How to Unlock Creative Genius Inside Any Organization with Author Andrew Robertson

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Robertson, former CEO and current Chairman of BBDO and author of The Creative Shift, to unpack why creativity gets squeezed out of adults, teams, and organizations and what it actually takes to bring it back. We talk about the difference between innovation and true creation, why most brainstorming fails, and how businesses unintentionally shut down their people’s most powerful ideas. Andrew shares the research, stories, and real-world lessons behind some of the most iconic campaigns of our time and why creativity is not reserved for “creative people,” but for anyone solving meaningful problems.

We also go deep into the practical side. Andrew breaks down BBDO’s famous Workout process, a structured and repeatable way to unlock breakthrough ideas in any organization. Along the way, we explore unforgettable stories from Snickers to Guinness to hard-earned failures that reveal how great ideas are actually discovered, protected, and brought to life.

Topics We Cover in This Episode: 

• Why innovation alone rarely creates real competitive advantage

• The surprising reason most teams believe they are “not creative”

• How redefining the problem can unlock entirely new solutions

• Why generating bad ideas is a critical step toward great ones

• The mindset shift that helps leaders evaluate risk without playing it safe

• How iconic ideas are often hidden in plain sight

• What most brainstorming sessions get wrong

• The conditions that allow creativity to thrive inside real organizations

If you are leading a team, growing a business, or feeling stuck repeating what has always worked, this episode will challenge how you think about creativity and what is possible when you design for it on purpose. Tune in, listen closely, and ask yourself what could change if you stopped asking for one good idea and started creating space for many.

Resources Mentioned:

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Inquire About Andrew’s Talks and Speeches: andrew.robertson@bbdo.com 

Link to Andrew’s Book The Creative Shift: https://a.co/d/hVrfaHr 

Andrew Robertson Outlines Principles of Business Development Success: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-relationships-real-revenue-video-edition-invest/id1504330338?i=1000565194906