IDEO CEO Mike Peng has his IDEO team, and another one you won’t find on any org chart. He calls them his “daily life team.”

When he lived in Tokyo, leading the IDEO Tokyo studio, this group included the barista who knew his order, the Pilates instructor who helped him find balance, and the neighbors who offered small moments of grounding. They weren’t executives or advisors. They didn’t weigh in on strategy. But they played an equally important role in his leadership.

These consistent, human touchpoints helped Mike stay centered, inspired, and open. For him, those qualities aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re foundations of creative leadership.

In this episode of the Creative Confidence Podcast, we explore how experiences like these have shaped Mike’s approach to leadership. He talks about his career path, favorite leadership philosophies, how he stays inspired, and the evolving definition of creative excellence. 

Mike’s perspective is shaped by nearly two decades at IDEO, including founding IDEO Tokyo, co-founding D4V (Design for Ventures), and serving as Chief Creative Officer at Moon Creative Lab. With a background that bridges neuroscience, business, and design, Mike offers a grounded, human-centered framework for leading creative teams through a world of constant change.

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Nonlinear Journey to Creative Leadership

Mike’s path into creative leadership began in an unexpected place: cognitive neuroscience. As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, he was fascinated by how people think and make decisions. Later, he joined Johnson & Johnson’s leadership rotation program, gaining exposure to systems thinking and operational excellence. But he sensed his passion lived elsewhere.

When he discovered IDEO, he felt an immediate spark. He recalls the aha moment: “I couldn't believe there was a company that existed that was solving some of the most complex challenges for other companies…through human centricity.”

He joined IDEO as a design researcher and was eventually tapped to help build IDEO Tokyo, an experience that accelerated his leadership journey. Mike was still early in his career when IDEO trusted him to lead the studio.

One insight from that time shaped his entire philosophy: “When you first step into leadership, you think your role is to have all the answers and make decisions. It's actually a lot more complex. It's about setting a vision and direction, building a shared understanding, and tapping the talent around you to figure out the right path.”

Three Leadership Philosophies to Navigate Today’s Creative Landscape

When Mike became CEO, he shared three philosophies with the entire organization. They were more guideposts than mandates. “I didn’t want to start with strategy,” he said of his intentional approach to communication. “I wanted to share what I believe first so that people could understand my thought process.” 

He hopes this approach empowers teams across IDEO to bring forward ideas that align with his intentions and hopes for the company. 

1. Fewer, but better

Teams today are surrounded by endless possibilities and competing priorities. Part of a leader’s job is to help focus attention on what matters most. “As people, we can only hold so much,” Mike said. Success is choosing the right few things and doing them with intention.

Leaders who provide clarity and focus give teams permission to go deeper instead of spreading themselves thin.

2. Personal monopoly 

Inspired by writer David Perell, Mike believes each person has a unique combination of skills, experiences, and interests that sets them apart.

“Personal monopoly is this idea that you take your unique set of skills, experiences, personality, and disposition and make yourself the only person who can do what you do.”

For leaders, it’s a reminder to help individuals uncover and lean into what makes them distinct.

3. Combinatorial creativity

New ideas rarely appear out of thin air. They’re formed by mixing and remixing influences from many places. “Creativity comes from connecting disparate ideas and experiences, then remixing and mashing them in different ways.”

He finds inspiration in pop culture, Japanese rituals, design research, and conversations with friends. Leaders can model this curiosity and invite teams to widen their sources of influence.

Creative Excellence: What It Means Today

Mike’s definition of creative excellence focuses less on mastery and more on progress. “You never actually reach creative excellence,” he says. “It’s a practice—something you continuously work on and nurture.”

He expects the definition of creative excellence to continue shifting over time, but as of now, he sees these elements as essential to the pursuit: 

Continuous learning — A growth mindset that keeps curiosity alive at every stage of your career.

Healthy friction — Constructive tension that sharpens ideas and strengthens collaboration.

Experimentation — Taking action even when outcomes are uncertain.

Teaching — Sharing what you know as a way of strengthening your practice.

Self-awareness — Understanding where you excel and where you need support.

Discernment — Recognizing the difference between good and exceptional.

Humility — Staying open, adaptable, and never assuming you’ve arrived.

Leading Diverse Teams with Clarity and Care

IDEO has always been home to hybrid thinkers—engineers, anthropologists, strategists, technologists, and designers collaborating across disciplines. Leading these teams requires flexibility and the ability to sense what each moment calls for.

Mike’s approach to leadership balances creativity and productivity. “Your job as a leader is to understand where the organization is and pull out different sets of tools and mindsets at exactly the right moment.” 

Sometimes teams need space to explore, other times they need depth and focus. Creative leaders must be able to flex between these modes with intention and help their teams do the same. As Mike puts it, leaders should act “more like a compass than a map,” setting direction and creating clarity without dictating every step.

Staying Inspired So You Can Inspire Others

“Our job as creative leaders is to stay inspired so we can inspire others,” Mike says of the most impactful advice he received from IDEO Chair Tim Brown. “How can you possibly inspire others if you yourself are not inspired?”

Mike takes this mandate seriously. He intentionally makes space to seek out new ideas, experiences, and perspectives and brings that inspiration back to the organization. 

From global travel to pop culture and everyday observations, Mike finds inspiration everywhere. He keeps a log of ideas and observations, knowing that those sparks of ideas might bear fruit at an unexpected moment down the line. 

Mike gravitates toward the edges of culture. These are places where disciplines overlap, unexpected trends emerge, and human behavior shows up in surprising ways. These edges often become the raw materials for new ideas.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership grows through practice. Create the conditions for others to thrive, not by having all the answers, but by enabling the team around you.
  

• Creative excellence is an ongoing pursuit fueled by curiosity, craft, experimentation, and a willingness to evolve.
  

• Inspiration isn’t optional. Staying inspired helps leaders bring energy, clarity, and imagination to their teams.
  

• Focus matters. “Fewer, but better” helps teams prioritize what’s meaningful and avoid spreading themselves too thin.
  

• Identify your “personal monopoly”—your own unique mix of skills and experiences.
  

• Diverse inputs enrich creativity. Encourage teams to explore broadly, remix ideas, and look to the edges of culture for insight.

• Great leadership balances creativity and productivity, guiding teams like a compass rather than prescribing every step.
  

Keep Learning

IDEO U Courses

• Cultivating Creative Collaboration — Taught by Mike Peng. Learn how to lead teams with empathy, clarity, and shared purpose.
  

• Creative Leadership Workshop — A short, high-impact workshop to strengthen your creative leadership practice.
  

• Storytelling for Influence — Build communication skills that help you inspire, align, and motivate your team.
  

Related Blog Posts

• Why Great Leadership Starts with Asking Better Questions

• What Is Human-Centered Leadership? 6 Human Skills for the Future of Work

• What is Creative Leadership? How to Lead with Confidence in Uncertain Times
  

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