Part 1: Honest, Realistic, and Optimistic Leadership Advice from Friends of IDEO

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 Partner

Kate Schnippering

Polar Expedition Crew Member, IDEO U Instructor: Creative Thinking for Complex Problem Solving

Catherine Connors

Co-founder, StoryQuo

Jennifer Lo

Futurist in Residence and Senior Director of Organizational Design, IDEO

Suzanne Gibbs Howard

Founder, IDEO U; Leadership and Learning Advisor; IDEO U Instructor: Unlocking Creativity

Wardah Malik

CEO, BEworks

Kim Scott

Author & Founder, Radical Candor

Mollie West Duffy

Co-author, No Hard Feelings; Big Feelings

Bonnie Wan

Author & Founder, The Life Brief

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.