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

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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®

Read this column on San Diego Business Journal.

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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 WYP@TheIdeaGuy.us – it could be featured in an upcoming column.