Podcast Summary: Bred To Lead, Ep.034 — "From Conformity to Innovation: Rebuild Leadership and Systems"

Host: Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs (SIPS Healthcare Solutions)
Release Date: January 9, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Dr. Jake Tayler Jacobs takes a deep dive into the concept of moving organizations—especially those entrenched in tradition, like healthcare—from a static conformity to innovative, resilient leadership models. He passionately argues that leaders aren’t born, they're "bred" through intentional growth, adversity, and a relentless commitment to improvement. This episode exposes how "we've always done it this way" stunts growth and lays out practical steps to disrupt the status quo and build organizations primed for change and progress.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Destructive Nature of Tradition and Conformity

• Tradition vs. Innovation: Dr. Jacobs opens by identifying tradition—not incompetence—as the primary threat to innovation. "The phrase 'we’ve always done it this way' has destroyed more organizations than any competitor ever could or would." (01:04)
• Tradition as Slow Death: Tradition without evolution is likened to "slow death with better branding." (01:22)
• Operational Blindness: Introduces the term "operational blindness"—organizations stuck in outdated systems, unable to adapt or see the root causes of their problems.
• Silos and Disenfranchisement: Highlights how independent departments (silos) working separately create a "chasm of confusion," especially in healthcare organizations, resulting in inefficiency and poor communication. (05:27)

Data, Decisions, and Old Systems

• Data Paralysis: Explores the idea that abundant but poorly utilized data hinders decision-making, causing more leader anxiety than before. "Leaders are a lot more fearful of making decisions with all of this data than they ever have before without data." (08:02)
• Patchwork Tech: Healthcare organizations buy disconnected tech solutions, further fracturing internal systems.

The Problem with Tradition-Based Leadership

• Tradition Holders: Organizations often let underperforming but long-tenured staff set traditions—not top performers. "Tradition is the comfortable lie we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid to change." (16:38)

• Erosion Process: Slow organizational death happens in stages:

  1. Failure to attract young talent (19:38)
  2. Loss of best talent due to frustration with stagnation
  3. Stagnation in innovation
  4. Eventual irrelevance

• Difference between Stability and Stagnation: "Stagnation says, hey, let’s not change anything...Stable is we're growing, developing, and progressing at a pace we can afford. Stagnant things rot." (23:28)

The Cost of Conformity

• Anecdotal Example: Dr. Jacobs shares a story about joining a 30-year-old organization with declining performance masked by superficial stability. His challenge to the status quo met resistance—"That’s not how we do things here." His poignant response: “How is that working for you? And why am I here if you brought me in?” (31:19)

• Cost Factors: Conformity costs organizations in innovation, growth, relevance, and—eventually—survival. "Conformity feels safe. But it's the most dangerous position that you can take. Because while you're conforming, the world is changing." (33:01)

Diagnosing and Escaping the Tradition Trap

• Tradition Trap Diagnostics: The podcast distinguishes "hardware" (outdated structures/processes) from "software" (leadership/culture), noting both can ossify organizations. (36:27)

• Symptoms of the Trap:

  • Culture punishes failure, creating fear of innovation.
  • Teams develop learned helplessness from being shut down.
  • Leaders confuse longevity for effectiveness.

• Mismatch with Market: "When you build your hard systems for stability, but the environment requires adaptability...that's a disconnect." (39:55)

Five Principles for Innovation & Leadership

Dr. Jacobs’s playbook for breeding leaders who move organizations out of conformity:

1. Question Everything (50:05)
   • Don't accept “we’ve always done it this way.” Tradition should justify itself; innovation shouldn’t have to.
2. Prioritize Impact Over Optics
   • "Optics always catch up to impact. But impact never follows optics." (51:06)
3. Build a Coalition of the Willing
   • Change requires allies—start small, prove results, build momentum. "You don't need unanimous buy-in, you need enough believers."
4. Make Failure Safe
   • Create a culture where trying and failing is valued as learning. "If your culture punishes failure, you'll never innovate." (53:13)
5. Lead with Evidence, Not Just Vision
   • Bring metrics and results, not just hope. "Tradition relies on emotion...Innovation relies on results." (54:24)

Personal Leadership and Courage

• Standing Alone: True innovation often means being misunderstood and resisting the urge to conform for acceptance. "The people defending traditions aren't defending what works. They're defending what's comfortable. And comfort is the enemy of progress." (59:09)
• Progress Requires Discomfort: If you’re not facing resistance, “you’re probably not innovating, you’re just following.” (1:01:43)

Tradition vs. Principle

• Timeless Principles vs. Outdated Habits: "Tradition is not the same as principle. Principles are timeless. Tradition is just what we got used to." (1:03:05)
• Rebuilding, Not Recklessness: You don’t have to destroy everything—just have the bravery to rebuild what’s broken.

Weekly Challenge & Call to Action

• Actionable Next Steps:
  • Identify one unquestioned tradition in your organization this week. If no one can explain why it endures, redesign it.
  • For aspiring leaders: Pick one workflow or process, improve it, and share the results.
  • For visionaries: Build your coalition—don’t wait for consensus; find those ready for change.

“The tradition trap only holds you if you let it. Break free.”
(1:05:23)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On tradition as a barrier:
  "Tradition is the comfortable lie we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid to change. It’s the shield we hide behind when someone suggests a better way and we don’t want to admit we’ve been doing it all wrong." (16:38)

• On the risk of conformity:
  "Conformity feels safe. But it's the most dangerous position that you can take. Because while you're conforming, the world is changing. And when you finally decide to adapt. You're so far behind that you can't catch up." (33:01)

• On leadership and courage:
  "If everyone agrees with you, you’re probably not innovating, you’re just following. Because innovation happens at the edge of comfort. And leadership is what gets you there." (1:01:43)

• On the challenge to listeners:
  "Identify one tradition in your organization that everyone accepts, but nobody questions and ask why. If you can't get a good answer, start redesigning something beautiful." (1:04:11)

• Principles vs. tradition:
  "Tradition is not the same as principle. Principles are timeless. Tradition is just what we got used to. And the organizations that confuse the two are the ones that are dying painfully and slowly while calling it stability." (1:03:05)

• Dr. Jacobs’ sign-off wisdom:
  "Go to the places that want you, not the places you want to get in. There are organizations out here that are waiting for someone like you to show up. The question is, are you willing to be uncomfortable, to be able to put yourself in a position to be great and prove that your concept works?" (1:06:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening statements, the problem of tradition: [00:00–02:30]
• Operational blindness and system failures: [04:00–09:00]
• Stagnation vs. stability & culture of conformity: [19:38–26:00]
• Conformity’s hidden cost; leadership anecdote: [31:19–34:00]
• Diagnosing the tradition trap (hardware/software): [36:27–39:55]
• Five principles of leadership innovation: [50:05–55:00]
• Personal resistance and innovator's journey: [59:09–1:04:11]
• Weekly challenge, encouragement, and sign-off: [1:04:11–1:06:45]

Closing Thoughts

Dr. Jacobs’ tone throughout is direct, passionate, and consistently challenges listeners to action. This episode is a call to stop hiding behind tradition, confront operational blindness head-on, and intentionally breed yourself and your teams into leaders who thrive at the edge of discomfort—where true innovation lives.

For more resources or to connect with Dr. Jacobs:
Visit breadtolead.com | SIPS Healthcare Solutions | Connect on LinkedIn

Next episode: The podcast will begin a “book club” style journey through Dr. Jacobs’ upcoming book, "Operational Blindness."