In this week’s episode of The Unlock Lab, I talk to Benjamin Wolff, for a powerful conversation about the value of artistic and creative skills in the workplace. Ben is a Forbes leadership contributor, author, and former professional cellist. In our conversation he shares his personal journey from the concert stage, to corporate talent solutions, and we talk about why human skills like storytelling, emotional intelligence, and deep focus matter more than ever in the age of AI. We talk about what it really means to bring creativity into business, not just as performative one-hit-wonders, but as a core strategy for growth and innovation. This one is for anyone who’s ready to see talent differently.
Benjamin Wolff has been a Forbes Leadership contributor since 2017, writing about what corporate workplaces can learn from the arts. With his background as a professional cellist he brings a unique perspective to the conversation around business finding value in untapped pools of talent. He has delivered innovative programs on creativity, teamwork, and emotional intelligence for companies and organizations such as Cisco, Ingram Micro, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Rockefeller University.
Episode Highlights:
How artists bring essential human skills, like focus, storytelling, and emotional intelligence into the workplace.
Why now is the moment for organizations to rethink hiring practices and embrace creative talent in the age of AI.
Practical ways leaders can start integrating creativity into their teams, including “translator” roles and creative personal practices.
Quotables:
[00:03:44]
"A lot of people, they appreciate the arts. They enjoy the arts, but what they get is the product. They go to the theatre and they see a play, or they see a movie, or they hear a concert, or they see a ballet. But most people, unless they're connected professionally in some way, never see what goes into it."
[00:14:47]
"Immeasurable is different from unmeasurable in that, it's something that not only can't you measure, but that shouldn't be measured."
[00:22:32]
"Core skills are the things that it's very hard to teach. You can learn about the specifics of a job, but those other skills you take with you from experience to experience, from job to job, they become part of your core. It is critical for Corporations to think about who they hire."
Ben's Links:
Book: The Value of Immeasurable Things
Tosca’s Links and Resources:
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Giving Flowers To:
Theme music by: Cello music by Benjamin Wolff
Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing