The assumption puzzle
Ana recalls the moment with perfect clarity: she was hunched over a table strewn with oddly shaped puzzle pieces, surrounded by senior leaders and given a seemingly simple task.
“We were instructed to make a rectangle. I jumped in like I always do – full of energy – but I’m not good at puzzles or spatial thinking,” she recalled. “None of the pieces fit, so I quickly got stuck and just backed off.”
As the group fumbled with possibilities, Ana stepped back and offered a simple shift: what if they flipped the pieces over?
“The instructions didn’t say we had to solve it with the colored side up. I realized it was just as important to pay attention to what wasn’t being said, not just what was.”
That single insight broke the deadlock. An engineer in the group who had been quietly observing soon took over, fitting pieces into place. Others followed, and together they became the first team to finish.
“That moment taught me something big. Often our assumptions guide us, but sometimes the best way to lead is by creating space, seeing the problem differently, and letting others step into their strengths.”
What started as a puzzle became a powerful lesson in innovation, leadership, and the value of diversity in a team.
Beyond intuition
As Global Head of Strategy and Innovation at Havas Media Network, Ana had spent her career navigating change. With a background in branding and marketing, she had always approached innovation with energy, empathy, and a keen sense for what worked. But something was missing.
“I wanted to move beyond intuition. I didn’t just want to learn about lateral or wishful thinking, I wanted structure – tools and models that would help me guide innovation confidently and strategically,” she explained.
She began searching for a senior leadership program focused on innovation. What she found was something different: Driving Strategic Innovation, a joint program from IMD and MIT Sloan, that promised not just frameworks, but transformation.
From instincts to frameworks
The program delivered on that promise. For Ana, having a concrete framework was deeply validating.
Tools like the Business Model Canvas helped her articulate what she had often done instinctively, only now with clarity and structure.
“It put science into what we were doing organically,” she said. Now, when we present innovation strategies to clients, there’s a solid methodology behind it. It’s no longer just creative thinking, it’s a strategic path.”
More importantly, the program helped her see innovation not just as an isolated creative spark, but as something that must be embedded throughout the value chain. From product conception to delivery, from partnerships to internal processes, innovation became something to steer end-to-end, not just at the start.
Other tools, like the “Nail it, Scale it, Sail it” model from Program Director Charles Fine, helped her approach product and brand decisions with sharper focus. She learned how to read the signals, understand where each brand stood in its lifecycle, and make tough decisions accordingly.
“It taught me how to have difficult conversations; when to stop investing in something, when to redirect energy, and how to lead through that process with vision.”
One of the most powerful mindset shifts came through the program’s open approach to failure. Instead of treating it as a weakness, Ana learned to reframe failure as a source of insight and growth.
“It was refreshing. In my industry, we often avoid talking about failure, but I learned that it’s really important to embrace things openly and see failure not as something to hide, but something to learn from.”
The result was a deeper sense of confidence: not just in her role, but in the direction she was taking. With the right tools and a new mindset, Ana no longer second-guessed her decisions or felt the need to justify her instincts. She had structure behind her creativity and conviction behind her ideas.
“I’ve gone from thinking that I know to being sure that I do. This is the best way to promote innovation.”
A shared journey across industries
For Ana, one of the unexpected strengths of the program was the diverse mix of peers. As the only participant from the advertising and marketing world, she joined a cohort that spanned industries like energy, finance, government, and biotech.
“Our backgrounds were completely different, but the conversations just worked. Everyone had a unique lens, and that diversity made every discussion richer,” she said.
This cross-industry dynamic gave her fresh perspectives on innovation and reaffirmed the value of collaboration beyond her field. The connections she formed have endured, especially a close circle of women leaders who continue to stay in touch, swap ideas, and are even making plans to visit each other across continents.
Equipped to inspire and lead innovation
Looking ahead, Ana is channeling her renewed confidence into building a more collaborative, innovation-driven culture – one shaped by structure, agility, and purpose. Inspired by the program’s Silicon Valley mindset, she’s rethinking how teams work, how ideas take shape, and how leadership creates space for others to thrive.
“We need to change the way we work, the way we see things, and the way we manage our teams. This program gave me the inspiration and the credibility to lead that change.”
To pass on the learnings, Ana created a manga-style comic book with AI, which she’s now evolved into a series of internal sessions through her innovation platform, designed to spark new conversations across Havas’s regional offices.
“It’s a life-changing experience,” she reflects. “It’s overwhelming, but in the best way. This is not just another top management course. It helps you face the hard realities: products that aren’t selling, partnerships that aren’t working, teams that need direction. And then it gives you the tools to lead through it all.”
On the program faculty, she says, “Honestly, they just blow your mind. The level of vanguard thinking and the way they make you experience the learnings is incredible.”
That transformation also expanded her vision for what comes next. Now, she’s setting her sights on board-level opportunities, where she can help shape innovation at scale and drive meaningful impact across industries.
