Derek and Bryn continue their AI conversation by shifting from “How do I use AI?” to “How do I use AI to understand my system?” The highest and best use of AI is to use it to see the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek and Bryn look past the excitement around AI and argue that the real question is not how to use AI, but whether leaders are working on the right things. Using the rise of spreadsheets as a historical parallel, Derek shows how powerful tools often create local optimization instead of improving system flow. They explore why AI feels intelligent, why it is deceptive, and how leaders can apply Essential Dynamics to clarify purpose, understand constraints, and decide where AI actually helps.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek Hudson welcomes Christian Hansen back to explore how story drives influence. Christian shows how to make others the hero of their own story and how empathy, curiosity, and clear narrative create connection. Together they link these ideas to Essential Dynamics, where story shapes purpose, people, and flow.
Christian Hansen is at thechristianhansen.com
The Influence Mindset for Sales Acceleration
The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You
Derek is at Unconstrained
Show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Christian Hansen joins Derek Hudson to explore how influence begins with perception and connection. Drawing from his book, The Influence Mindset for Sales Acceleration, he shows why people “choose or reject their perception of you,” and how competence plus connection earns attention and drives flow. Together they link this to Essential Dynamics where purpose, people, and leadership attention shape system performance.
Christian Hansen is at thechristianhansen.com
The Influence Mindset for Sales Acceleration
The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You
Derek is at Unconstrained
Show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki
Allie Jones returns to show how Working Genius helps teams find joy and energy by aligning people’s natural strengths with the work that needs to be done. She and Derek Hudson connect it to Essential Dynamics, showing how awareness, purpose, and tension create flow. Allie explains that no one can avoid their areas of frustration, but with humility and teamwork, every type of genius can contribute to something larger. Together they show that people thrive when their gifts serve a shared quest.
Allie is at Allie Jones Consulting
Derek is at Unconstrained
Full Show Notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki
Marketing consultant and leadership coach Allie Jones joins Derek Hudson to explore how the Working Genius framework helps people unlock energy, avoid burnout, and thrive in their work. Through a powerful conversation on self-awareness, flow, and team dynamics, Allie shares her journey—and how leaders can apply these insights at both the personal and system level.
Allie Jones is at alliejonesconsulting.com
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Full show notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki
Derek and Bryn get practical about writing as a leader’s thinking tool. From brain dumps to mapping UDEs, they show how writing exposes root causes and clears away fluff. Real strategy isn’t buzzwords, it’s written cause-and-effect logic you can test, share, and adapt.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Bryn is at bryngriffiths.com
Full show notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek and Bryn explore how writing shapes leadership and system flow. Writing forces clarity, makes vision shareable, and helps leaders step outside their systems. They contrast lazy and diligent writing and show why investing a leader’s limited time in writing is one of the most effective ways to see, test, and adapt a system.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Bryn is at bryngriffiths.com
Full show notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Tension isn’t the enemy, it’s the spark. This episode uncovers crux moments in business where some leaders turned risk into lasting impact while others avoided the tough choice and paid the price. How will you face the crux?
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Full show notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Reed McColm is back at the mic, pressing Derek Hudson on a pivotal distinction: crux vs. climax. Through the Essential Dynamics lenses of Purpose, Path, and People, they show why the crux, the unseen decision under tension, always matters more than the climax everyone sees.
From Rocky to The Lord of the Rings and beyond, they trace this pattern in stories, leadership, and life, and invite you to find the crux in your own quest.
Derek is at Unconstrained
Full show notes on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
In this solo follow-up to Episode 115, Derek builds on lessons from a backpacking trip through the Canadian Rockies, this time focusing on People and Flow, important considerations in any quest.
Derek reflects on group dynamics, decision-making without hierarchy, and how flow becomes visible and tangible on the trail. From wrong turns to resource management, Derek shows how backpacking mirrors the real challenges of leading, collaborating, and staying energized in complex systems.
Derek is with Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
In this solo episode, Derek shares lessons from a multi-day backpacking trip in the Canadian Rockies and how it connects to the Essential Dynamics framework. From planning and preparation to the realities of the trail, Derek explores what it means to consider your quest —clarifying Purpose X and Purpose Y, understanding the Path and its opposing forces of Drivers and Constraints, and embracing the challenges that make achievement meaningful.
This episode reframes adventure as a metaphor for leadership and life, showing why hard things matter and how a well-defined quest can transform both organizations and individuals.
Derek is with Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
In this follow-up to Episode 113, Derek and Dave return to the question: Can technology help leaders step back and see their system? The answer is a big reveal. EDy is a conversational AI designed to help leaders get unstuck and achieve system flow using Essential Dynamics. EDy doesn’t give answers, he helps leaders think clearly, focus their attention, and take meaningful action. He's private, adaptive, and available anytime a leader needs to step back and see their system.
Derek and Daver are at Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek Hudson and Dave Kane explore how technology is helping—or hindering—leaders in 2025. They map out where leadership attention gets hijacked, what clarity looks like at the operational and meta levels, and where technology still falls short. From financial visibility to systems insight and real-time flow feedback, the conversation traces both risk and opportunity, concluding that technology’s greatest potential lies not in automation, but in context-aware guidance and timing.
Derek and Daver are at Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Tal Pizzey, CEO of Acuren, returns to explore how system flow can scale—even across 90 divisions and 6,000 employees. From rope access inspections to regional P&L ownership, Tal shares how Acuren empowers division managers with the training, data, incentives, and freedom to lead. Along the way, they discuss acquisition integration, risk reduction, and what great governance and guidance look like in practice.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Tal Pizzey is at Acuren.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek talks with Tal Pizzey, CEO of Acuren, a billion-dollar company specializing in nondestructive testing and inspection services. Tal shares insights on Acuren’s impressive growth journey, the critical importance of management excellence, and the purposeful impact their work has on society by preventing failures and catastrophic events.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Tal Pizzey is at Acuren.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek continues his conversation with Ann Hall about the legendary Edmonton Grads women’s basketball team, highlighting coach J. Percy Page’s leadership, Purpose X and Purpose Y, community support, and the keys to achieving system flow.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Dr. M. Ann Hall is here.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
In search of great examples of systems flow, Derek welcomes Dr. Ann Hall to explore the extraordinary story of the Edmonton Grads, the most successful basketball team ever!
Dr. M. Ann Hall is at mannhall.com. Ann's book is The Grads Are Playing Tonight. More on the Grads at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and Historica Canada Heritage Minutes.
Derek is at Unconstrained.
Show notes are on the Unconstrained Wiki.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Jared Bateman. Derek and his daughter Lisha discuss some of the wisdom Jared has shared. Dave and Derek discuss the key learnings of Season Four.
Dave and Derek are at Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.
Derek and Dave talk about six distinct functions of leadership that every leader needs to understand.
Dave and Derek are at Unconstrained.
Full show notes are on the Essential Dynamics Wiki.