Stanford GSB: View From The Top S8E12: GSB at 100: "The Experience"
Dec 3, 2025
Christian Wheeler, a marketing professor known for his creativity courses, and Susie Ngo, an accounting assistant professor focusing on strategy and ethics, dive into exciting discussions on teaching and leadership. Wheeler reveals how brainstorming many ideas can enhance creativity, highlighting the balance between quick insights and long-term planning. Ngo redefines accounting as a tool for ethical decision-making in management. Together, they explore practical applications that prepare future leaders for real-world challenges and societal impact.
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Generate Lots Of Ideas
- If you want a good idea, generate a large quantity of ideas rather than aiming for one perfect concept.
- Christian Wheeler says our best ideas often appear later in the sequence after more attempts.
Improv Game Teaches Fast Creativity
- Christian Wheeler demonstrates an improv game called Three Things to illustrate speed over accuracy in ideation.
- The exercise pushes executives to produce rapid answers and loosen creative constraints.
Adaptation Is A Core Creative Skill
- The future is inherently unknowable and requires on-the-spot adaptation.
- Christian Wheeler stresses the need to craft creative responses in unpredictable moments.