Igniting Ingenuity
Building a Culture Where Ideas Catch Fire
Every leader wants “innovation,” but most settle for incremental tweaks, safe brainstorms, and already-tired “out-of-the-box” workshops.
At Un_Standard, we believe ingenuity isn’t magic. It’s built by leaders who ruthlessly clear roadblocks, celebrate risk, and invite radical feedback—every damn day.
Ingenuity is a discipline, not a trait. Here’s how the movement builds it into the DNA of the boldest teams.
Why Creative Culture Often Falls Flat
- Most workplaces reward “not making mistakes” over taking chances.
- Teams are trained to fix, not invent; to “manage” ideas, not ship the unconventional.
- Feedback culture slides into flavorless safety, where even the best ideas get watered down—fast.
Innovation dies from neglect, not from too many wild ideas.
Join The Movement
Un_Standard Moves That Set Creative Fires
Start With Ruthless Clarity
- Every quarter, name what you want to change, not just “improve.”
- Root every challenge in a concrete problem that matters—vague “let’s try” invites busywork, not breakthroughs.
Movement Ritual: Open every sprint with, “What one crazy idea would change everything this month?”
Design for Brave Experimentation
- Make it safe (even celebrated) to test, fail, and iterate out loud.
- Block regular team “wild card sessions”—where status, job titles, and habit don’t limit who gets to lead or challenge.
Proof Point: A DTC brand ran “wild idea Wednesdays”—employees at all levels pitched off-the-wall ways to reach new fans. The winning campaign? A customer-sourced design that sold out in days.
Cross-Pollinate for Fresh Fuel
- Don’t keep the creative team siloed. Bring in ops, sales, customer service, even an outsider with no vested interest.
- Launch regular “department swaps” or feedback mashups.
Innovation is what happens when new perspectives collide.
Make Feedback Fast, Honest, and Ritualized
- No idea ships without at least one “movement review”—asking, “How could this be misunderstood, made bolder, or totally reimagined?”
- After campaigns or product sprints, run “Clarity Retros”: What made us most uncomfortable? What surprised us?
- Celebrate the “daring flop” of the month. Teams who own failure win faster.
Real Movement Proof
A medical tech brand gave every new intern a project ownership card—free to run a “challenge” with no approval process. 3 products shipped, 2 cut, but the best idea generated $2M in pipeline by year’s end.
A SaaS company ran quarterly “unlearning hours”—leaders shared what they’d gotten wrong. Employee engagement jumped, idea submissions quadrupled.
Ritual: Movement Jam for Creative Breakthroughs
- Each month, run a team-wide “What If” roundtable—no sacred cows, every voice counts.
- Announce the “Bravest Move” at each all-hands—reward for new, NOT just improved.
Un_Standard Takeaway
Stop waiting for a “creative hire” or the quarterly brainstorm to solve your staleness problem.
Bold, repeatable ingenuity starts with clarity, risk tolerance, and movement-level rituals to test, learn, and share.
Ready to turn every team member into an ignition source for your next breakout?
Book a Creative Culture Clarity Session With Un_Standard →
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David Garrard
Agent Provocateur & Chief Creative Officer at Un_Standard. David helps ambitious brands unearth clarity, break the rules that hold them back, and co-create movement-level growth. When not challenging the status quo, he’s in the kitchen inventing new flavors or chasing after his three cats: Hallie Tosis, Lester Een, and Jim G. Vitis. #BeUnStandard
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