DangerMouth: The Innovation Station

S3E10 The FEP A Tool for Understanding and Modelling Complex Systems with Daniel Friedman

In this episode we welcome special guest Daniel Friedman the President of the Active Inference Institute. 
Shana and Darrell smoothly switch up several intellectual gears as they engage with Daniel to explore the physics of transformation.
Later on Mikey tries to illustrate the basics of the notoriously complex and nuanced FEP, using vague outlines while Daniels fills in the colours.
Focused concentration is highly recommended. This conversation operates on multiple levels.
https://www.activeinference.institute/
The Free Energy Principle Explained: Karl Friston’s Theory of How the Brain Works
Daniel Friedman – Active Inference Institute | What is Active Inference?

S3E09: Humour At Work? You can't be serious!

In these turbulent times, humor may be the only glue strong enough to hold people together. It’s no joke.
Mike and Darrell welcome Barbara Plester from the University of Auckland Business School, who has an eye for the unserious.
Essential listening for trainee jesters.

S3E08 The Great Management Training Experiment with Steve Thomas

Back in the heyday of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a very interesting experiment in management training took place. Darrell and I were among the guinea pigs. The lessons learned lasted a lifetime.
A few years later, our guest today, Steve Thomas (http://www.grassroutes.co.uk/), a very wise, principled, and incredibly brave, visionary educator, resurrected this protocol and added the guardrails that were so gratuitously missing from the first instantiation.
Three stories, complete with wisdom from Shana the Oracle.
 
 

S3E07 Graceful Home Schooling with Anthony Lopez-Vito

Our guest is Anthony Lopez-Vito has kindly taken time out from running the Matrix to hang out with the gang! 
What Joy!
You might find this fun as well: https://tinbin.com/

S3E06 Cathedral Culture : Designing Self‑Healing Organisations with Frank Devine

The team chat with Frank, its a classic.
Frank Devine’s Cathedral Culture System turns leaders into architects of shared purpose—not bricklayers chasing quarterly targets. Discover how it operationalises Rapid Mass Engagement (RME) to create employee-owned high-performance cultures that fix themselves.
We map its pillars—higher purpose, recognition, coaching, and feedback—against complexity principles like requisite variety and POSIWID. Does it deliver genuine autonomy, or just prettier top-down control? Perfect for leaders tired of engagement gimmicks
THE BOOK 
THE WEBBY
AUDIO SUMMARY
 

S3E05 How New Things Get Done

Darrell and Shana have written a book. Have a listen and see if it's your cup of tea.
Mikey is playing Steve Barlett and interviewing the authours - Saints preserve us!
 
Buy it On Amazon
 
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S3E04 Meaning as a System

In this Danger Mouth episode, the team dissects "Meaning" via the ABCM model (Autonomy, Belonging, Competence, Meaning). Darrell defines meaning as the coherence between purpose, pattern, and participation. Personal drivers range from legacy and human connection to the joy of play. They analyze societal S-curves, arguing that crises require "Yellow" systemic thinkers to guide "Orange" executors. Ultimately, solving ethical contradictions and honoring human complexity are vital for navigating today’s global shifts.

S3E03 System Completeness

Danger Mouth’s 2025 finale explores TRIZ systems thinking. Darrell breaks down the 6-element model (Engine, Tool, etc.) vital for functionality. The team discusses workplace complexity and using AI for perspective. Key insight: Success comes from solving contradictions and "Wow persistence."