‘Exploring Imagination’ with Adam Zeman

The Evolving Leader

In this episode of The Evolving Leader, co-hosts Jean Gomes and Scott Allender talk to neurologist and author Adam Zeman about his latest book The Shape of Things Unseen. Together they explore how imagination helps us step outside the here and now, recall the past, and anticipate the future, and why this ability matters more than ever in a world shaped by automation and accelerating change.

Adam takes us inside the science of the mind’s eye, from aphantasia (the inability to visualise) to hyperphantasia (imagery as vivid as reality), and unpacks what these differences reveal about creativity, culture and leadership. This conversation offers practical insights for leaders on cultivating imagination within organisations, the role of daydreaming in innovation, and how to create environments where ideas can flourish.

Further materials from Adam Zeman:

Zeman, A. (2025). The Shape of Things Unseen: A New Science of Imagination. Bloomsbury.

Zeman, A., Milton, F., Della Sala, S. (2024). “Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia: Exploring imagery vividness extremes.” Cortex, 170, 1–14.

Zeman, A. (2024). “Aphantasia: The science of visual imagery absence.” Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 28(3), 189–200.

Other reading from Jean Gomes and Scott Allender:

Leading In A Non-Linear World (J Gomes, 2023)

The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence (S Allender, 2023)

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The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside production.

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Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. What is imagination? (00:02:14)

3. Does imagination look very different to different people? (00:03:29)

4. What’s happening in the brain and body for people to experience different levels of imagination? (00:05:15)

5. What are the conditions for mobilising imagination intentionally vs reactively? (00:07:24)

6. When you are walking or in the shower and your brain is idling, your imagination can be quite active. What’s going on there that’s different from the other aspects that you’ve described? (00:10:08)

7. Is imagination our default setting over rational processes? (00:16:10)

8. How does understanding our imagination help us think differently about the roles we play in our lives? (00:16:55)

9. While writing your latest book ‘The Shape of Things Unseen’, what was most surprising to you? (00:19:25)

10. How do we challenge our own assumptions and confront our own biases, and be honest about how our own depiction of reality, our imagination and constructs might be creating adverse impact in ways that we don’t intend? (00:25:29)

11. Our imagination can run wild and can sometimes overwhelm us. Why does this happen? (00:29:47)

12. Can we train our imagination? (00:33:26)

13. As the world becomes more automated, what’s the future of imagination? (00:36:36)

14. It feels like there’s a temptation to outsource our creativity to the likes of ChatGPT. Could that diminish our imagination capability over time? (00:38:05)

15. If you were advising a group of business people on how to practically harness imagination, what are the tips and guidance you would give people? (00:41:06)

16. Are there conditions that leaders should be creating so that their team members have the best chance of tapping in to their own imagination? (00:43:42)

17. What’s next for you? (00:46:16)