Fostering Team Innovation

Should you try Google’s famous “20% time” experiment to encourage innovation? We tried this at Duolingo years ago. It didn’t work. It wasn’t enough time for people to start meaningful projects, and very few people took advantage of it because the framework was pretty vague. I knew there had to be other ways to drive innovation at the company. So, here are 3 other initiatives we’ve tried, what we’ve learned from each, and what we're going to try next. 💡 Innovation Awards: Annual recognition for those who move the needle with boundary-pushing projects. The upside: These awards make our commitment to innovation clear, and offer a well-deserved incentive to those who have done remarkable work. The downside: It’s given to individuals, but we want to incentivize team work. What’s more, it’s not necessarily a framework for coming up with the next big thing. 💻 Hackathon: This is a good framework, and lots of companies do it. Everyone (not just engineers) can take two days to collaborate on and present anything that excites them, as long as it advances our mission or addresses a key business need. The upside: Some of our biggest features grew out of hackathon projects, from the Duolingo English Test (born at our first hackathon in 2013) to our avatar builder. The downside: Other than the time/resource constraint, projects rarely align with our current priorities. The ones that take off hit the elusive combo of right time + a problem that no other team could tackle. 💥 Special Projects: Knowing that ideal equation, we started a new program for fostering innovation, playfully dubbed DARPA (Duolingo Advanced Research Project Agency). The idea: anyone can pitch an idea at any time. If they get consensus on it and if it’s not in the purview of another team, a cross-functional group is formed to bring the project to fruition. The most creative work tends to happen when a problem is not in the clear purview of a particular team; this program creates a path for bringing these kinds of interdisciplinary ideas to life. Our Duo and Lily mascot suits (featured often on our social accounts) came from this, as did our Duo plushie and the merch store. (And if this photo doesn't show why we needed to innovate for new suits, I don't know what will!) The biggest challenge: figuring out how to transition ownership of a successful project after the strike team’s work is done. 👀 What’s next? We’re working on a program that proactively identifies big picture, unassigned problems that we haven’t figured out yet and then incentivizes people to create proposals for solving them. How that will work is still to be determined, but we know there is a lot of fertile ground for it to take root. How does your company create an environment of creativity that encourages true innovation? I'm interested to hear what's worked for you, so please feel free to share in the comments! #duolingo #innovation #hackathon #creativity #bigideas

Great leadership isn’t about ensuring alignment all the time. Here is why: I recently worked with a leadership team in a global company that, at first glance, seemed to be thriving. Meetings were quick, decisions were made efficiently, and everyone was on the same page. They believed this harmony meant they were operating at peak performance. But beneath the surface, something critical was missing: 🚫 innovation. Their constant agreement was stifling progress. Without diverse ideas, challenges, or healthy debate, the team was simply recycling the same thinking, overlooking new opportunities and struggling with complex problems. It was a classic case of ‘groupthink’—where everyone falls into agreement to avoid conflict or discomfort.  👇 Here’s what I did with the team: - Diagnosed the agreement cycle & TPS - Introduced psychological safety practices - Encouraged intellectual humility - Secured mechanism for diverse input integration We started worked on inclusive decision-making practices by ensuring that every voice in the room was heard. We integrated mechanisms like structured brainstorming, anonymous idea submissions, and rotating roles of idea champions to reduce bias and prevent dominant voices from overtaking discussions. 📈 The result? Not only did their decision-making improve, but their solutions became more creative and forward-thinking. Leaders, here're the takeaways: 1️⃣ If your meetings are full of "Yes, I agree," ask yourself what you might be missing. 2️⃣ Diversity of thought is your competitive advantage. 3️⃣ Teams thrive when they feel safe enough to disagree and bold enough to innovate. This is psychological safety. P.S. Do you think your team challenges each other enough? I’d love to hear your thoughts 👇

