"Share your questions. They're not as yours as you think they are.." - David Pearl
David Pearl. David is a performer, author, director, and public speaker who has established himself as an innovator in business, the arts, and social change. In his early years, he sang at the Royal Opera House as the boy soprano soloist for four years. Later, he played double bass and toured as a London School Symphony Orchestra member and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
David is a creative force who has pioneered the use of the arts in business and works as a creative confidant to high-profile CEOs and their teams across the globe. He is the mastermind behind experience engineering, a method for designing and leading high-stakes, high-impact meetings and creating stories for leaders that help harness the power of narrative and leadership.
As an author, David has written several insightful books, including his most recent work, Wanderful, Human Navigation for a Complex World. This book aims to awaken our innate guidance systems to help us navigate life's complexities. He's also the founder of Street Wisdom, an international social venture that brings experiential learning to city streets across the globe. Finally, David is also the creative mind behind Wanderful, a podcast designed to add a bit of wonder to your walking.
The conversation highlights Pearl's journey from his early musical career to pioneering 'experience engineering' and founding the initiative Street Wisdom. Key themes include the transformative power of questioning, the resilience of a playful mindset, and the importance of curiosity in both personal and professional realms. Additionally, we delve into meaningful connections through shared interests and reflective walks, emphasizing how profound questions can build understanding, community, and personal development. The discussion underscores re-evaluating work and life's purpose, creativity, imagination, and the complexities of human interaction.
This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.
Keep questioning!
Episode Notes
02:39 The Power of Questions
04:28 Challenging Reality and Personal Experiences
07:13 The Art of Asking Questions
13:52 The Influence of Polymath Parents
20:15 The Importance of Playfulness
21:41 Exploring Creativity and Improvisation
25:33 The Importance of Naming
30:31 Street Wisdom and Creative Exploration
31:25 How Questions Inform Improvisation
36:04 Street Wisdom and the Power of Wandering
48:57 The Essence of Creativity
49:32 The Power of Asking Different Questions
50:11 Inspiration from Everyday Life
51:04 The Importance of Imagination
52:17 Learning from the Future
54:12 Connecting with Others
55:59 The Impact of Street Wisdom
57:34 Connecting with Others Through Questions
58:52 Personal Journeys and Reflections
01:02:12 The Value of Unanswerable Questions
01:08:01 The Future of AI and Human Inquiry
01:15:39 The Role of Questions in Business and Life
01:17:10 The Future of Learning and Technology
01:30:21 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Resources Mentioned
Wanderful, Human Navigation for a Complex World by David Pearl
Another World is Possible by Geoff Mulgan
Awareness by Anthony DeMello
Raymond Coates
Worldwide Wander - 27 September 2024
Questions Asked
When did you first understand the power of questions?
Really?
If it is real, is, are you serious?
So how well do you think that went?
What would you have done differently?
Are there any questions?
Were they [your parents] forward-leaning on developing curiosity and challenging reality?
Why has your sense of play been so resilient?
How do questions inform your improvisational work?
What's trying to happen here?
How can I serve what's happening?
What do I want to make happen?
What are we going to make happen?
How can I be the facilitator?
How can I be the means by which this thing can happen?
Does it come back, or does it come from you?
Why not?
What if?
What then?
Why not us?
Why do we have to wait for the picture?
What is next?
What is this supposed to be?
What is required?
What is this thing that is next?
What are questions that we've been asked that we missed today?
What would your grandchildren's children thank you for learning today?
What will the future thank you for learning?
What if this worked out?
What if this was better than we could imagine?
If it's true that most people think this doesn't work out, how does it affect our decision-making and choices?
What was the problem again?
If you could see it working out, would your friends have issues with you?
What is that?
What's in this for you?
Are you a racist?
What are you going to do differently?
To be, or not to be?
Where are my people?
What are you going to do with the time you save?
How long would it be before humanity began to make the same mistakes to start to defray that system?
How do we name this differently?
How do we name things playfully?
How can I make this more accessible, more available, more delightful?
How can people learn more without realizing they're learning?
How can we teach without lecturing?
Are there any other thoughts or encouragements about questions we haven't intentionally explored?
How should Palestine represent itself better to the world?
How great would that be?
We're working hard, but is it the right work?
Are the metrics that you're using the right metrics?
What's next?
What can we make happen next?
Where am I heading?
Where, where next?
What is the best place for folks to engage with you and learn more about what you're excited about?