Join us live to ask questions and be part of the conversation alongside other creative leaders. This session includes audience Q&A and will be released as a future episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast.
Event Description
We've been told to "think outside the box" our whole careers. But what if working inside the box—with tighter resources, narrower options, less runway—is actually what makes us more creative?
New York Times bestselling author David Epstein brings the science and stories to show why constraints are actually the engine of creative work.
What we’ll talk about:
The science of how constraints activate a kind of creative thinking that open-ended freedom often doesn't
Real stories from people and organizations who used constraints to transform their work
What it looks like to design constraints on purpose as a leader or creative practitioner
What happens when there are no constraints at all and why it's not as freeing as it sounds
Practical things you can try with your team to implement helpful constraints
This isn't just a feel-good reframe of difficult circumstances. It's a practical lens on how to lead, how to design work, and how to help your team do its best thinking, whether you're navigating real resource constraints or looking for a smarter way to set up creative work from the start.
Can’t join live? RSVP and we’ll send you the recording, podcast, and recap.
David Epstein is the author of two New York Times bestsellers: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World and The Sports Gene. His work explores the science of human performance, learning, and creativity, drawing on research from psychology, economics, evolutionary biology, and beyond. In his new book Inside the Box, Epstein investigates one of the most counterintuitive findings in the creativity research: that constraints consistently produce more original, more effective solutions than open-ended freedom. David has written for Sports Illustrated and ProPublica, previously hosted Slate's "How To!" podcast, and has been featured in outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and NPR. His TED Talk on sports performance has been viewed more than 10 million times.
Mina Seetharaman
Creative Confidence Podcast Host & Head of New Ventures, IDEO
Mina leads strategy for IDEO’s learning and media initiatives, including IDEO U. In this role, she is focused on finding new, customer-focused, tech-supported ways to deliver IDEO’s long-standing value proposition to our clients. Her specialty is helping iconic brands go through major transformations and be competitive leaders in their markets. She has led strategy and operations at respected media and content companies, including The New York Times, Gartner, The Economist, and OgilvyOne. She is experienced in launching new product offers, developing and leading teams, and driving cultural and operational change. She holds a degree in Journalism from New York University, speaks six languages, and is an amateur abstract expressionist painter.
