When we hold back at work—our curiosity, our quirky ideas, our full intensity—we think we're being safe. But really, we're slowing down the whole system.

A flat tire isn’t just a delay. It’s a story about staying calm under pressure. About helping someone. About the podcast that sparked your next great idea. The moment something happens, we get to choose: What meaning will we make of this? Stories are the glue that binds solutions to our biggest problems. They have four key elements.

Not the nodding kind that means “I see your point,” but the kind that says, “Let’s not make this discussion uncomfortable.” But here’s the thing—progress doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from tension. Productive, respectful, creative tension. Inside is three phrases to use to create and manage constructive disagreement.

When Profession Andrew Maynard from Arizona State University created a course on AI in education, he didn’t start with exploring its possibilities—he started with understanding its limitations. The reason: limitations amplify creative thinking.

Want to grow? Then expect fear to show up. Research shows we have three specific fears when it comes to learning something new: fear of uncertainty, fear of looking incompetent and fear of wasted effort. Having the courage to take a first step is the best way to control it and not let it hold you back.

Blaming others makes us feel better, but it robs us of the chance to grow and get better. Growth isn't about avoiding failure, it’s about owning it and learning from it when it does.

How often at the start of a brainstorming workshop have you said, “No idea is a bad idea,” and then watch the room go silent. Why does this happen? Because people have been conditioned to believe that bad ideas are punished — with eye rolls, silence, or polite dismissal. Here’s how to fix it.

In most workplaces, curiosity isn’t actively discouraged—it’s just forgotten. People get so busy “doing their jobs” that they stop asking why they’re doing them the way they are. Here’s how one of the world's most innovative chefs, Heston Blumenthal, built an empire by cultivating a curiosity culture.

It’s not just about knowing AI exists; it’s about being the one to find and express clearly the problems it can solve.

The fear of criticism, the fear of losing control, and the fear of career impact. They stifle curiosity, prevent people from taking initiative and keep us stuck in our comfort zone. In fact, the ability to manage them is what separates those who thrive from those who don't. Here's how to manage them.

Some of the most impactful problem-solvers aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who know how to ask the right questions.

At 21 years old, Tom Hanks was just starting his career and received advice from a cranky Director that would shape the rest of his life. The advice was: “Show up on time, know the text and have an idea.” They became principles he now lives by.

Most people assume that collaboration is a natural byproduct of teamwork. Put smart, capable people together, and they’ll collaborate, right? Not exactly. Collaboration doesn’t just happen—it has to be designed. And the way you design it depends on what kind of collaboration you need.

Can you see beyond the blind spot of your own expertise? The most successful people chose to. Experience is a great teacher, but too much of it can trap us in a prison of our own making, unless we cultivate an awareness of it. Chris Sacca of Lowercase Capital and a regular US Shark Tank guest is all to aware of this and its limitations and offers a strategy to overcome it.

Leaders crave teams that leap into action and take initiative. Teams crave leaders who pave the way and make it safe to fail and learn. I call this the Initiative Paradox. An invisible barrier that keeps both sides waiting for the other to move first. Three steps and you can break down this barrier.

A team misses deadlines. Sales are down. Meetings feel unproductive. The instinct? Fix the symptom. Push for tighter deadlines, ramp up marketing, schedule more meetings. But symptoms aren’t the same as the real problem.

The first rule of problem-solving is to solve the right problem. It sounds simple, but it's astonishing how often teams miss the mark. In fact, research shows that up to 50% of problem-solving time is wasted on the wrong problem. That’s a huge chunk of energy, resources, and creativity thrown away. But it doesn’t need to be this way.

Fear can be a powerful force, especially in high-pressure situations where immediate action is needed. However, research shows when we’re afraid, our brains shift from creative, open thinking to a defensive state, narrowing our focus rather exploring new possibilities. It's a biological reaction not a conscious choice. And it can be managed.

Initiative is the secret sauce to high-performing teams. Leaders crave it because it drives growth, innovation, and results. People want to show initiative because it stretches their capabilities, helping them stand out and accelerate their careers. But it’s not always easy to have initiative thrive. Learn a simple step to unlock your team’s initiative engine.

Seth Godin says, “I think we need to teach kids two things: 1) how to lead, and 2) how to solve interesting problems. Because the fact is, there are plenty of countries on Earth where there are people willing to be obedient and work harder for less money than us. So we can't out-obedience the competition.”