Strategies for Fostering Innovation at Work

Stop wasting meetings! Too many meetings leave people unheard, disengaged, or overwhelmed. The best teams know that inclusion isn’t accidental—it’s designed. 🔹 Here are 6 simple but powerful practices to transform your meetings: 💡 Silent Brainstorm Before discussion begins, have participants write down their ideas privately (on sticky notes, a shared document, or an online board). This prevents groupthink, ensures introverted team members have space to contribute, and brings out more original ideas. 💡 Perspective Swap Assign participants a different stakeholder’s viewpoint (e.g., a customer, a frontline employee, or an opposing team). Challenge them to argue from that perspective, helping teams step outside their biases and build empathy-driven solutions. 💡 Pause and Reflect Instead of jumping into responses, introduce intentional pauses in the discussion. Give people 30-60 seconds of silence before answering a question or making a decision. This allows for deeper thinking, more thoughtful contributions, and space for those who need time to process. 💡 Step Up/Step Back Before starting, set an expectation: those who usually talk a lot should "step back," and quieter voices should "step up." You can track participation or invite people directly, helping create a more balanced conversation. 💡 What’s Missing? At the end of the discussion, ask: "Whose perspective have we not considered?" This simple question challenges blind spots, uncovers overlooked insights, and reinforces the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. 💡 Constructive Dissent Voting Instead of just asking for agreement, give participants colored cards or digital indicators to show their stance: 🟢 Green – I fully agree 🟡 Yellow – I have concerns/questions 🔴 Red – I disagree Focus discussion on yellow and red responses, ensuring that dissenting voices are explored rather than silenced. This builds a culture where challenging ideas is seen as valuable, not risky. Which one would you like to try in your next meeting?  Let me know in the comments! 🔔 Follow me to learn more about building inclusive, high-performing teams. __________________________ 🌟 Hi there! I’m Susanna, an accredited Fearless Organization Scan Practitioner with 10+ years of experience in workplace inclusion. I help companies build inclusive cultures where diverse, high-performing teams thrive with psychological safety. Let’s unlock your team’s full potential together!

Too many teams leave their best ideas in the hallway after the meeting. You’ve been there. So have I. The meeting ends, and suddenly two people peel off, finally saying what they really think because the room didn’t feel safe enough, or small enough, or structured enough to surface the real conversation. This is where one of our most effective and underutilized High Return Practices comes in, what we call the Power of Three. Here’s how it works: Next time you're in a group meeting, whether it’s 5 people or 50, pause before opening the floor to broad discussion. Instead, break the group into trios for 5–8 minutes. Give each group one key issue or prompt to wrestle with. The purpose of this is to create psychological safety in small pods, so that truth has a better shot at surfacing. Why it works: In smaller groups, people self-edit less and speak more honestly. The act of writing down insights reinforces accountability and commitment. When trios share back to the whole team, they’re less likely to dilute or dodge hard truths because their pod is counting on them to carry the message. Here’s your quick-start guide: Step 1: Choose one key issue that requires input or debate. Step 2: Break the full group into triads (in person or virtually). Step 3: Give 5–8 minutes for open discussion. Prompt candor. Step 4: Ask each group to share one key insight or unresolved tension. Step 5: Capture it in a shared doc so the truth isn’t lost. In Never Lead Alone, we call these HRPs, High Return Practices. Not because they sound smart, but because they help teams operate smarter, faster, and with more courage. Try it this week. One agenda item. Three people. Eight minutes. It could be the difference between alignment and assumption.

