IDEO CEO on Creative Leadership and Focus

Third is remix. New ideas come from connecting things that don't seem to belong together. Peng said he finds material in pop culture, Japanese rituals, design research, and conversations with friends. Leaders can model that curiosity.

Peng's definition of creative excellence itself is not a fixed target. "You never actually reach creative excellence," he said. "It's a practice." He named seven elements that matter to him: continuous learning, healthy friction, experimentation, teaching, self-awareness, discernment, and humility.

He also said something about the leader's job that sticks. "Your job as a leader is to understand where the organization is and pull out different sets of tools and mindsets at exactly the right moment." Some moments call for exploration. Others need depth and focus.

Peng keeps a log of ideas and observations. He looks at the edges of culture, places where disciplines overlap and trends emerge. That material feeds back into the organization.

There is no stock ticker here. The value is in the framework itself. For anyone running a team, the three guideposts are a practical place to start.