culture. Heffernan shares her diverse career journey and emphasizes the importance of questioning conventional wisdom in fostering innovation and collaboration within organizations.
The conversation delves into the concept of willful blindness, the intersection of playwriting and research, and the challenges leaders face in navigating accountability and certainty. Heffernan advocates for creating environments that promote curiosity and productivity, highlighting the need for organizations to rethink their approaches to...2025-03-1848 min
Step Inside Your Day With A Ground-Breaking Full Audiobook.Embracing Uncertainty by Margaret HeffernanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/7828to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Embracing Uncertainty
Author: Margaret Heffernan
Narrator: Margaret Heffernan
Format: mp3
Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 03-06-25
Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 2 ratings
Genres: Management & Leadership
Publisher's Summary:
Most people hate and fear uncertainty. It causes such stress and anxiety that we often choose certain surrender over doubt, becoming passive, dependent, addicted—and more anxious than ever. Doubling down on the certainties promised by technology and micro-management only makes things worse, leaving no opportunity for innovation, adaptation or invention. Artists live with uncertainty constantly—but instead of waiting for the...2025-03-067h 43
Change SignalWhy Leaders Keep Making Change Harder: Margaret HeffernanHere's how to rebuild agency in change-resistant organizations, why euphemistic language kills transformation, and what we can learn from artists about embracing the unknown.When you're trying to lead organizational change, it's easy to fall into the trap of infantilizing your people - treating them like children who can't handle the truth. Margaret Heffernan, author of "Uncharted" and mentor to global CEOs, challenges us to think differently.Drawing from her experience running tech companies and advising executives, Margaret shows why most transformation programs fail: we've created management systems that turn people into robots, then wonder...2025-02-2627 min
Top ShelfWillful Blindness by Margaret HeffernanWillful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan | TOP SHELF Podcast
Why do people and organizations ignore the truth, even when it’s right in front of them? In this episode of TOP SHELF, we dive deep into Willful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan, exploring why we choose to ignore critical information, how groupthink takes over, and what we can do to overcome it.
Topics Covered:
What is willful blindness and how does it impact our lives?
The psychological and social forces that make us ignore red flags.
How businesses, politics, and personal relationships suffer from blind spots.
Ac...2025-02-0605 min
Share Life: Stories & Systems To Live Better & Work Smarter — With Jason Scott Montoya111: Daring to Disagree: Seeking Truth and Courage in Divisive Times With Margaret HeffernanEpisode Type: Listen to Learn
Welcome to a listen-to-learn episode of the Share Life podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with entrepreneur, author, speaker, storyteller, and professor of practice at the University of Bath in England, Margaret Heffernan.
Over a decade ago, Margaret planted a seed with her Ted Talk, Dare To Disagree. I watched it, rewatched it, and shared it with my community and her wisdom has lived with me over the past decade intersecting with my situation today.
In light of the recent election, and my Harris advocacy as a Republican...2024-11-1446 min
Wisdom From The Top with Guy RazWhy Uncertainty Matters: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan, an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books, delves into her often counter-intuitive insights on consensus-building, and decision-making. She and Guy discuss her book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, where she explains why attempts to predict the future, even with today's AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to fail. Instead, Margaret offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future—strategies rooted in human creativity and resilience. Plus, the importance of recognizing your inner super chicken. Known for challenging conventional business wisdom, Margaret’s perspective is a refreshing take on how to navi...2024-07-3140 minWisdom From The Top with Guy RazWhy Uncertainty Matters: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan, an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books, delves into her often counter-intuitive insights on consensus-building, and decision-making. She and Guy discuss her book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, where she explains why attempts to predict the future, even with today's AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to fail. Instead, Margaret offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future—strategies rooted in human creativity and resilience. Plus, the importance of recognizing your inner super chicken. Known for challenging conventional business wisdom, Margaret’s perspective is a refreshing take on how to navi...2024-07-3140 min
Ambition UnleashedFrom Certainty to Seeking Exploration - with Margaret HeffernanIn this episode of Ambition. Unleashed. Sara Moore and Guest host Justin Temblett-Wood look into how leaders can take an approach of seeking exploration over the need for certainty. A willingness to believe in planning, but not plans, will free leaders from self-imposed prisons that restrict their ability to act and react in uncertain times. It requires bravery to step away from apparent certainty, and insight to understand that certainty is built on context and interpretation rather than reality. If leaders can throw off these shackles and embrace exploration and experimentation, then they will be well-equipped to prepare for, and...2023-12-1437 min
Keen On AmericaWhy only humans can imagine the future: Margaret Heffernan on art, creative uncertainty and the insatiability of AI moguls like Sam AltmanEPISODE 1863: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Margaret Heffernan, author of UNCHARTED, about what we can learn from artists about controlling the insatiability of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs like Sam AltmanDr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter. The author of six bo...2023-11-2339 min
Unleashing Excellence133 - Inspiring TED Talks - Dare to Disagree, with Margaret HeffernanAs part of our "Inspiring TED Talks" series, spotlighting can't-miss TED Talks and their key takeaways, Dr. Westover explores Margaret Heffernan's famous 2012 TED Talk, "Dare to Disagree." See the video and details here: https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree.
