How to Be Awesome at Your Job 1084: How to Navigate Change and Encourage Innovation with Jeff DeGraff
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Aug 13, 2025 Jeff DeGraff, known as the “Dean of Innovation,” is a professor at the University of Michigan, advising global leaders on change. He reveals why facts don’t change minds, focusing instead on how experiences shape our perspectives. Jeff highlights the importance of constructive conflict and shares insights on navigating overwhelming choices. He advocates for simple experimentation, illustrating how small-scale trials can drive innovation. Ultimately, he stresses the necessity of an agile mindset to embrace ambiguity in a rapidly evolving world.
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We Know Facts Fail, Yet We Use Them First
- People often act hypocritically about change: they know facts don't move minds yet still use facts first.
- Recognize that habit and design experiences that produce learning instead of repeating data arguments.
Katie Quit Smoking On Her Own Terms
- Jeff described trying to get his girlfriend Katie to quit smoking using facts, charm, and threats, none of which worked.
- She quit later after meeting someone who supported her, illustrating change comes from internal choice.
Goals Shift As You Learn
- Goals and problem definitions shift as you explore; initial assumptions are often wrong.
- Seek disconfirming information and surround yourself with constructive conflict to find the real problem.
