Your Engineers Aren't "Not Creative." They're Living by a False Story.
The "I'm not creative" belief isn't a personality trait. It's a conclusion people reach when they compare their unpracticed performance to someone else's practiced one — and call the gap talent. In this video, I share a story from my own life (a viola section, two very dedicated violinists, and a decision I made at 15 that cost me 25 years of music) — and explain why the same mistaken math is quietly costing your engineering and analytical teams their best ideas. You'll discover: 🎻 Why "I'm not creative" is almost always a story, not a fact 🔑 The difference between a talent gap and a permission gap — and why it matters 🧪 How to run Experiment #6 from Innovation at Work ("Yes, And... That's Terrible!") in 12 minutes to start rewriting the story 📊 What I observed working with 125 project managers at PMI SF Bay Area — and what it proved about analytical minds If you lead engineers, analysts, or project managers who've checked out of the innovation conversation, this one is for you. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly tools on building innovation cultures that actually stick: / @melissadinwiddie 📗 Download a free preview of Innovation at Work: https://innovationatworkbook.com/preview 📅 Book a complimentary Innovation Strategy Session: https://bookme.name/melissadinwiddie/... #CreateTheImpossible #InnovationCulture #EngineeringLeadership Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & High School Orchestra Story 01:40 – Why I Quit Music (The Wrong Conclusion) 02:08 – The Same Mistake in Innovation Teams 02:47 – Talent vs. Permission Differential 03:15 – The Hidden Cost of Creativity Myths 04:12 – Two Stories Blocking Innovation 05:36 – Good News: Stories Can Change 05:47 – Learning Guitar & A New Perspective 07:24 – From Self-Doubt to Jazz Performer 07:56 – What Story Is Your Team Living? 08:14 – Leadership Experiment: "Yes, And That's Terrible" 09:03 – How the Exercise Works 10:30 – Why Terrible Ideas Lead to Real Insights 11:23 – How to Run This Exercise With Your Team 12:49 – Remote-Friendly & No Materials Needed 13:12 – Case Study: 125 Project Managers 14:25 – Creativity Was Never Missing—Permission Was 14:38 – Practical Advice for Innovation Leaders 15:09 – Make “Terrible” the Goal 15:56 – Look for the Quiet Voices in the Room 16:36 – Permission Creates Innovation 17:03 – Try Experiment #6 Today 17:15 – Get the Full Toolkit 17:29 – Like, Subscribe & Final Thoughts Connect with me: LinkedIn: / melissadinwiddie Website: https://melissadinwiddie.com
Intentional Networking vs Everything Else You've Tried
Why Engineers Are Actually Better at Innovation Than "Creative Types"
Only Dangerously Smart People Think Like This
She’s 12. Simon STOPS Her. What She Sings Next Left Him in AWE! 😳
Why Your Book Isn't Supposed to Make You Money with Katrina Sawa
'Listen Like You Might Be Wrong': Harvard Student Goes Viral For Stunning Speech On Trump Amid Feud
No Celebrity Has ZERO Filter Like Harrison Ford _ and It’s HILARIOUS!
The French Do Not Care About Work
Harvard Professor Explains The Rules of Writing — Steven Pinker
Why Innovation Training Doesn't Stick (And What Actually Does) | Melissa Dinwiddie
She’s 12. She Sings Aretha Franklin… Until Simon TELLS Her to Do It Acapella! 😳
Golden Retriever Meets Completely Broken Rescue for the First Time
I Froze on a Client Call. (And I Teach Psychological Safety for a Living.)
Is the AfD a threat to Germany? Mehdi Hasan & Maximilian Krah | Head to Head
Nobody Breaks Celebrities Like Rowan Atkinson
The Rising Cost of Dissent in America | Miles Taylor | TED
They Told You STEM Was Safe. They Lied.
I Investigated The World's Skinniest vs Fattest City
I Was An MIT Educated Neurosurgeon Now I'm Unemployed And Alone In The Mountains How Did I Get Here?
