The Unexpected Power of Boundaries: Rethinking the Rules, Risks, and Real Drivers of Innovation

What if the secret to breakthrough innovation isn’t thinking outside the box— but knowing where the box ends?

In The Unexpected Power of Boundaries, bestselling author and innovation strategist Sheri Jacobs challenges everything we’ve been told about creativity.

Innovation doesn’t just happen, and it’s not about luck or timing. It’s about creating a structure that nourishes ideas, allows people to experiment, and provides clarity around constraints.

Through powerful stories, candid interviews, and lessons from unexpected places—from Pixar to polar expeditions—Jacobs reveals why boundaries don’t limit innovation; they launch it. This book is a practical, inspiring guide for leaders and teams who want to move faster, take smarter risks, and make innovation a repeatable habit.

You’ll learn:

1. Why boundaries fuel creativity

2. How to make risk-taking safer

3. Why some of the best ideas come from unexpected people and places

4. How to separate the “what” from the “how”— and why that changes everything

5. Why you need to “take more shots” if you wish to innovate

When people know they have creative freedom— and equally important, clarity about exactly what to explore—they stop hesitating. They start experimenting. And that’s exactly where meaningful innovation begins to take root. Whether you’re leading a boardroom, launching a product, or shaking up the status quo, The Unexpected Power of Boundaries will help you create the perfect conditions for bold ideas to lead to true innovation.

Sheri Jacobs is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and innovation strategist who helps organizations unlock their creative potential by rethinking boundaries, risks, and leadership. As the founder of Avenue M Group, she has partnered with over three hundred organizations and surveyed over half a million people to uncover what drives real transformation and growth.

She is the author of Pivot Point: Reshaping Your Business When It Matters Most and The Art of Membership, two bestselling books filled with practical, no-nonsense strategies for building smarter, more resilient organizations. Known for blending big ideas with humor and heart, Sheri’s talks and writing leave people inspired and ready to act.

When she’s not working with teams or speaking on stage, you’ll find her running, playing tennis, photographing wildlife in remote corners of the world, or at home in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Jon, and their dogs.