The Ambiguity Advantage with Tessa Forshaw

In this episode of The Engagement Architect Podcast, host Chris Bennett talks with Tessa Forshaw, a cognitive scientist learning how we work, learn, and innovate. Tessa shares why innovation isn’t a lightning bolt—it’s a practiced, cognitive discipline—and how embracing ambiguity can actually make us more creative, not less. We talk about the neuroscience behind divergent and convergent thinking, the underrated role of executive function, and why metacognition may be the single most powerful tool for navigating uncertainty.Tessa’s work bridges cognitive science, design, and adult learning. After teaching innovation at Stanford’s d.school and co-founding the Next Level Lab at Harvard, she’s spent years studying how people think, adapt, and create in complex environments. Her new book, Innovation-ish, reframes creativity as a set of mindsets every adult can cultivate.Join us as we explore how to build an innovation practice, why diverse teams generate richer ideas, and what it really takes to think more boldly in a rapidly changing world.Purchase Tessa's book Innovation-ish at Amazon: https://a.co/d/3Ngz4bVMusic by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio.