In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli is joined by Alan Gregerman, innovation advisor and author of The Wisdom of Ignorance: Why Not Knowing Can Be the Key to Innovation in an Uncertain World. Gregerman has spent his career helping organizations rethink what expertise is, how innovation really happens, and why the answers leaders rely on can quietly become their biggest obstacles.

Alan’s core argument is simple but uncomfortable: what leaders don’t know matters more than what they do know. In a world defined by rapid change, shifting customer expectations, and new competitors emerging from outside traditional industry boundaries, Gregerman makes the case that uncertainty isn’t a threat to manage—it’s an advantage to use. Leaders who cling to knowledge, certainty, and past success miss the breakthroughs that come from curiosity, humility, and fresh eyes.

Throughout the conversation, Alan shows how relying on expertise alone limits an organization’s ability to see new possibilities. He highlights why new employees, outsiders, and even strangers to the industry often spot the best opportunities, and he shares a practical onboarding practice for tapping into those insights before they disappear. His message: innovation doesn’t come from doubling down on what you already know; it comes from intentionally opening the boundaries of where ideas can come from.

The episode also explores why most industries are disrupted by people who have no history in them, the discipline required to stay relevant, and the role of small experiments in uncovering what customers actually value. Alan connects all of this to the rise of AI, arguing that if the work is rooted in routine knowledge, machines will do it faster—and leaders must elevate imagination, sensemaking, and dot-connecting to stay ahead.

For CEOs and senior executives looking to build organizations that remain adaptable, curious, and competitive, this conversation offers a sharp, practical lens on what real innovation leadership looks like today.

📗📗Hashtags:
#LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipLessons #ExecutiveLeadership #PartneringLeadership #MikeMears #MahanTavakoli #LeadershipMindset #LeadershipPodcast #LeadershipTransformation #OrganizationalCulture #PsychologicalSafety #NeuroscienceOfLeadership #WorkplaceInnovation #TrustInLeadership #CIALeadership #SmallShiftsBigImpact #ModernLeadership #HRLeadership #PeopleFirstLeadership #LeadershipStrategy #LeadershipMatters #TransformationalLeadership #FutureOfWork #DiscretionaryEffort #LeadershipGrowth #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipTips #TeamEngagement #WorkplaceTrust #HumanCenteredLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipBehavior #LeadershipInAction #CulturalTransformation #HighPerformanceTeams

▶ Website: [https://www.partneringleadership.com/]
▶ LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/partnering-leadership/ ]
▶ Instagram : [https://www.instagram.com/partneringleadership/]
▶ Facebook: [ https://web.facebook.com/DMVchangemakers]
▶ Twitter : [ https://twitter.com/PartneringLead ]

📗📗 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐒:
▶ • • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inKveTERpcI&t=723s
▶ • • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkZgn44bofQ&t=410s
▶ • • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X_7_Xyl1fw

⚠ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. do your own research.

✖ 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialog, music, and image that are property of "Partnering Leadership "

👋 Thanks for visiting my Channel! 🌟