BEYOND MODERATION - THE HIDDEN POWER OF FACILITATION Facilitators matter more than most people realize. In every workshop, sprint, and strategic conversation, they quietly turn talk into traction—designing flow, building psychological safety, and steering diverse voices toward a shared outcome. Because great facilitation feels effortless, its impact is often underrated. Yet when stakes are high and complexity rises, a skilled facilitator is the multiplier that transforms ideas into decisions and momentum into results. 🎯 DESIGNER - Great facilitation starts with intentional design. Map the flow of the workshop or discussion with crystal-clear outcomes. When you know where you’re headed, you can confidently animate the session, guide transitions, and keep everyone aligned. ⚡ ENERGIZER - Read the room and manage energy in real time. Build trust and comfort with timely breaks, quick icebreakers, and inclusive prompts. When energy dips, reset; when momentum rises, harness it. Your presence sets the tone for participation. 🎻 CONDUCTOR - Facilitation is orchestration. Ensure everyone knows what to do, how to contribute, and where to focus. Guard against tangents, surface the core questions, and gently steer the group back to the intended outcome. ⏱️ TIMEKEEPER - Time is the constraint that sharpens thinking. Listen actively, paraphrase to clarify, and interrupt with care. Adapt on the fly in agile environments so discussions stay effective, efficient, and outcome-driven. ✨ CATALYST - Your energy is contagious . Show up positive, grounded, and healthy. If you bring light, the room brightens; if you bring clouds, the mood follows. Protect your mindset—it’s a strategic asset. 💡TIPS to be a great facilitator: Be positive and confident; Prepare deeply, then stay flexible; Design clear outcomes and guardrails; Listen actively and paraphrase often; Invite quieter voices and balance dominant ones; Use pauses, breaks, and icebreakers wisely; Keep discussions outcome-focused; Manage time with compassion and firmness; Read the room and adapt; Practice, practice, then practice again. 💪 #Facilitation #HR #Leadership #Workshops #EmployeeEngagement #Agile #Communication #SoftSkills #MeetingDesign #PeopleOps #Moderator #TeamDynamics #PsychologicalSafety #DecisionMaking

There’s something almost magical about watching an idea come alive on a big board or wall. I first experienced this in a workshop many years ago, when instead of PowerPoint slides and endless talking, a facilitator picked up a pen and began sketching what we were saying. Within minutes, the noise in the room turned into clarity. Arguments softened. Ideas grew. Patterns emerged. Suddenly, we weren’t just talking at each other, we were thinking together. That’s the power of graphical facilitation. I've found that visuals create shared understanding. When people see their ideas drawn out, it feels tangible, real, and owned. Visuals cut through complexity. A messy conversation can be captured into a simple diagram that shows how the pieces fit together. Visuals open space for creativity. They invite people to build, adapt, and challenge without getting lost in jargon. It’s not about art. Stick figures and simple shapes are enough. It’s about capturing meaning, making the invisible visible. Here’s where leadership comes in. Graphical facilitation is really powerful when you combine it with the right questions. imagine a leader asking: “What does success look like for us?” and the group sketch the answers into a shared picture. “Where are the bottlenecks in our system?” and mapping them visually with the team. “If this project were a journey, where are we on the map?” and drawing a road with milestones. "What do our customers really experience?" and mapping out the end to end customer journey. This simple combination does something slides never can: it invites people in. It shows them their voice matters, that leadership is not about having the answer but creating the conditions for the best answers to emerge. Try this to get started...: 1. Grab a flipchart or whiteboard. The bigger, the better. 2. Frame a powerful question. Something open, generative, and focused on possibilities. 3. Draw as you listen. Use arrows, boxes, circles, stick people nothing fancy. Capture the flow of ideas. 4. Step back together. Ask: “What do we notice?” or “What stands out?” This is where new insights often spark. 5. Co-create the next step. The group’s picture becomes the group’s plan. In times of complexity, speed, and change, leaders can no longer rely on being the person with the answer. The role has shifted: leaders must become facilitators of thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Graphical facilitation is a leadership skill for the future. It's a way to make ideas visible, align people quickly, and engage teams in solving problems together. And here’s the truth: once people have seen their ideas come to life on the wall, they rarely forget it. It creates ownership, energy, and momentum that words alone can’t achieve. If you want better collaboration, don’t just talk at your team. Draw with them. Ask the right questions. Sketch the answers. Make the invisible visible. You’ll be surprised at what emerges when the pens are in play!

