The walls we don’t see | Dan Wood | TEDxSt Helier

Break the Silence, Unlock Innovation Human silos—invisible walls between people, teams, and islands are killing innovation. They don’t form from structure; they form from silence. When we stop having real human conversations, problems hide and opportunities die. Dan Wood, former British Army officer and innovation leader, reveals how fitting into tribal cultures nearly killed his creative side during 10 years in the elite Parachute Regiment. His innovation report on Guernsey found young talent leaving, leaders not talking to workers, and innovation complacency rising—all because people aren’t having genuine conversations. The Core Truth: Innovation is a conversation fuelled by curiosity and compassion. Breakthroughs happen when unexpected people connect: a coder talking to a nurse, a banker talking to a student, a CEO talking to the receptionist. When we bring diverse minds together - different ages, cultures, geographies, struggles, we build collective intelligence, the true source of breakthroughs. Wood’s 72-Hour Challenge: Create 3 unexpected relationships: • Someone on the other side (even a competitor) • Someone from a different country who speaks a different language • Someone who genuinely disagrees with you Have real conversations. Ask: “What’s really going on with you?” “What do you need?” “How can I help?” The Takeaway: Don’t destroy silos—thin their walls. Make them porous through deliberate diversity. When we break silence, we unlock collective intelligence and create innovation with a human touch. “Silos don’t form because of structure. They form because of silence. So don’t be afraid to break the silence.” This is a small action. 3 conversation that unlocks global change Founder and CEO of INSO, a global innovation consultancy devoted to uniting a diverse community of innovators, creators, and leaders from around the world. As co-host of The Good Ideas Club podcast and keynote speaker, Dan also sparks insightful conversations and connects valuable lessons across a broad panel of guests and events, fostering dialogue that bridges creativity, experience, and action. Driven by core values of curiosity, creativity, and decisive action, Dan constantly challenges comfort zones and rejects stagnation, thriving in dynamic environments where bold experimentation leads to meaningful growth. His expertise includes a civil engineering degree, a decade of service in the British Army’s elite Parachute Regiment, and five years in offshore finance with a focus on designing exceptional FinTech systems. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx