314. Innovation Hesitation: Why Smart People Hold Back with Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw

Most innovation programs don’t fail because people lack talent. They fail because people hesitate. That hesitation is subtle: the moment someone decides they’re “not creative,” the moment a team rushes to certainty, the moment a leader rewards only the safe answer and accidentally trains everyone to stop trying. I’m joined by Rich Braden and Dr. Tessa Forshaw , co-authors of Innovation-Ish, to break down why everyday creativity gets trapped behind limiting beliefs, social fear, and a handful of stubborn neuromyths. We talk about the “creativity gap” we see in classrooms and boardrooms alike, and we use stories like Apollo 13 to show why analytical work and creative thinking are inseparable in real problem solving. Then we get practical for leaders: how to build psychological safety without lowering standards, how to celebrate learning (even when an experiment fails), and how to start meetings by aligning the mindset you want people to use. We also challenge the way teams use design thinking and templates, treating tools as prompts that spark better questions rather than recipes that shut down human judgment. We close with a timely conversation on AI and innovation. AI can lift the floor, but it doesn’t automatically raise the ceiling. The real edge comes from “active metacognition” checking how the work is going while you’re doing it, not just reflecting after the fact, so the team stays intentional, curious, and in control. 🌐 Connect with Rich & Tessa: • Website: • LinkedIn: 📚 You can purchase Rich and Tessa's Send us Fan Mail Executive Wins Podcast The Executive Wins Podcast features inspiring Executives who share their biggest wins. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: Strea...

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314. Innovation Hesitation: Why Smart People Hold Back with Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw is an episode from The Leadership Project by Mick Spiers.

This episode is 57:45 long.

This episode was published on Mar 17, 2026.

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