In 20 years of corporate meetings, I watched the same dynamic play out over and over. The loudest voice got the promotion. The person with the game-changing idea?  Still waiting to be heard. Sound familiar? We've built workplaces that reward one style of communication. But the best teams I've seen leverage both introvert and extrovert strengths. Here's what I've noticed: Many introverts excel at: → Deep focus work without constant interruption → Thoughtful written communication  → Observing team dynamics before contributing → Preparing thoroughly for important conversations Many extroverts excel at: → Verbal brainstorming and real-time problem solving → Building energy and momentum in meetings → Quick relationship building across teams → Processing ideas out loud to reach solutions The magic happens when they learn from each other. What introverts can teach extroverts: The power of the pause - that three-second delay before responding often leads to sharper decisions. What extroverts can teach introverts: Your idea doesn't need polish before you share it. Thinking out loud often unlocks the breakthrough. Three ways to help both styles contribute: 1️⃣ Send meeting agendas 24 hours ahead → Gives thinking time while keeping discussion flowing 2️⃣ Use written brainstorming before verbal discussion → Captures quiet voices, then builds on them together  3️⃣ Offer multiple feedback channels → Some need to talk it out, others need to write it down The quiet person might have the answer you've been looking for. The loud person might help you refine it faster. Are you more of an introvert, extrovert, or does it depend on the situation? Share this with your network if it resonated. 🔗 Like practical, visual frameworks like this? Join 8,500+ leaders who get mine each week: https://lnkd.in/eZ9jUrKk 👉 Follow Maria Luisa for creative thinking strategies and leadership frameworks

Back in 2017, my team had a simple but powerful ritual. We held "I have a design challenge" meetings, where someone would bring a project they were working on, and we’d workshop it together. These sessions weren’t just about fixing problems. They helped us grow our skills as a team and learn from each other’s perspectives. In 2024, I wanted to bring that same energy to learning designers looking to level up their skills in a fun and engaging way. This time, I turned to Tim Slade’s eLearning Challenges but took a different approach. Instead of just participating, we started doing live reviews of the challenge winners. How It Works One person drives the meeting, screensharing the challenge winner’s eLearning project while recording the session. We pause at each screen and ask two simple but high-impact questions: ✅ What worked well and why? ✅ What would you do differently and why? This sparks rich discussions on everything from instructional design and accessibility to visual design and interactivity. Everyone brings their unique expertise, turning the meeting into a collaborative learning experience. Want to Try It? Here’s What You Need ✔️ A web conferencing tool with recording capabilities ✔️ Adobe Premiere Pro or a transcript tool (optional, but helpful) ✔️ A generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude (optional for extracting themes from discussions) After the session, we take the recording and import it into Adobe Premiere, which generates a transcript in seconds. Then, using GenAI, we pull key themes, quotes, and takeaways, turning raw discussions into actionable insights. Why This Works This approach takes learning from passive to interactive. You’re not just seeing best practices. You’re critically analyzing them with peers, learning through feedback, and refining your own instructional design instincts. Would you try this with your team? Have you tried something similar? What worked well? #InstructionalDesign #GenAI #LearningDesign #eLearning #AIinLearning #CourseDevelopment #DigitalLearning #IDStrategy #EdTech #eLearningDesign #LearningTechnology #InnovationInLearning #CustomerEducation

Weak questions bore brains. Let’s crank the voltage. Afraid to dig deep? Let sharper queries unravel. By the end of this post, you’ll have a toolkit to ask questions that spark curiosity, reveal hidden opportunities, and guide conversations like a master negotiator. After years in negotiation, I’ve learned that asking the right questions isn’t just an art—they’re a game-changer. Here are 5 types of questions to elevate any conversation: 𝟭. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 📌 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Dig deep. Understand the big picture. 🛠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Use open-ended “what,” “how,” or “why” questions to encourage free sharing. 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?” 𝟮. 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 📌 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Reveal patterns and relationships. 🛠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Ask how people, ideas, or events influence each other. 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺?” 𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 📌 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Inspire self-awareness and critical thinking. 🛠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Gently challenge assumptions and help connect actions to outcomes. 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦?” 𝟰. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 📌 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Unlock creativity and spark innovation. 🛠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Ask forward-looking or “what if” questions to inspire out-of-the-box thinking. 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦?” 𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 📌 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Align actions with long-term goals. 🛠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Focus on weighing options and balancing risks and rewards. 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨-𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳?” Great questions aren’t random—they’re your most powerful tools for influence, innovation, and clarity. Master them, and you’ll master the room. What’s one question you’ve asked that completely changed a conversation? Drop it below—I’d love to learn from you. (𝘗.𝘚. 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘸𝘬𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳!)

