Modev: MVPConf 2015 - Ego Risk - Why Innovation Fails

Ego risk is the most common reason new ventures fail. Leading a team in the context of innovation is very different from leading a team in the context of operations and execution. The level of uncertainty in developing new products and services can cause all kinds of problems that we’re not used to dealing with. The ambiguity inherent in innovation makes managing your personal psychology and the mental health of your team an even more crucial task, not only to prevent the productivity drop-off at the half-life of enthusiasm, but to avoid falling prey to cognitive biases and misapplied mental heuristics. We’re all vulnerable to cognitive biases: traps in our thinking that lead us astray. We’ll examine some of these, and explore how we can put our new knowledge to immediate use.

Teague Hopkins (President at THG)
Teague Hopkins is the President of THG, an innovation & growth consulting firm that counts AOL, Deloitte, and the White House among its clients. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovators on adopting the lean startup methodology, and is recognized as a leader in the field. Teague holds an MBA from Babson College and a BA in Computer Science from Wesleyan University.