Dr. Stacy McCracken Launches The Hidden Innovators Group to Equip Leaders for Challenges of the AI Era
Dr. Stacy McCracken, Founder & CEO, Impact and Lead, LLC / Photo Credit: Alicia Leigh Photography
New initiative helps organizations strengthen engagement, trust, and performance as leadership skills struggle to adapt to rapid technological and market change
AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Leadership strategist and innovation expert Dr. Stacy McCracken has expanded her consultancy, Impact and Lead, LLC, with the launch of The Hidden Innovators Group, a new initiative helping leaders strengthen engagement, adaptability, and performance in an era of constant change and rapidly evolving technologies. The group equips organizations with practical, research-informed systems that translate strategy into action—building the collaborative, people-centered leadership capabilities that technology alone can’t replace.
“In a rapidly changing world where new technologies emerge daily, leadership skills are struggling to keep pace,” says Dr. McCracken. “We need leaders who can think differently, build trust, engage their teams, and get things done—ethically and empathetically. That’s what The Hidden Innovators Group was built to deliver: practical systems that help leaders connect people, performance, and progress.”
“When you pause long enough to notice what matters, you stop reacting—and start leading,” adds Dr. McCracken. “When leaders learn to notice differently, they unlock the ideas hiding in plain sight.”
Drawing on more than two decades of leading transformation across manufacturing, high-tech, and higher education—including roles at General Motors, Motorola Semiconductor (now NXP), and The University of Texas at Austin—Dr. McCracken designs practical frameworks that help leaders achieve measurable results without sacrificing well-being.
Earlier in her career, she broke ground as a female engineer in unionized manufacturing, led quality and lean system improvements, and advised high-tech executive teams through both economic booms and recessions. After experiencing burnout working with fear-driven leaders, she made a pivotal shift to developing people-centered, future-ready leaders and designing programs that blend strategy, innovation, execution, and leadership development for professionals worldwide.
A lifelong learner, McCracken earned her MBA while working full-time and, in 2024, completed her Doctor of Technology in Technology, Leadership, and Innovation at Purdue University. Her original research revealed that curiosity about AI when combined with growth mindset significantly strengthens innovative thinking beyond a growth mindset alone—a finding that shapes her modern approach to leadership development. Today, her work emphasizes adaptability, noticing, questioning, and experimentation as the skills leaders need to thrive in the AI era.
Through The Hidden Innovators Group, Dr. McCracken offers executive coaching, team development, and strategic consulting that help leaders and organizations achieve sustainable results. Her signature programs include:
- The IMPACT Experience™ — A research-based leadership system built on proven assessments and original frameworks that help mid-career professionals and women in leadership move from stuck or burned out to clear, confident, and high-impact.
- Hidden Innovator Circles™ — Small, high-trust groups where diverse leaders solve real business challenges, exchange peer coaching, and spark new thinking through connection.
- AI Clarity Compass™ — A practical roadmap that helps leaders identify where AI adds real value, reduce confusion, and build confidence through strategy rather than hype.
- NOTICE™ Framework — A coaching methodology that helps leaders better understand and engage the people they lead, fostering coaching cultures that bridge generational divides and strengthen trust across today’s multigenerational workforce.
A sought-after keynote speaker and thought leader, Dr. McCracken has delivered sessions for WomenTech Network, Austin Tech Week, and Purdue’s Women’s Leadership Conference. She also co-hosts “A Dash of Salt,” a leadership and life podcast exploring professional growth and mid-career reinvention through real-world stories.
To learn more about Dr. McCracken’s programs, book her for a keynote, or inquire about executive coaching and consulting services, visit stacymccracken.com.
About Dr. Stacy McCracken
Dr. Stacy McCracken is the Founder and CEO of The Hidden Innovators Group and Impact and Lead. A trained engineer, leadership strategist, global speaker, and innovation expert, she has developed thousands of professionals and guided transformations for Fortune 500 companies, higher education institutions, and mission-driven organizations worldwide. Her signature frameworks—The IMPACT Compass Method™, NOTICE™, and The AI Clarity Compass™—combine original research exploring the intersection of growth mindset, AI, and innovative thinking with proven methodologies in leadership development. She helps leaders develop future-ready talent, foster cultures of innovation, and achieve meaningful results. Dr. McCracken holds degrees from Purdue University (B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Doctor of Technology) and Auburn University (MBA). She is a certified Insights Discovery Practitioner, John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, has trained in lean systems at Toyota University, and in design thinking at Stanford’s d.school.
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