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2023-09-2129 min
Better At Work with Cathal QuinlanThe Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World with Margaret HeffernanIn episode 23, we chat with Margaret Heffernan about the critical human skills that we need to confront the unexpected in today’s world. Margaret explains why attempts to predict the future, even in today's world of AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to failure. She offers alternative strategies for people and organisations facing an uncertain future — strategies based on human creativity and resilience. Dr Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, Chief Executive, broadcaster, and author. She writes, speaks and blogs about business leadership, management, innovation and creativity, and her TED talks have been seen by ove...2023-06-221h 06
The Evolving LeaderWilful Blindness with Margaret HeffernanIn this episode of the Evolving Leader podcast, co-hosts Jean Gomes and Scott talk to entrepreneur, Chief Executive, broadcaster, and author Dr Margaret Heffernan. Margaret writes, speaks and blogs about business leadership, management, innovation and creativity, and her TED talks have been seen by over 14 million people. Margaret has written six books and her third book, ‘Wilful Blindness, Why We Ignore The Obvious’ was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. Her most recent book ‘Uncharted: How To Map The Future’ was published in 2020 and was nominated for the Financial Times Best Bus...2023-05-2455 min
Forward Vision with Matthew TaylorMargaret HeffernanIn the first episode of Forward Vision, Matthew Taylor speaks to entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan. This is a wide ranging conversation covering individual responsibility within organisations; the dangers of failing to address social and moral dilemmas by hiding behind shareholder value; and what lessons can be learned from the slow response to climate change when facing the dangers presented to society by AI. Dr. Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, author, academic and Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute’s Responsible Leadership Programme. Her most recent book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future explores how understanding and being pre...2023-05-0932 minWisdom From The Top with Guy RazUncharted: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books. Her often counter-intuitive insights on collaboration, consensus-building, and decision-making have earned her a reputation as a smart thinker who challenges conventional business wisdom. In her latest book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, Margaret explains why attempts to predict the future, even in today's world of AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to failure. She offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future — strategies based on human creativity and resilience.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...2023-04-1939 minWisdom From The Top with Guy RazUncharted: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books. Her often counter-intuitive insights on collaboration, consensus-building, and decision-making have earned her a reputation as a smart thinker who challenges conventional business wisdom. In her latest book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, Margaret explains why attempts to predict the future, even in today's world of AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to failure. She offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future — strategies based on human creativity and resilience.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...2023-04-1939 min
Work For HumansWillful Blindness: Confronting The Challenge of Business Ethics | Margaret HeffernanBusinesses have long fragmented work and home life, searching for employees that fit the mold instead of molding work around their employees. As a global expert on business leadership, management, and innovation, Margaret Heffernan helps others to integrate work with life, prioritize good people instead of obedient employees, and measure business value in more than just numbers. Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, award-winning author, keynote speaker to over 14 million people, and former CEO of five businesses across two continents. As an author, she has written two of the most important business books of the decade - Uncharted...2023-04-1144 min
The Discomfort PracticeEpisode #92: Margaret Heffernan On Willful BlindnessIn this episode of the Discomfort Practice, I talk with entrepreneur, author and someone I’m rather a big fan of, Margaret Heffernan. We chat about Margaret’s sixth book Uncharted, which lays out an inspiring picture of what can lie on the other side of uncertainty - which is a discomfort we as humans naturally avoid. We also dive into her own practice of surrendering to experiencing discomfort, by which she has not only learned new things, but grown as a person. Margaret's TED talks have been seen by over 15 million people. You read that right! 15 mill...2023-04-091h 08
Humanise The Numbers - for ambitious accountants in practiceMargaret Heffernan - Professor, Writer and Speaker, Advisors to the Profession SeriesOne of your firm’s greatest challenges and, arguably, one of the areas of greatest reward, comes from the 'how to' of getting the best out of your people, out of your team. One argument says that we should build social capital, building stronger connections between ourselves and our team and between team members, so that they feel a greater sense of camaraderie. But the challenge with that is we could burn lots of time, and time is money. Why do that, when we could get our team actually doing some work and making the firm some mon...2023-04-061h 00