“Any thoughts?” the facilitator asks. Silence. Then the most senior person starts talking, filling the space with their ideas. The newer team members stay on mute. Cameras on. Notes open. Ideas unshared. Not because they don’t have something to add — but because they’re not sure it’s safe to. After the meeting, one of them messages you: “I had an idea, but it didn’t feel like the right moment to bring it up.” That idea never gets heard. And sometimes, it isn’t just an idea. It’s a risk. A concern. A safety issue. One that shows up later as a delay, a failure, or an incident everyone wishes had been caught sooner. That’s what a lack of psychological safety looks like — silence. It’s easier to agree with the most senior voice than to risk being wrong, difficult, or exposed. We’ve all been in that position. Meetings like this don’t fix themselves.  They change when leaders are intentional about how meetings are run. Here are 9 proven strategies to create psychological safety in your meetings: ✔ Set a clear agenda ↳ Clarity from the start keeps conversations focused and productive. ✔ Share materials in advance ↳ Respect different thinking styles and give everyone time to prepare thoughtfully. ✔ Encourage active listening ↳ Listen to understand, not respond. ✔ Invite junior team members to speak first ↳ This helps reduce hierarchy bias and brings forward new perspectives. ✔ Add a roundtable discussion ↳ Give everyone structured time to contribute — no one gets left out. ✔ Be an ally in the room ↳ Studies show men interrupt women 33% more often — interruptions lead to disengagement over time. ✔ Hold back your own comments at first ↳ If you're facilitating, let others share before offering your take. ✔ Make questions and feedback routine ↳ Curiosity should be encouraged, not penalized. ✔ End with clear action items ↳ Wrap up with decisions, owners, and deadlines to drive follow-through. Which strategy would make the biggest difference in your meetings? Drop your thoughts in the comments.👇 Found this helpful? ♻️ Reshare to help more teams turn silence into trust. ➕ Contact Morgan Davis, PMP, PROSCI, MBA to bring psychologically safe meeting practices into your organization.

Managing remote UX teams at top tech companies like Dropbox and Google has given me unique insights. Here are some best practices to overcome common challenges. - Virtual Design Critiques: Host regular design critique sessions via video conferencing. These allow for real-time feedback and ensure all team members stay aligned and engaged. - Leverage Digital Whiteboarding: Utilize tools like Miro or Mural for collaborative brainstorming and sketching sessions. These digital whiteboards can simulate the in-person experience and foster creativity among remote team members. - Conduct Virtual Usability Testing: Schedule remote usability testing sessions with real users using platforms like UserTesting or Lookback. This allows your team to gather valuable feedback and iterate on designs without needing in-person interactions. - Implement Design Pairing: Pair designers to work together on tasks via screen sharing and collaborative tools. This practice, similar to pair programming in software development, enhances problem-solving and skill-sharing among team members. - Encourage Creative Breaks: Schedule regular creative breaks where team members can share inspiration, personal projects, or recent design trends. This keeps the team engaged and inspired, even when working remotely. What strategies have you found effective for managing remote UX teams?

When you're leading creative teams, it's easy to get caught in the day-to-day grind. Before you know it, your team is stuck in a cycle of looking at each other's work or close competitors for ideas. Want to break this pattern? Try implementing quarterly inspiration hours. Here's how it works: Once every quarter, three team members each prepare 15-minute presentations on work they love from outside your organization. For example, one person might break down a winning marketing campaign, while another analyzes an effective brand launch. Between each presentation, leave time for Q&A. This format does more than just expose teams to inspiring work. It expands each person's perspective beyond their own discipline. When designers review compelling copywriting or writers dissect visual storytelling, it strengthens creative partnerships. It's also a chance for people to practice presentation skills in a supportive environment. Make it fun too: Order lunch for in-person meetings, or turn virtual sessions into end-of-day happy hours. What makes this effective? People step outside of their usual roles. They look at great work through a different lens. And teams start seeing possibilities they might have missed before. I'm curious: How do you keep your teams inspired? What practices have worked best in your organization, past or present?