Fearless Creative Leadership

Justin Gignac is the co-founder of Working Not Working - a curated community of 80,000 of the best creatives in the world. Most businesses today are led and staffed by predominantly white people. Very, very few companies reflect society. Leaders are suddenly galvanized to fix this problem, publishing staffing numbers and pledging to hire diverse talent.  I believe them when they say it. I believe them when they say they’re going to work to create environments that support and embrace the emotional and cultural safety of every person. But the question that too few leaders are addressing is where will we find these people? If you're really going to fix this problem, you’re going to have look for talent in different places, define a successful candidate in different terms and hire in different ways.

This episode is part of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”. Today, leadership requires that you meet the challenges of two viruses - COVID-19 and racism. In this environment, unlocking creative thinking has never been more valuable or essential. John Couch is the VP of Product Design at Hulu and author of “The Art of Creative Rebellion: How to champion creativity, change culture and save your soul”. He is also the child of an interracial marriage, at a time when interracial marriages were illegal.  He has suffered prejudice from both sides of his ancestry. And he has emerged, thoughtful, philosophical and committed to making a lasting difference.

This episode is part of season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus.”  Since the outbreak of COVID-19, this podcast has been focused on how leaders are adapting to a global health pandemic.  But the death of George Floyd has finally and fully exposed what millions of people already knew. Another virus has already infected our society.  Racism. It’s been here for centuries. It adapts and evolves, it is fueled by hate and fear and it leaves in its wake deep, wide and lasting damage. And pain.  Today, leadership requires that you meet the challenges of both the coronavirus and of racism.  Talking will not do it. Well written manifestos will not do it. Posting employment statistics will not do it. You have to make hard decisions, in some cases financially expensive decisions. Otherwise, you’re complicit.  This episode is a conversation with Ian Davis, Founder + Principal at Age Of The Creative. They describe themselves as a creative consulting firm that problem solves for companies and brands. They bridge the disparate worlds of business, strategy and artistry through deep relationships with their network of over 200 influential creative artists.  I invited Ian on the show after reading an open letter that he posted on LinkedIn in early June.  Ian is a black man and his letter was addressed to Jonathan Shipman, who was Head of Production at McCann, when Ian was a producer at the ad agency a little over ten years ago. In the letter, Ian describes two incidents in which he believed Jonathan and other members of McCann’s leadership perpetrated what he later came to understand were micro-aggressions. Micro-aggressions are another form of racism.  I’ve known Jonathan Shipman for a number of years and I believe him to be a caring, sensitive man. Reading Ian’s post, I was struck by three things. Ian’s courage in writing the letter. Jonathan’s honest and humble responses to the post. And to my own reaction, which was to wonder whether I might have been guilty of similar behavior without recognizing it in the past.  Racism is a virus.  If Black Lives Matter is to be a vaccine or at the very least a therapeutic, we need to shine a light on racism in all its forms. And many of us, many of us need to be much better educated about how racism shows up so that we can take real action to wipe it out.  This conversation is part of that work.

This episode is part of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”.  In these conversations we discover how some of the world’s most innovative and creative leaders are adapting their leadership to our new reality.  These people are among the world’s best problem solvers.  This episode is a conversation with Carl Johnson, one of the founding partners and the Executive Chairman of Anomaly.  It was recorded just before George Floyd’s death. But it is filled with insights and truths that I believe must be at the heart of modern leadership as together we invent a future that welcomes and supports everyone.  Carl was my guest on Episode 2 of the podcast, 3 years ago. He has always been a disruptor - unafraid to break the rules. In fact, he wants to. Faced by a pandemic or inspired by a movement for lasting social change and he’ll lead the charge - whether it’s inventing the office of the future or redefining how great companies attract and unlock the potential of all talent.  In these conversations, one thing’s becoming clear to me. The better leaders are moving faster. And as the saying goes, they’re not satisfied with predicting the future. They’re inventing it. The expectations for which have never been higher.