A Good ReadDonna Leon and Margaret HeffernanThe author of the Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery series, Donna Leon, is joined by writer-entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan and the presenter Harriett Gilbert.Donna has chosen a book by an author she greatly admires, Ross MacDonald, who she read before she became a writer herself. His 1971 noir novel, The Underground Man, follows a detective as he tries to track down a missing child, whilst a mysterious fire rages through the hills of Southern California. Margaret loves Butcher's Crossing, the lesser-known book by John Williams, the author of Stoner. Set in 1871, this is about a young Harvard drop-out who...2023-03-2828 min
ScaleX™ Insider PodcastMargaret Heffernan – Why business leaders need to deal with ambiguity and the importance of cultivating diversity when scaling a businessDr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard & Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the "Top 25" by Streaming Media magazine and one of the "Top 100 Media Executives" by The Hollywood Reporter. The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Wilful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Time...2022-06-291h 05ScaleX™ Insider PodcastMargaret Heffernan – Why business leaders need to deal with ambiguity and the importance of cultivating diversity when scaling a businessDr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard & Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the "Top 25" by Streaming Media magazine and one of the "Top 100 Media Executives" by The Hollywood Reporter. The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Wilful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Time...2022-06-291h 05
Rise Up For You#418 With Margaret Heffernan on The Big Impact Of Small ChangeDr. Margaret Heffernan produced programs for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company, and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation, and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter.
The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. In 2015, she was awarde...2022-06-1019 min
Data RadicalsSuper Chickens & the Productivity Pecking Order with Dr. Margaret Heffernan, Author of Willful BlindnessWhether you’re a whistleblower exposing fraud or a new CDO with uncomfortable insights at an organization, “just the facts” alone won’t convince the crowd. You need buy-in, conviction, and the ability to tell a compelling story.In today’s episode, Dr. Margaret Heffernan, author, professor, and seasoned CEO, shares what she’s learned about leading teams to light. She shares insights on willful blindness, how to make people care about data, and how to build the most productive teams. --------"What's really interesting about whistleblowers is that they're deeply ordinary." - Dr. Margaret...2022-03-3037 minWisdom From The Top with Guy RazUncharted: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books. Her often counter-intuitive insights on collaboration, consensus-building, and decision-making have earned her a reputation as a smart thinker who challenges conventional business wisdom. In her latest book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, Margaret explains why attempts to predict the future, even in today's world of AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to failure. She offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future - strategies based on human creativity and resilience.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...2022-03-3039 minWisdom From The Top with Guy RazUncharted: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, executive leadership coach, and author of six books. Her often counter-intuitive insights on collaboration, consensus-building, and decision-making have earned her a reputation as a smart thinker who challenges conventional business wisdom. In her latest book, Uncharted: How to Map the Future, Margaret explains why attempts to predict the future, even in today's world of AI and Big Data technologies, are often doomed to failure. She offers alternative strategies for organizations facing an uncertain future - strategies based on human creativity and resilience.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...2022-03-3039 min
Human Capital LeadershipS30E17 - Inspiring TED Talks Rewind - Dare to Disagree, with Margaret HeffernanIn this "Inspiring TED Talks Rewind" HCI Podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhwestover/) explores Margaret Heffernan's famous 2012 TED Talk, "Dare to Disagree" (Originally aired October 3, 2020). See the video and details here: https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree.
"Most people instinctively avoid conflict, but as Margaret Heffernan shows us, good disagreement is central to progress. She illustrates (sometimes counterintuitively) how the best partners aren’t echo chambers -- and how great research teams, relationships and businesses allow people to deeply disagree."
Margaret Heffernan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-heffernan-ab5205/) has run 5 dif...2022-01-0827 min
The Product ExperienceRerun: Making Better Predictions - Margaret HeffernanIf the last coupleof years has taught us anything, it’s that predicting the future is hard. In this podcast episode, sponsored by Amplitude, we turn to Margaret Heffernan to learn how to do it better. She’s a captivating speaker with more than 12 million views of her TED talks and a prolific writer who recently published Uncharted: How To Map The Future – if she can’t help, there’s no hope!Featured Links: Follow Margaret on LinkedIn and Twitter | Margaret's Website | Margaret's page at TED | Margaret's latest book 'Uncharted: How to Map the Future'Our...2022-01-0544 min