How can leaders transform their teams to be AI-first? It starts with mindset. An AI-first mindset means: Seeing AI as an opportunity, not a threat. Viewing AI as a tool to augment teams, not just automate tasks. Using AI to reimagine work, not just optimize work. As leaders, it’s on us to build this mindset within our teams. Here are 5 ways we do this at HubSpot: Use AI daily: Lead by example—trust grows when teams see leaders embrace AI themselves. I use it everyday and share very specific use cases with our company on how I use it. Now every leader is doing the same with their teams. The result is that we will have almost everyone in the company use AI daily by the end of year. Apply constraints: Give clear, focused challenges. We kept headcount flat in Support while growing the customer base by 20%+. Result - the team innovated with AI and over achieved the target. Smart constraints drive innovation. Establish tiger teams: Empower small, agile groups to experiment, innovate, and teach the organization. We have AI Tiger teams in every function - they share progress in Slack channels and there is so much energy with small groups experimenting and learning. Be a learn-it-all: Foster a culture of continuous learning. Share openly about successes and failures alike. We have dedicated 2 full days to learning and scaling with AI this quarter as a company - we have lined up great speakers, ways to experiment and gamified learning. Measure progress and share it: Measure which teams are completing learning modules, using AI everyday and share that openly. A little healthy competition goes a long way in driving AI-fluency. AI isn’t just a technology shift. It’s fundamentally reshaping how work gets done—and that requires shifting our mindset first. Leaders who embrace AI now will unlock creativity, performance, and impact. Are you building an AI-first mindset with your team? #Leadership #AI #Innovation #Mindset #FutureOfWork

In the last 2 decades of my career, while working at EMC, Adobe, and Meta, I’ve attended enough retros and SEV-1s to know the importance of blameless postmortems. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in my career, and each of them has made me better, but if I were persecuted for making mistakes and had no safety to make them in the first place, I do not think I’d have been able to grow as I did. That is why, as a technical leader, I bring the same behavior into the room whenever things fall apart. Because when a system breaks, the easiest thing in the world is to find a person and make them the story. But that’s lazy leadership. A production incident is rarely just one person’s mistake. It is usually a chain: a risky assumption that was never challenged. a review that missed context. a missing guardrail in deployment. a noisy signal that buried the real one. a system that made the wrong action too easy. That is why I care so much about how retros and postmortems are written. When emotions are high, people naturally write like this: I did this. I missed that. I broke this. I prefer reports written in the third person and, when needed, with as much anonymity as possible. The moment you take the person out of the first line, the room starts focusing on the mechanism instead of the blame. People speak more honestly. Junior engineers stop defending themselves and start explaining what really happened. A good postmortem should do three things: - Tell the truth clearly. - Make psychological safety. - Make the system safer than it was yesterday. If it only does the first one, the culture gets worse. If it only does the second one, nothing improves. If it does all three, people grow, and the system gets stronger. Some of the best engineering cultures I have seen are not the ones where mistakes never happen. They are the ones where mistakes are examined without humiliation, lessons are extracted without politics, and guardrails are added without turning fear into policy. In the long run, fear does not create reliability. Honesty and trust do.

If everyone on your team agrees with you… You don’t have a team. You have a liability. Weak leaders want to be right. Strong leaders want the best idea in the room. Here’s why I don’t hire “yes” people: 1. It makes the work better. Smart pushback sharpens execution. Blind agreement ruins it. 2. It keeps me honest. If no one challenges the plan, I assume the plan is flawed. 3. It fuels innovation. Friction forces better thinking. No tension means no evolution. 4. It builds a standard. People don’t rise when you lower the bar to protect your ego. 5. It creates trust. When people are free to challenge you, they’ll bring you the truth. 6. It scales better decisions. Different perspectives. Stronger calls. Fewer blind spots. The goal isn’t to be surrounded by people who say “yes.” It’s to be surrounded by people who say: “Yes to the best idea in the room.” That’s how you build a culture of individuality and merit..

Most teams aren’t unsafe— they’re afraid of what honesty might cost.👇 A confident team isn’t always a safe team. Real safety feels like trust without fear Psychological safety isn’t about being nice. It’s about building an environment where truth can exist — without penalty. Where people speak up because they believe they’ll be heard, Not just to be loud. Here’s how to create a space where honesty doesn’t feel risky: 10 Ways to Foster Psychological Safety in Your Team 1️⃣ Acknowledge mistakes openly ↳ Normalize imperfection so everyone feels safe owning up. 2️⃣ Ask for feedback on your own performance ↳ Leaders go first. 3️⃣ Celebrate questions, not just answers ↳ Curiosity signals trust. 4️⃣ Pause for the quiet voices ↳ “We haven’t heard from X yet. What do you think?” 5️⃣ Replace blame with ‘Let’s find the cause’ ↳ Shift from finger-pointing to problem-solving. 6️⃣ Speak last in discussions ↳ Let others lead; you’ll hear their raw perspectives. 7️⃣ Reinforce confidentiality ↳ Discuss ideas without fear they’ll be shared publicly. 8️⃣ Encourage respectful dissent ↳ Conflicting views spark creativity. 9️⃣ Admit you don’t know ↳ Authenticity paves the way for others to do the same. 🔟 Offer thanks for honest feedback ↳ Show appreciation for candor, even if it stings. 1️⃣1️⃣ Set clear expectations for respectful communication ↳ Clarity creates comfort and consistency. 1️⃣2️⃣ Create space for personal check-ins, not just work updates ↳ Human connection builds trust faster than status updates. 1️⃣3️⃣ Invite rotating team members to lead meetings ↳ Empowering others signals trust and grows confidence. 1️⃣4️⃣ Support team members who take thoughtful risks ↳ Reward courage even when outcomes aren’t perfect. 1️⃣5️⃣ Recognize effort and growth, not just outcomes ↳ Celebrate the process, not just the win. Psychological safety doesn’t grow from good intentions, It grows from repeated proof that honesty matters more than perfection. ❓ Which one will you try first? Let me know in the comments. ♻️ Repost to help your network create safer, more trusting workplaces. 👋 I write posts like this every day at 9:30am EST. Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) so you don't miss the next one.

