PODCAST: Kat Sykes on how divergent thinking powers change
Tools & Resources
Kat Sykes has been described by clients as the Mary Poppins of Business Change. As the Founder of GameChanging Outcomes Ltd, Kat has drawn on her varied career as a primary school teacher, construction project manager and digital change manager to create a completely new type of service that encompasses the best of all worlds. In this conversation, she explains why it’s important to understand people’s ‘real KPIs’ in business, how play can encourage creativity and break down barriers to change in organisations, and the work she’s doing with Durham University on supporting entrepreneurs’ self-worth.
Listen below to find out more from Kat Sykes about:
- How she uses gamification to support people to unearth and address frustrations – and how you can approach this work yourself.
- Why it’s important to understand people’s real KPIs to help them embrace change.
- Some of the principles behind change and the unconscious drivers behind how we respond to it.
- Why divergent thinking through play is important for developing and maintaining our creativity and problem-solving abilities.
- How rediscovering our five-year-old creative geniuses can help break down silos to improve productivity and happiness at work.
- Her work with Durham University on an award-winning research paper, ‘the deterioration of self-worth in entrepreneurship’ and the intervention that is being developed.
Kat’s recommended resources
- Free Download: Why People Act The Way They Do, When Faced With a Change
- Free Download: Taking A Process To The Next Level
- Free Download: Plan and Checklist For Implementing A Digital Change
- Read the research paper, ‘the deterioration of self-worth in entrepreneurship’
- Watch: Sir Ken Robinson on the industrialisation of the curriculum
- Watch: Sir Ken Robinson on divergent thinking
- Watch: NASA’s study into divergent thinking
- Watch: Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle TED Talk
Next steps…
- Learn more about Kat’s services on the GameChanging Outcomes website, or connect on LinkedIn.
- Check out the resources Kat recommends to learn more about divergent thinking and change management.
- Get more information and tips for leading and managing your business.
- Listen to other UMicast episodes to hear from other amazing guests and learn more about business success.