In this episode of The E1B2 Collective Podcast, AJ Vaughan unpacks a provocative insight sparked by a recent listen to The Ready Podcast: why do we expect the same average teams—who’ve struggled to innovate for years—to suddenly spark change just by “collaborating more”? He explores the seductive myth of internal DIY transformation, the overlooked power of psychological safety, and the real reason your team might be stuck in the mud.

AJ challenges HR leaders and executives to rethink how they budget for capability-building—not just execution. He dives deep into the ROI of bringing in external experts, not to replace internal teams, but to level them up, build muscle, and transfer mindsets that actually stick. This one’s for the CHROs, L&D leads, and People Ops innovators tired of spinning in circles with “collaborative mediocrity.”

Stop doing more of the same and expecting better. Let's talk about what real change takes.