Creative Confidence Podcast

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 HendrixManaging Director, Invisible Notes; former IDEO PartnerKate SchnipperingPolar Expedition Crew Member, IDEO U Instructor: Creative Thinking for Complex Problem SolvingCatherine ConnorsCo-founder, StoryQuoJennifer LoFuturist in Residence and Senior Director of Organizational Design, IDEOSuzanne Gibbs HowardFounder, IDEO U; Leadership and Learning Advisor; IDEO U Instructor: Unlocking CreativityWardah MalikCEO, BEworksKim ScottAuthor & Founder, Radical CandorMollie West DuffyCo-author, No Hard Feelings; Big FeelingsBonnie WanAuthor & Founder, The Life Brief 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. 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. 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. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.