Originally published What’s Your Problem? #10 on by https://www.sdbj.com/commentary/whats-your-problem-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whats-your-problem-10 at San Diego Business Journal
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Dear Idea Guy,
We’ve done the work: defined our problems, identified opportunities, and even started building an innovation process. But here’s the issue: my team still holds back. They’re smart and capable, but I rarely hear bold ideas or see anyone take creative risks.
How do we make it safe for people to speak up and stretch out?
— Silent in San Diego
Dear Silent,
That hesitation isn’t a lack of creativity—it’s a lack of safety.
Even with clear goals and solid processes, innovation stalls if people don’t feel safe raising bold ideas. Psychological safety isn’t a bonus—it’s a requirement. Without it, teams default to silence, safe bets, and surface-level participation.
Look for These Signals:
- Ideas only surface when directly asked
- Senior voices dominate discussions
- “What if…” questions are met with silence
- Past failures outweigh lessons learned
If these feel familiar, you’re not facing a creativity problem—you’re facing a confidence problem.
Try This With Your Team
- Model imperfection. Share a failure—and what you learned.
- Reward effort, not just outcomes. Celebrate smart risks, even when they don’t pan out.
- Ask better questions. Try: “What’s an idea we haven’t dared say out loud?”
And if you’re not sure how your team really feels, consider a structured assessment like the Creative Confidence Index—a program I use with leadership teams to evaluate the environment they create and the signals employees receive.
Learn more: Introducing the Creative Confidence Index (CCI)
Most people want to contribute great ideas.
They’re just waiting to see if it’s safe to try.
— Kevin Popovic, The Idea Guy®
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? is a weekly column by Kevin Popovic, The Idea Guy®—a trusted advisor to CEOs and leaders across industries. Each edition answers real-world business challenges with clear, creative insights you can use to think differently and lead confidently.
Got a problem worth solving? Send your question to [email protected] – it could be featured in an upcoming column.
Kevin Popović is the trusted advisor behind What’s Your Problem?, the San Diego Business Journal’s weekly innovation advice column for business leaders. Known as The Idea Guy®, Popović helps CEOs and leadership teams solve complex challenges with clarity, creativity, and confidence.
A former Zahn Chair of Creativity & Innovation at San Diego State University and a TEDx speaker, Kevin has led award-winning agencies, launched innovation labs, and guided Fortune 500 companies, startups, and public institutions through high-impact change. As the founder of The Idea Guy®, he brings over 25 years of experience helping executives build cultures of innovation, improve strategic thinking, and generate results.
His work spans design thinking, creative strategy, and generative AI—equipping leaders to reframe problems and lead what’s next.
Originally published San Diego Business Journal