Teams will increasingly include both humans and AI agents. We need to learn how best to configure them. A new Stanford University paper "ChatCollab: Exploring Collaboration Between Humans and AI Agents in Software Teams" reveals a range of useful insights. A few highlights: 💡 Human-AI Role Differentiation Fosters Collaboration. Assigning distinct roles to AI agents and humans in teams, such as CEO, Product Manager, and Developer, mirrors traditional team dynamics. This structure helps define responsibilities, ensures alignment with workflows, and allows humans to seamlessly integrate by adopting any role. This fosters a peer-like collaboration environment where humans can both guide and learn from AI agents. 🎯 Prompts Shape Team Interaction Styles. The configuration of AI agent prompts significantly influences collaboration dynamics. For example, emphasizing "asking for opinions" in prompts increased such interactions by 600%. This demonstrates that thoughtfully designed role-specific and behavioral prompts can fine-tune team dynamics, enabling targeted improvements in communication and decision-making efficiency. 🔄 Iterative Feedback Mechanisms Improve Team Performance. Human team members in roles such as clients or supervisors can provide real-time feedback to AI agents. This iterative process ensures agents refine their output, ask pertinent questions, and follow expected workflows. Such interaction not only improves project outcomes but also builds trust and adaptability in mixed teams. 🌟 Autonomy Balances Initiative and Dependence. ChatCollab’s AI agents exhibit autonomy by independently deciding when to act or wait based on their roles. For example, developers wait for PRDs before coding, avoiding redundant work. Ensuring that agents understand role-specific dependencies and workflows optimizes productivity while maintaining alignment with human expectations. 📊 Tailored Role Assignments Enhance Human Learning. Humans in teams can act as coaches, mentors, or peers to AI agents. This dynamic enables human participants to refine leadership and communication skills, while AI agents serve as practice partners or mentees. Configuring teams to simulate these dynamics provides dual benefits: skill development for humans and improved agent outputs through feedback. 🔍 Measurable Dynamics Enable Continuous Improvement. Collaboration analysis using frameworks like Bales’ Interaction Process reveals actionable patterns in human-AI interactions. For example, tracking increases in opinion-sharing and other key metrics allows iterative configuration and optimization of combined teams. 💬 Transparent Communication Channels Empower Humans. Using shared platforms like Slack for all human and AI interactions ensures transparency and inclusivity. Humans can easily observe agent reasoning and intervene when necessary, while agents remain responsive to human queries. Link to paper in comments.

