Creative Confidence Podcast

The creative leadership advice continues. In Part 2, creative leaders including IDEO partners, alumni, and IDEO U instructors share hard-won lessons on relationships, reflection, and staying human as we move into 2026. Host Mina Seetharaman and IDEO Partner Ilya Prokopoff share reactions and builds on each leader's advice.Many of the leaders featured on this episode have been guests on the podcast. Find links to their episodes at ideou.com/blogs/inspiration.Guests on this episode:Grace Hwang — Design Leader; Former IDEO Associate Partner; Co-Founder, Upturn HealthMichelle Lee — Partner and Executive Managing Director, IDEO; IDEO U Instructor: Creative Thinking for Complex Problem SolvingSara Kalick — Founder, The Possible: IDEO U Instructor: From Superpowers to Great TeamsJenn Maer — Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Knitted; IDEO U Instructor: Storytelling for InfluenceJennifer Riel — Adjunct Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto; Former Head of Global Strategy, IDEO; IDEO U Instructor: Designing Strategy & Activating StrategySusie Wise — Designer, Design for Emergence; Author, Design for BelongingTakashi Wickes — Founding Designer, Open Studio; IDEO U Instructor: Prototyping for AIYC Sun — Senior Design Director, Healthcare and Wellbeing, IDEODabney Hailey — Founder and Principal, Hailey Group; Lecturer, MIT SloanAmy Bonsall — Founder, Light Actions at Collective; IDEO U Instructor: Designing a BusinessFrederik Pferdt — Former Chief Innovation Evangelist, Google; author of What’s Next is Now__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a Creative Confidence Podcast replay. In celebration of 20 years of the Stanford d.school, we’re revisiting our conversation with David Kelley, founder of IDEO and the Stanford d.school, on the core abilities of the most successful creative problem-solvers. David also shares personal stories and learnings from his friendships with several of today’s most innovative CEOs and leaders.At a moment when creativity is increasingly essential to leadership, this episode offers a chance to revisit the fundamentals of creative problem-solving and hear them directly from one of the people who helped define the field.Many of the ideas David shares in this episode align with his Creative Essentials, a roundup of the best advice he's collected across his long career. Read about David Kelley’s Creative Essentials here:https://stanfordmag.org/contents/how-to-be-creative__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the year winds down, we asked 20 friends of IDEO including IDEO U instructors, Creative Confidence Podcast guests, and partners of IDEO to share honest leadership advice for leaders heading into 2026. In part one, hear reflections on uncertainty, creativity, and momentum. Host Mina Seetharaman and IDEO Partner Ilya Prokopoff share reactions and builds on each leader's advice.Find more episodes of the Creative Confidence Podcast at ideou.com/podcast. Take online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com.Many of the leaders featured on this episode have been guests on the podcast. Find links to their episodes at ideou.com/blogs/inspiration.Guests on this episode:Michael Hendrix - Managing Director, Invisible Notes; former IDEO PartnerKate Schnippering - Polar Expedition Crew Member, IDEO U Instructor: Creative Thinking for Complex Problem SolvingCatherine Connors - Co-founder, StoryQuoJennifer Lo - Futurist in Residence and Senior Director of Organizational Design, IDEOSuzanne Gibbs Howard - Founder, IDEO U; Leadership and Learning Advisor; IDEO U Instructor: Unlocking CreativityWardah Malik - CEO, BEworksKim Scott - Author & Founder, Radical CandorMollie West Duffy - Co-author, No Hard Feelings; Big FeelingsBonnie Wan - Author & Founder, The Life Brief__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Mina Seetharaman chats with IDEO CEO Mike Peng about what creative excellence means today and how leaders can cultivate it on their teams. Mike shares three favorite leadership philosophies, stories from his global career, and practical ways to spark creativity, build healthy friction, and stay inspired.Sign up for invitations to live podcast recordings at ideou.com/podcast.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how interaction designer Takashi Wickes uses AI to prototype ideas with more creativity, intention, and humanity. In this conversation with host Mina Seetharaman, Takashi shares mindsets, stories, and practical methods from IDEO U’s Prototyping with AI online course to help you stay curious, embrace friction, and keep humans at the center of AI-powered design.Sign up for invitations to live podcast recordings at ideou.com/podcast.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can leaders bring AI into their organizations thoughtfully, without losing what makes them human? In this Asked & Answered episode, AI strategist and IDEO alum Justin Massa joins host Mina Seetharaman to answer listener questions and share a grounded, practical view of AI adoption. Justin explains why so many companies struggle to move from experimentation to impact, how to foster a culture of safe exploration, and why empathy and trust remain at the heart of leadership in the age of AI. Read the recap of this conversation on the IDEO U blog at ideou.com.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI strategist and former IDEO partner Justin Massa joins host Mina Seetharaman to help leaders cut through the hype and focus on where artificial intelligence can create the most value. He shares practical frameworks for identifying strategic opportunities, balancing automation with augmentation, and bringing AI into your organization in a way that’s both human-centered and high-impact.Learn how to use Justin’s AI Opportunity Matrix, discover four universal entry points for AI innovation in businesses, and hear why reframing ROI beyond efficiency is key to sustainable growth.Read the recap of this discussion on the IDEO U blog at ideou.com. Want to learn more? Build your own AI adoption plan and learn tools for creativity, strategy, and responsible innovation in IDEO U's AI x Design Thinking Certificate, an 8-week online program. Learn more at ideo.in/aicert.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Asked & Answered episode, Jennifer Lo, IDEO's Senior Director of Design Futures, responds to community questions about how leaders can bring futuring into their organizations. From making the case for ROI, to balancing visionary leadership with grounded operators, to practical ways to get started, Jennifer shares insights on how to use futuring to build resilience and readiness.Read more on the IDEO U blog at ideou.com.