Welcome to

5TH HAMMER INNOVATION

Cultivate | Embrace | Unlock

MISSION

The mission of 5th Hammer Innovation is to cultivate a culture of curiosity and creativity that propels you and your organization toward your highest aspirations. Embrace opportunities and unlock your full potential by becoming the 5th Hammer.

DR. STEPHEN WHITEHEAD

Founder

With over two decades of experience in higher education and professional development, Steve has led numerous initiatives that foster creative problem-solving, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership. As Head of Practice for Academic Innovation at Academic Impressions, he designed and delivered programs that empowered leaders to embrace innovative mindsets and drive transformative change.

His expertise in Design Thinking, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and collaborative practices equips him with the tools to guide individuals and organizations toward creative breakthroughs. These experiences make him an exceptional facilitator to leaders and organizations seeking to foster creativity, adaptability, and growth.

SERVICES

Lego Mini figure bald man with grey beard

Lego® Serious Play®

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a dynamic tool that merges visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles into a singular, powerful approach. It enables both introverts and extroverts to think with their hands, enhancing communication and the exchange of ideas. This method fosters creativity and is ideal for inspiring innovative thinking in everyone.

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

"Imagine a workplace filled with scattered blueprints, half-built prototypes, and a team buzzing with ideas. In the center, there’s a single match—small, yet full of potential. That match is creativity. Your purpose as a leader is to strike that match, igniting curiosity and innovation across your team. To create space for bold ideas, encourage questions that challenge the norm, and celebrate failures as steppingstones to breakthroughs. Because true innovation isn’t about having all the answers, it's about daring to explore the unknown. When creativity is nurtured, curiosity thrives, and innovation follows. Our mission is to help keep that fire burning, fueling a team that doesn’t just adapt to change but drives it forward."

Blacksmith striking a piece of metal with sparks

WHAT IS THE 5TH HAMMER?

One day Pythagoras was strolling through the village. His thoughts were interrupted by the hammering of the blacksmiths as he passed their shop. It caught Pythagoras’s attention that the slamming and clanging of the hammering were not simply unorganized noise, but there was a harmony. He quickly entered the shop and gathered all the hammers for his studies. I can only imagine the scene as Pythagoras went from smith to smith and removed their hammers from their hands for scientific research and the conversations which ensued. Back in his lab he weighed and measured each hammer in an attempt to understand why they didn’t make the same sound, hoping to uncover why their harmony was so pleasant and musical. The first four hammers all weighed a multiple of the others. However, the fifth hammer did not fit in any way with the others. I like to imagine the fifth hammer being an old, beaten, well-used instrument that was no longer the exact weight it was when it was originally formed. As researchers often do, Pythagoras viewed the fifth hammer as an outlier and simply disregarded it. Attempting to replicate the music of the Smith shop with only the four hammer, Pythagoras grew frustrated as all attempts fell short of creating the original harmony. You see the fifth hammer was the secret ingredient to the harmony. The imperfection of the fifth hammer was its strength which added elements that gave resonance to the system which would have been lackluster without it. In a world increasingly driven by data, algorithms, and conventional wisdom, the fifth hammer represents the wild card—the unproven, the non-obvious, the idea beyond discussion. The fifth hammer challenges the status quo, fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. It's about embracing diversity of thought and recognizing that sometimes it's the outliers who hold the key to unlocking new possibilities. The fifth hammer is every individual willing to challenge the status quo and offer a fresh perspective. I wish to inspire you to embrace your curiosity, creativity, and unique perspectives you bring to the table. For some, this may start with recovering lost curiosity. For others, it will hopefully be kindling to ignite them to embrace their curiosity and creativity more deeply. Either way, you can become the fifth hammer.