Fearless Creative Leadership

A five minute edited highlight of our full conversation.

'The Optimist'. Technology is increasingly the platform on which fearless creative leadership sits. The challenge of this is twofold. First, we need the capability to get the answers to the questions that we know. How do I solve these known problems, and what role does technology play in that? And second, we need the courage to ask questions that until now have been unimaginable or inconceivable. Today, like never before, real-world technology can take us to places that used to be the stuff of fantasy - ideas that existed only in the recesses of our imagination and were never allowed past our office building's security guard once we got to work in the morning. Today, leaving those ideas at the door can be the difference between success and failure. Rewiring ourselves to expand our own curiosity and understanding of what might be possible is a fundamental requirement of successful modern leadership. It's no longer enough to think that a linear progression based on what we know today is anything like enough to figure out what will be needed tomorrow. The best leaders are constantly provoking conversations and exploration about what the future could look like - and should look like - so that they can light the trails and take the leaps required of companies as they reach the top of their current S-curve, and stare into what comes next. Those conversations and that exploration is literally impossible without exposing ourselves to the outer limits of what technology will be capable of in 5-10 years. If, as leaders, we don't stretch our own imagination, we cannot hope to make decisions in the short-term that will maximize the possibility that this company will still be relevant in the long-term. The day-to-day demands of leadership require we place one eye firmly on the ground directly in front of us. But the speed with which the future is coming at us, requires that we train our mind's eye to see beyond the unlikely, and instead help us imagine a world in which the impossible becomes the inevitable. As the Global Design Practice Director at IBM, Elizabeth Kiehner applies some of the world's most powerful technology to solve the problems of today and tomorrow. I talked to Elizabeth about the expansion of natural language technology in our daily lives, about a machine's ability to edit tennis highlights without human involvement and about how to design solutions for problems that will exist 5 years from now.

A five minute edited highlight of our full conversation.

'The Difference Maker'. Over time and with experience, the best leaders are able to quiet the internal noise. The voice in their head becomes less critical and more confident - more certain and more consistent. That's when things really start to happen. When it really gets interesting. For them. And for the people around them. It requires a willingness to look within. To ask the questions and face the answers.That 's where the journey towards being a Fearless Creative leader begins. Where it finishes is up to you. Nils Leonard is the definition of a self-made success. As you'll hear, his journey carried him from humble roots to becoming the chairman and chief creative office of one of the most celebrated ad agencies in London before he turned 40. Today, he is the co-founder of Uncommon, a company that builds brands that people wished existed in the world. He is a disruptive and somewhat controversial figure. I met Nils on a recent trip to London in Uncommon's offices, and we talked about why tattooing played a critical role in his early life, about what he's learned about unlocking creative talent, and about his own personal evolution and understanding of what matters most.

A five minute edited highlight of our full conversation.

'The Futurist'. Faith Popcorn has spent almost half a century living in the future. She has predicted everything from the inevitable to the unbelievable. Her company, Faith Popcorn's Brain Reserve has been instrumental in unlocking what comes next for many of the world's largest companies and most iconic brands. I met Faith in her townhouse in Manhattan and she talked about the importance of conflict…about why companies hate change…..and about the future of the human race. For more information: www.FearlessCreativeLeadership.com

A five minute edited highlight of our full conversation.

'The Listener'. Adam Bryant is the creator of 'The Corner Office', a weekly feature of The New York Times in which he interviews business leaders from diverse industries. The Corner Office has been around since 2008, and if you haven't come across it, I encourage you to go and explore the library of knowledge and insights it provides. I talked to Adam about what he's learned from interviewing hundred of business leaders, about a new description of the most meaningful influences over a company's culture and about the art of listening.

A five minute edited highlight of our conversation.

'The Poet'. Today's guest is Wendy Clark, the CEO of DDB, North America. She has been the President of Strategic Marketing at Coca-Cola and the SVP of Global Marketing at AT&T. She was named Ad Age's Executive of the Year for 2017 and she is rewriting the rules of the advertising industry. She is also is a wife, the mother of three and one of the most respected and warmly held leaders in today's creative industries. And, she will 'crush' you if you underestimate her. I talked to Wendy about growing up as the outsider, about the place she never takes her phone, and about her mother's role in helping her pass her poetry class. This is Wendy Clark unfiltered.