Changing Minds with Owen Fitzpatrick The Science of Reinvention with Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva
Oct 27, 2025
Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, a scientist and global reinvention expert, shares insights drawn from advising major organizations like Coca-Cola and the Gates Foundation. She discusses how growing up during the Soviet Union's collapse shaped her views on change and resilience. Nadya advocates for treating reinvention as a lifelong skill rather than a one-time project. With concepts like 'Titanic Syndrome', she emphasizes the importance of internal identity and creative collaboration. Tune in to learn how to embrace change and foster resilience in a volatile world.
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Country Disappeared Overnight
- Dr. Nadya describes waking up to find her country gone after the Soviet collapse and how that shattered assumptions of stability.
- That experience became the seed for her lifelong science of how people and organizations successfully reinvent under shock.
Born To Change, Educated To Fear It
- Humans are born excellent at change but are socialized out of it by education and cultural cues that equate change with danger.
- We must unlearn that association to regain our natural adaptability and creativity.
Calm Bodies Before Brainstorms
- Use science to confront slow-change assumptions, then regulate biology before problem-solving to avoid fight-or-flight crippling creativity.
- Apply simple neuroscience-based calming techniques before brainstorming to enable real listening and creative thinking.