New Project? New Team? Here's How to Hit the Ground Running Starting something new, whether it's a project or a role, can be both exciting and terrifying. As I’m gearing up to take on a new program to expand my current scope, It’s got me thinking about all the lessons I’ve learned about navigating those first few critical steps. Whether you're joining a new company, taking on a new role, or simply starting a new project with a new team, these tips can help you make a strong start: ✨ Embrace the "Beginner's Mind" ✨ Don't be afraid to ask questions, even those that seem "basic." It shows you're engaged and eager to learn. Take notes and do your research offline to deepen your understanding. ✨ Find the Sweet Spot of Knowledge ✨ Read the existing documentation and materials, but don't get stuck on every detail. Focus on understanding the big picture and the key challenges. ✨ Acknowledge Expertise (Yours and Theirs) ✨ Recognize the team's expertise in their respective areas, but also confidently own your own expertise. After all, there's a reason you're leading this project! ✨ Define the "Why" and the Boundaries ✨ Work with the team to create a clear charter that defines the problem you're solving, the project's scope, and, equally importantly, what's NOT in scope. This sets expectations and prevents scope creep. ✨ Build Relationships Early On ✨ Take the time to get to know your team members as individuals. Understand their strengths, their working styles, and their motivations. Strong relationships are the foundation of successful projects. ✨ Don't Be Afraid to Challenge (Respectfully) ✨ You're bringing a fresh perspective. Don't hesitate to challenge assumptions and suggest new approaches. But always do so respectfully and collaboratively. ✨ Overcommunicate (Especially at the Start) ✨ Keep everyone informed about your progress, challenges, and decisions. Transparency builds trust and ensures alignment. Starting a new project is like embarking on an adventure. There will be challenges, surprises, and hopefully, great rewards. By embracing a proactive mindset, building strong relationships, and focusing on clear communication, you can set yourself up for success. I'm eager to put these tips into practice on this new program, and I promise to keep you updated on my progress and lessons learned. Do you have any other advice for me as I ramp up? Anything specific you'd like to know more about? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇 – 👉 Follow me, Rony Rozen, for real-world insights on tech leadership.

When we talk about AI in business, the focus is often on technology. Algorithms. Tools. Platforms. But here’s the truth: the real differentiator won’t be the tech. It will be leadership and culture. In the military, we lived by a simple mantra: adapt and overcome. No plan survives first contact. What matters is clarity of mission, resilience, and trust in your team. There’s a story every Naval Academy graduate knows: A Message to Garcia. During the Spanish-American War, President McKinley gave Lt. Rowan a letter to deliver to General García, hidden deep in the Cuban mountains. No instructions, no map—just the intent. Rowan found him and delivered it. That story captures what leadership in uncertainty requires: leaders define the why and the what, and trust their people to figure out the how. And that’s exactly what the AI era demands. AI is not just another channel shift like the move from traditional to digital. It’s a change in how organizations work. To thrive, leaders must set intent clearly and teams must build the right culture to execute. That means: ✅ Breaking silos early – AI doesn’t respect org charts; collaboration across brand, tech, media, and IT is non-negotiable. ✅ Committing to continuous learning – what works today may be obsolete in six months. Curiosity is a competitive advantage. ✅ Experimenting safely – best practices don’t exist yet; run safe-to-fail pilots and learn faster than competitors. ✅ Balancing speed with governance – one reckless move in AI can cost more in trust and reputation than any efficiency gain. ✅ Developing generalists – T-shaped professionals who understand not just their specialty, but how the pieces fit together. Boiled down: Leadership in the AI era means setting intent. Team culture means creating the conditions for that intent to succeed. Together, they are the true differentiator. AI isn’t just a technology wave. It’s a test of leadership and culture. Those who can adapt and overcome will define the future of business. 👉 I’d love to hear your perspective: What are you doing to prepare your teams—and your leadership—for the realities of AI?

Navigating Team Conflicts In team dynamics, some level of conflict is inevitable—even healthy. However, understanding the nature of the conflict can help leaders manage and resolve it more effectively. Here are four common conflict patterns and strategies for handling them: 1. The Solo Dissenter This conflict arises when one individual disagrees with the rest of the team. Whether due to personal differences or a challenge to the status quo, isolating or scapegoating this person is counterproductive. Instead, leaders should engage in one-on-one conversations to better understand their perspective and address any underlying concerns. Open communication can transform a dissenter into a valuable source of alternative viewpoints and broader system awareness. 2. The Boxing Match This frequent form of conflict involves a disagreement between two team members. If the issue stems from a personal relationship, external coaching may be helpful. However, if it’s task-related, the disagreement may benefit the team by introducing diverse ideas—provided the discussion remains civil. Leaders should avoid intervening prematurely, as genuine task-based disagreements often lead to more innovative solutions. 3. Warring Factions When two subgroups within the team oppose each other, an "us versus them" mentality can develop. This type of conflict is more complex, and solutions like voting or majority rule rarely resolve the issue. Leaders should introduce new options or third-way alternatives, encouraging both sides to broaden their thinking and find a compromise that addresses the core needs of both groups. 4. The Blame Game This challenging conflict involves the entire team, often triggered by poor performance. Assigning blame worsens the situation and creates more division. A more effective approach is to refocus the team on collective goals and explore strategies for improvement. Shifting the conversation from blame to team purpose and collective problem-solving can unite the group around a shared vision. By recognizing these conflict patterns and applying the right strategies, leaders can guide their teams through disagreements, fostering a more cohesive and productive environment.