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to think like a futurist—and why should every leader learn how? In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, Jennifer Lo, Senior Director of Design Futures at IDEO, shares how futuring can help leaders navigate uncertainty, build resilient strategies, and shape the future they want to see. Learn how to spot signals, expand your strategic horizon, and use storytelling and artifacts to make long-term thinking feel actionable today.Read the recap of this conversation and see the futures cone framework mentioned on the IDEO U blog at ideou.com.Follow Jennifer Lo on LinkedIn for more futuring inspiration: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lo-28654b3/__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, storyteller and strategist Catherine Connors returns to answer top questions from our IDEO U community. We explore what it really means to lead with story—beyond frameworks and formats—and how storytelling can be used to build culture, scale ideas, and drive meaningful change.Catherine shares her take on how to build storytelling capacity inside teams, how AI is reshaping the narrative landscape, and why co-authorship is the future of leadership storytelling.Whether you're looking to grow your storytelling skills, scale your influence, or help your team connect more deeply to their work, this episode offers practical insight for how to be a better storyteller and lead with narrative intention.Want to go deeper? Explore our Communicating for Impact Certificate—a 3-course program designed to help you speak and lead with clarity, empathy, and influence: https://www.ideou.com/products/communication-certificateRead the recap of this podcast episode on the IDEO U blog:https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, IDEO CEO Mike Peng shares what it really takes to foster creative collaboration on teams. From designing for trust and tension to navigating ambiguity and divergent thinking, Mike offers a clear-eyed look at how leaders can create the conditions for breakthrough ideas. Originally aired on August 8, 2019, this episode is full of timeless guidance for today’s fast-moving, complex world.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a story powerful enough to shift culture?In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, Catherine Connors—former Head of Content at Disney Interactive and founder of storytelling consultancy StoryQuo—shares five key shifts that can help leaders use story as a tool for transformation.From rethinking traditional formats to embracing play and shared authorship, Catherine challenges conventional ideas about storytelling and invites us to create stories that people want to carry forward.Whether you're trying to connect more deeply with your team, design more inclusive narratives, or spark culture change, this conversation offers actionable insights for leaders in every industry.Read the episode recap: https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/storytelling-for-leadershipConnect with Catherine Connors on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineconnors/Check out IDEO U's Storytelling for Influence online course: https://www.ideou.com/products/storytelling-for-influence__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How are creative professionals actually using AI today? In this Asked and Answered follow-up episode, Google DeepMind’s Matthieu Lorrain and IDEO’s Savannah Kunovsky respond to questions from the IDEO U community. They cover real-world examples of AI-powered co-design, how to maintain creative control with liquid content, designing for neurodivergence, and what it means to make nature a creative collaborator.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google DeepMind’s Matthieu Lorrain and IDEO’s Savannah Kunovsky on how AI is reshaping creative work.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As technology accelerates, the challenge and opportunity is to stay anchored in what really matters: people. Host Mina Seetharaman talks with Grace Hwang, former GM of Design and UX Research for Mixed Reality at Microsoft, about how leaders can use human-centered design to navigate this shifting terrain with clarity and creativity. Grace, a former IDEO associate partner and longtime advocate of ethically responsible design, offers powerful insights drawn from her work at Microsoft, health-tech startups, and IDEO. She shares her framework for responsible innovation, examples of how edge cases can spark breakthroughs, and practical ideas for shaping a human-centered design practice.Find episode recaps and register for live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast. Take online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Creative Confidence Podcast has been going strong for eight years, with more than 120 leaders sharing their advice, tips, and stories with the IDEO U community. Longtime podcast listeners might recognize the voices of IDEO U Founder Suzanne Gibbs Howard and Design Director Coe Leta Stafford, our original hosts who masterfully surfaced insights and lessons from our expert guests. Now, we’re excited to introduce you to the new voice of the Creative Confidence Podcast – IDEO’s Head of New Ventures, Mina Seetharaman. In a special episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, IDEO CEO Derek Robson sat down with Mina to learn more about her journey to creative confidence – what it means to her, lessons she’s learned, and advice she has for leaders. Plus, some very important facts, like her animal alter ego.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to lead through change and uncertainty with a human-centered approach. Discover three key leadership levers to help your team navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore how overcoming limiting beliefs and enhancing your leadership mindset, with guidance from Bonnie Wan, can propel your growth as a leader.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how small actions today can shape the future you want. Learn key strategies for taking control of your future with empathy, experimentation, and your unique superpower.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn the core mindsets of systems thinking to tackle complex problems. Our beginner's guide helps you zoom in and out, shift perspectives, and reframe challenges for lasting solutions.__________Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at ideou.com/podcast.Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at ideou.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.