<p>How do leaders apply playful thinking at work when time is short and the stakes are high?</p><p>In this Q&amp;A episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, host Mina Seetharaman is joined by play designer and author Cas Holman and IDEO Partner Michelle Lee to explore how a playful mindset holds up under real-world constraints.</p><p>Building on their earlier conversation about why play matters at work, this episode focuses on what it looks like in practice: navigating tight timelines, creating psychological safety quickly, collaborating without losing your competitive edge, and leading in high-stakes environments like policy and healthcare.</p><p>Through real stories and answers to listener questions, Cas and Michelle share practical ways leaders can make values-aligned decisions under pressure, design safety through structure, use constraints to fuel creativity, and model vulnerability to unlock better thinking.&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong>Related resources:</strong></p><p><a href="https://casholman.com/book" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Playful</em></a> by Cas Holman</p><p><a href="https://www.ideou.com/products/creative-problem-solving" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Creative Thinking for Complex Problem Solving</em></a> online course with IDEO U, taught by Michelle Lee</p><p>Full episode recap on the IDEO U blog</p><p>__________</p><br><p>Get episode recaps and register for free live podcast events at <a href="ideou.com/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ideou.com/podcast</a>.</p><br><p>Build your creative problem-solving skills with IDEO U's online courses in human-centered design, AI, leadership, and more at <a href="ideou.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ideou.com</a>.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>