This episode is part of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”. In these conversations we discover how some of the world’s most innovative and creative leaders are adapting their leadership to our new reality. These people are among the world’s best problem solvers. This episode is a conversation with Adam Tucker of Ogilvy and WPP.  It was recorded just before the events in Minneapolis took place and the subsequent protests that are now spreading around the world.  Leadership is not about trying to be the loudest or the toughest or the smartest.  It is about caring about the people you lead. About being human. During our conversation Adam talked about three questions that he thinks have become critical. Are you okay? Are you really okay? How can we help? As the world catches fire, these questions become more important every day. 

This episode is a conversation with Lisa Clunie and Jaime Robinson, the co-founder of Joan - a 4 year old independent creative company.  I knew Lisa and Jaime before they knew each other. When they finally met, they each asked me to work with them to decide if they would be good partners for each other.  As you’ll hear, their chemistry was obvious immediately. If you’ve listened to the podcast much, you’ll know I’m an advocate for women ruling the world. And for the qualities that women leaders bring. This conversation and my recent episode with Gina Hadley of the Second Shift highlight an obvious truth. Working from home is no longer a compromise. And can never be seen as one again. Which means the disruption caused by this pandemic has created a unique opportunity for us to reinvent businesses so that they work for everyone. So that women can play much bigger and more significant roles in their companies AND in their families. Now, perhaps, finally, there is a way to design businesses so that women do not feel the need to compromise. The plans are being drawn, the cement is being poured. Now is the time for women and their supporters to design and build the companies of the future. What role do you want to play in that?

This episode is part of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”. In these conversations we discover how some of the world’s most innovative and creative leaders are adapting their leadership to our new reality. These people are among the world’s best problem solvers.  This episode is a conversation with Gina Hadley, the co-founder of The Second Shift. In their words, they are on a mission to connect empowered women with companies who need their skills, their talent, and their voices. The pandemic is accelerating change across society. I personally hope that the Second Shift will help to bring about one of the most meaningful changes that could come from all this. Namely, the ability to connect companies with talented women who want to work on a more flexible basis. Gina talked about how to fully understand what your employees need, about the benefits of real empowerment of your employees, and about the personal challenge of living in the moment.

This episode is a conversation with Simon Cook - the Managing Director of Cannes Lions. The focus of the Lions is to explore, provoke and celebrate the power of creativity and innovation in the business world.  The annual Cannes Lions festival is formed by 20,000+ people coming together every June in the south of France and all that goes with that. Except this year. When for the first time in almost 70 years, there will be no physical festival. Simon talked about how to adapt an organization that was built for one reality into one that delivers value to its community even in an entirely different set of circumstances, about the need to eradicate assumed knowledge, and about why walking in London is so important to him.

This episode is our eleventh of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”. In these conversations we discover how some of the world’s most innovative and creative leaders are adapting their leadership to our new reality. These people are among the world’s best problem solvers.  This episode is a conversation with the people who lead 72andSunny - John Boiler, Glenn Cole, Matt Jarvis and Evin Shutt. Partnerships are hard. In some cases they’re destructive.  This partnership is one of the best I’ve ever seen. We talked about connecting and reconnecting, about resilience, and about reimagining the future.

This episode marks the three year anniversary of Fearless. When we started this podcast in 2017, none of could have forecast the state of the world three years later. One thing has become obvious - creative and innovative thinking has become even more critical as we start to build a new future. And leaders who can unlock creativity and innovation will be the most valuable and sought after resource for every business.  This episode is our tenth of Season 2 - which we’ve sub-titled, “Leading In The Time Of Virus”. These people are among the world’s best problem solvers.  This episode is a conversation with Rosemarie Ryan, the co-founder of CO: Collective. CO describes themselves as a creative and strategic transformation partner for purpose-led businesses. They are some of the best strategic problem solvers and business builders I know.  Rose talked about creating a sense of community within your company, about being willing to confront your company’s biggest problems out loud, and explains why listening is the most important leadership attribute.