What Caused This dropped a new podcast - It will have you pausing for thought.

Breaking the Silo: Why Innovation Needs the Courage to Disagree

Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone nods at the same time, and walks out believing something’s been solved? That illusion of agreement is exactly what Cause For Thought’s “Breaking the Silo (Part 1)” aims at. The episode, part of a powerful series on collaboration and systems thinking, dissects what happens when organisations mistake consensus for progress, and why real innovation depends on friction, difference, and a healthy dose of curiosity.

The hosts Ed and George open with a deceptively simple question: When does collaboration add clarity, and when does it just create noise? From there, they unpack the dangers of sitting in rooms where everyone in the room thinks alike, and the overlooked value of “The Professional Idiot”, the bold outsider who asks the awkward questions others avoid.

It’s a clever framing: the idea that genuine insight doesn’t come from more voices, but different ones offering divergent and alternative opinions.

Whether it’s clean energy collaboration between startups, manufacturers rethinking waste, or researchers probing new materials, the best breakthroughs rarely start with “yes.” They begin with, “What if?” or even, “Why not?”

In the podcast, the hosts point to famous examples like Jeff Bezos’ “empty chair” representing the customer, a reminder to bring missing perspectives into the room. Because when innovation only reflects the loudest or most familiar voices, it stops being innovation, it becomes repetition.

At Hethel, we see every day how diversity of thought powers progress. A technician’s insight might spark an academic’s experiment. A creative startup might unlock a manufacturer’s new process. Collaboration isn’t about smoothing away differences but celebrating them. Silos may feel safe, but they dull creativity. The magic happens in the messy middle, the space between viewpoints, sectors, and lived experiences.

The episode closes on a powerful reflection:

Collaboration does not mean consensus. It implies openness to conflict, to questioning, to the possibility that your idea might not be the best one in the room. For leaders and innovators, that’s both humbling and liberating. It’s how we move from defensiveness to discovery.

So, to the teams out there designing the future, from clean tech engineers to business founders in our corridors at Hethel, take a cue from Breaking the Silo. Invite the outsider. Encourage the curious questioning of others.

Create the space where different perspectives can meet without rushing to harmony. Because sometimes, the best ideas are born precisely from the noise we’re tempted to avoid.

After all, innovation doesn’t need more echo chambers. It requires more echoes of courage.

You can find the Full Episode on Spotify, and we definitely recommend giving it a listen.