AME Milwaukee 2026 International Conference
PRESENTATIONS
Presentation
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Bubble-wrapping your bold ideas
Building a lean culture that encourages innovation
OVERVIEW
Continuous improvement depends on experimentation, yet many people avoid trying new approaches because fear of failure overwhelms them. Research shows that more than half of Americans identify as “creatures of habit,” and even senior leaders cite fear of failure as a top source of stress. In organizations striving for operational excellence, this fear slows innovation, stalls improvement efforts and contributes to the 70 percent of projects that fail to deliver intended outcomes.
In this session, the presenter introduces two practical, repeatable tools: the Anticipated Events Exercise and the PreMortem. These approaches help individuals and teams anticipate obstacles, reduce risk and strengthen project-level resilience. Together, they create a culture where experimentation feels safer, learning accelerates and improvement becomes more sustainable.
Participants will leave with templates, examples and the confidence to apply these methods immediately in personal routines, team practices and large-scale initiatives.
In this session, the presenter introduces two practical, repeatable tools: the Anticipated Events Exercise and the PreMortem. These approaches help individuals and teams anticipate obstacles, reduce risk and strengthen project-level resilience. Together, they create a culture where experimentation feels safer, learning accelerates and improvement becomes more sustainable.
Participants will leave with templates, examples and the confidence to apply these methods immediately in personal routines, team practices and large-scale initiatives.
Key Learning Objectives
1. Identify the psychological and organizational barriers that prevent individuals and teams from experimenting and innovating.
2. Apply the Anticipated Events Exercise to anticipate obstacles and design small, safe responses that build confidence and momentum.
3. Conduct a structured premortem to uncover project risks, strengthen countermeasures and increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.
4. Integrate these tools into daily work and improvement routines to create a culture that embraces experimentation and reduces fear of failure.
5. Use provided templates to facilitate these exercises with teams, enabling immediate application in their own organizations.
2. Apply the Anticipated Events Exercise to anticipate obstacles and design small, safe responses that build confidence and momentum.
3. Conduct a structured premortem to uncover project risks, strengthen countermeasures and increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.
4. Integrate these tools into daily work and improvement routines to create a culture that embraces experimentation and reduces fear of failure.
5. Use provided templates to facilitate these exercises with teams, enabling immediate application in their own organizations.
Presenter
Keeley Hurley
Chief of Staff
APPLIED ENERGETICS
Keeley Hurley is a results-driven chief of staff with over two decades of people-centered leadership experience in the laser industry, spanning engineering project management, product management, consulting, quality and continuous improvement.
Chief of Staff
APPLIED ENERGETICS
Keeley Hurley is a results-driven chief of staff with over two decades of people-centered leadership experience in the laser industry, spanning engineering project management, product management, consulting, quality and continuous improvement.
She is known for driving alignment, execution and operational excellence across complex organizations. Keeley is also the author of "Faceplant: Free Yourself from Failure’s Funk," a practical guide to overcoming setbacks and turning failure into forward momentum.
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People-centric leadership
Level: Beginner
