We’re experimenting with our newsletter format. If you have a reaction—what’s working, what’s not, what you’d love more of—hit reply. We’d love to hear from you. – The IDEO U Team

Keeping the peace → Removing the penalty

Most leaders are trying to create psychological safety for their teams. They smooth over conflict. They redirect tension. They work hard to make meetings feel safe.

But managing tension away and removing retribution aren't the same thing. One solves for the symptom. The other changes the condition. A team is safe not because nothing hard gets said, but because when it does, nothing bad happens to the person who said it.

Where on your team does speaking up still carry a cost (even a small one)?

“Change the way you think about tension from being a source of pain to a source of energy.” 

The Tension

Don’t mess up + Make it count

“For culture builders and stewards like those of us in HR and the executive team, risk-taking is a double-edged sword. Employees look up to us to ‘do the right thing’ and ‘do it right,’ which puts immense pressure on us. As a result, we do things and deliver activities that are not meaningful.” — IDEO U community member sharing at a recent live event

When your credibility is on the line, playing it safe can feel like the responsible choice. But if you won't take a risk in front of your team, why would they take one either?

What tension are you holding right now? Hit reply. Your reflections help shape future conversations inside this community.

Try This Now

Go first with the worst idea

At your next brainstorm or ideation session, try this before anyone else speaks:

• Tell your team upfront: "I'm going to try to come up with the worst possible idea." Naming the intent is what protects your credibility.
• Share something recognizably terrible—too costly, logistically impossible, or wildly off-brand. The more specific the better.
• Invite the group to make it weirder, build on it, or use it as a launching pad.

The point isn't to be funny. When you set the bar at "worst," you remove the implicit pressure for everyone else's first idea to be good. A bad idea gets people talking and building on each other faster than almost anything else.

From Cas Holman, author and play expert. Read the full conversation →

Toolbox

AI Affordances Framework

We already know AI can help us move faster. But it can also help us slow down and think deeper. IDEO Executive Design Researcher Hannah Rosenfeld's framework maps AI's four affordances across two axes: speed and scale. Use it to figure out which mode your work actually needs right now.

Watch Hannah's talk for the full context

Want to learn more about how to use AI in research? Hannah is an instructor in our new course, Human-Centered Research with AI. Learn more →

Resources

Fuel your creativity

The Midnight Gospel (Netflix) — “As weird as it is, it ends up being one of the most honest, raw explorations of death, grief, joy, purpose, and creativity that I've seen.”

From Ben Swire, author of Safe Danger

Today Was Fun, by Brie Groff — “So good, so fun, and so beautiful." 

From Clay Parker Jones, author of Hidden Patterns

Color Theories, by Julio Torres — A whimsical exploration of color, emotion, and identity that's equal parts comedy, theater, and art piece. 

From Lindsey Turner, Partner at IDEO

The Fifth Discipline, by Peter Senge — A foundational text on learning organizations and why the systems we build so often work against the very growth we're trying to encourage. 

From Lena, IDEO U community member

From IDEO U

Why Good Ideas Die in Organizations (And How to Fix It) — Article | Podcast

How Great Teams Leverage Tension as a Source of Innovation: Daniel Coyle (Replay) — Podcast

Why Comfort Kills Innovation: How to Build Your Team’s Risk-Taking Muscles — Article | Podcast

What's Next

Upcoming learning opportunities

NEW Human-Centered Research with AI 

Turn research into clear direction and actionable insights. 5-week cohort course starts May 21.

Accelerated Change Leadership Certificate

Build resilient, adaptable teams that thrive in uncertainty. 10-week fast-track cohort starts May 21. 

All-Access Pass — On-Demand Courses

Get access to seven IDEO U leadership, innovation and AI courses through the end of the year.