Jennifer Riel

Jennifer Riel, IDEO’s Global Director of Strategy, shares the 7 common strategy myths and how to make your strategy more actionable. View the full recap at https://ideo.in/jennifer

Jennifer Riel, an adjunct professor at the Rotman School of Management and co-author of Creating Great Choices, shares insights on integrative thinking in decision-making. She dives into how Lego initially struggled with balancing brand protection and creative talent for their movies. Riel argues for seeking innovative solutions rather than simple compromises, highlighting the importance of audience engagement and the value of exploring opposing models deeply. Her framework encourages leaders to clarify problems, embrace tension in ideas, and prototype solutions effectively.

Jennifer Riel, IDEO Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, discusses the essential questions at the heart of any strategy. She explores embracing tension, the false promises of the consensus narrative, and effective communication of strategy. The chapter descriptions include reflections on childhood, the power of human-centered design and storytelling, building a business strategy, redefining company value, and the importance of productive disagreement.