The Black Belt in Thinking Podcast

In this episode of the Black Belt in Thinking podcast, Peter Cronin sits down with Mieta Fagundes, Team Lead for AI at a major Australian tech company, to unpack the increasingly popular (and misunderstood) idea of “AI brain rot.” They explore the two very different meanings behind the term: the slow erosion of thinking skills when people rely too heavily on AI tools, and the social-media-fuelled version of “brain rot” linked to endlessly scrolling shallow, hyper-optimized content.   Together they discuss how AI dependence can stunt skill development, the behavioural science behind doom-scrolling, and why platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even children’s content like Cocomelon are engineered to trigger reinforcement loops in the brain. The conversation blends AI, behaviour psychology, and cultural trends to illuminate why attention spans are shrinking—and what we can do about it.

Link to DST discussed in the episode.   In Part 2 of this conversation, Peter Cronin and Alfredo Mycue take the discussion from theory to practice. After their first episode explored the concept of Decision Support Templates (DSTs), Peter returns with one he’s tried using in the real world—and Alfredo puts it under the microscope.   This episode features a live review of a DST, showing what works, what’s missing, and how small shifts in framing can improve the clarity and quality of decision-making. Along the way, they unpack the deeper value of templates—not just to guide decisions, but to teach people how to think and collaborate more effectively.   From closing the feedback loop to embedding shared judgment across teams, this episode is a hands-on look at how to turn decision-making tools into a learning engine.

In this episode of the Black Belt in Thinking podcast, Peter Cronin is joined by Alfredo Mycue for a thought-provoking conversation on how organisations—especially complex ones—can empower frontline staff to make effective decisions without constantly escalating to leadership. Inspired by military decision-making strategies like Auftragstaktik (mission-style orders), Alfredo introduces the concept of decision support templates: tools designed to guide judgment while preserving autonomy.   Together, they explore how these templates shift decision-making from the top to the ground level, using vivid real-world examples from government services, legal teams, and vocational rehabilitation. They also discuss the role of templates in training, mentorship, and reducing organisational energy lost in constant upward delegation. Whether you’re managing teams, delivering public services, or building a high-trust culture, this episode offers practical insights into enabling smarter, faster, and more aligned decisions.

In this episode, I chat with Austin Turpin, founder of Fliptech Australia, about how he’s been using the Black Belt in Thinking tools while building his business.   We cover how assumptions show up in everything from sales and staffing to warehouse decisions, and how questioning cause and effect helped Austin avoid some expensive mistakes. He shares how he’s tested assumptions around things like ISO certifications, hiring, delegation, and even his own motivations — and what’s changed as a result.   It’s a good look at what it’s like to start applying these tools early, rather than trying to retrofit them into an established business.

Listen in to this episode as Peter Cronin talks with Scott Daggett, who works at a fortune 100 financial institution, about his experience doing the Black Belt in Thinking course and the wins he has been able to achieve by implementing what he has learnt into his workplace! Scott has completed all three of the BBIT courses, so throughout the podcast Scott talks about how each course has given him a different set of tools to apply depending on the certain situation. He then goes on and expands on a number of tool implementations that he has spearheaded in his workplace and even personal life.  A great listen, and amazing to hear about the tools at work! The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!

Listen in to this episode as Peter Cronin talks with Rodney Daut, a course creator himself, about his experience doing the Black Belt in Thinking course and what he got out of it! Building courses and workshops as his job and side business, Rodney was able to apply the BBIT tools to conflicts or issues he was having throughout the 6 weeks the course ran. The exercises throughout the course enable participants to get wins and real life application of the tools from the get go.  Just as we have done to the BBIT course (applied the tools on decisions to do with the course), Rodney was able to apply the same tactic for his own courses and workshops. Which was a very interesting read for our instructors and great to see the outcomes and solutions he came up with. The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!

We are starting a new series! The Application Series!   Throughout this series we will be talking to people who have taken the BBIT tools or skills and applied them to their own businesses or lives. We will explore the challenges they faced, the solutions they implemented and the outcomes they achieved. We really want to share these stories so that you can see the different ways that people are solving problems, helping others and get wins for everyone involved.   This week we talk to Sydney buyers agent Rhiannan Jenkins about how she uses the Prerequisite Tree (PRT) tool she learnt on the course to help first home buyers with the home buying process. "You don't know what you don't know", is a term that Rhiannan uses frequently throughout the episode, and the PRT is a great way at drawing out the obstacles and assumptions people have about the house buying process and giving them a plan on how to move forward no matter what their situation.    If you are interested in working with Rhiannan or finding out more about her process, you can find her on LinkedIn or Instagram, she would be more then happy to help!   www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannan-jenkins-502b3585/   https://www.instagram.com/rhiannanbuyersagent/?hl=en   Also, if you have done the BBIT and have stories that you want to share we would also love to hear from you!    The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!

What a year for the BBIT!! Two new courses were created and now the full compliment of courses is available to all staring early 2023! In this podcast the team take a look back on 2022 and discuss the biggest wins and learnings that they have got out of being apart of the BBIT team this year.  It has been a great year and we want to congratulate all those who have completed a BBIT course this year. We also encourage anyone who hasn't done BBIT and wants to join/know more to reach out! The BBIT community has grown over 100% larger this year and we can't wait to see what the next year brings! The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!

This week Peter and Mirta discuss Part 2 of the Fishbone Method or Diagram. As promised in the last episode Peter and Mirta apply the method to a real life problem that they are currently facing. Taking some instruction sets that they found online, Peter and Mirta talk about the process they went through using the Fishbone Method, as well as the insights and learnings they had as a result. Listen to this episode to find out the benefits, the drawbacks, and some tips and tricks about some ways that you can effectively use the Fishbone Method in your own problem-solving situations. The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!

This week Peter and Mirta discuss the Fishbone Method or Diagram. Fishbone Method is the 5 Whys on steroids! The method represents the problem as the head of the fish, with the many different possible causes of the problem as the spine of the fish. Much like the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Method is very user-friendly: when a problem occurs, you identify the major categories of causes of the problem, list all the possible sub-causes, and then drill into each one by asking "Why does this happen?" to uncover deeper levels of causes. Listen to this episode to find out the benefits, the drawbacks, and some tips and tricks about some ways that you can effectively use the Fishbone Method in your own problem-solving situations. The hosts also love to hear any feedback or answer questions you may have, so feel free to send them a message at [email protected] or [email protected]!