October 15, 2025 • 32 mins
I am thrilled to welcome Lisa Gralnek, a go-to resource on values driven leadership to discuss the importance of being present of our current state, while always planning for and thinking about tomorrow. Lisa's expertise also brings a unique perspective to our conversation about future-forward initiatives around brand and design.
Lisa is a driving force in strategy and brand building, Lisa is an influential business leader with a career spanning senior roles at adidas, Chobani, moo.com, The Boston Consulting Group, and Walmart. Currently the US Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability & Impact at iF Design — the prestigious international design institution and host of the annual cross-disciplinary iF DESIGN AWARD since 1953. Her independent consultancy LVG & Co. has pioneered future-forward growth initiatives since 2017, and is a corporate member of 1% for the Planet.
Prior to pivoting into business innovation and transformation, she spent nearly a decade as a Photo Editor and Talent Agent in the global world of high fashion. A sought-after speaker, author, and thought leader on values-driven leadership, Lisa’s work has graced publications like The New York Times, Fast Company and Fortune, while her insightful contributions have been featured at global conferences, corporate workshops, and media summits on five continents. Her award-winning interview series FUTURE OF XYZ, now in its 7th season, is presented by iF Design and is a proud member of Sandow's SURROUND Podcast Network. Lisa holds a BA in Political Science and French from Bates College and an MBA in International Business from INSEAD.
(2:13) We start off learning about who Lisa Gralnek is in the world.
(3:05) Lisa shares how she sees nature and how it has impacted her life and career.
(4:56) How does Lisa reflect on her past experiences and how do they influence decisions today?
(8:51) Lisa delves into how she feels that “values drive a brand”.
(10:48) We learn more about one of Lisa’s strength “Today + Tomorrow”
(13:10) How does “design” fit into everything?
(16:02) What are the patterns and thinking that Lisa is seeing in her work?
(20:20) How do we start having conversations to become more “human centered”?
(22:30) Who does Lisa follow, and where does she find her inspiration?
(25:30) What message does Lisa want to share with the Warrior Community?
(28:10) Over the next 5 years, what does Lisa see about the impact she has had?
Connect with Lisa Gralnek
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagralnek/
https://ifdesign.com/en/
Subscribe: Warriors At Work Podcasts
Website: https://jeaniecoomber.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/986666321719033/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanie_coomber/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanie_coomber
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanie-coomber-90973b4/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMZ2HyNNyPoeCSqKClBC_w
Lisa is a driving force in strategy and brand building, Lisa is an influential business leader with a career spanning senior roles at adidas, Chobani, moo.com, The Boston Consulting Group, and Walmart. Currently the US Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability & Impact at iF Design — the prestigious international design institution and host of the annual cross-disciplinary iF DESIGN AWARD since 1953. Her independent consultancy LVG & Co. has pioneered future-forward growth initiatives since 2017, and is a corporate member of 1% for the Planet.
Prior to pivoting into business innovation and transformation, she spent nearly a decade as a Photo Editor and Talent Agent in the global world of high fashion. A sought-after speaker, author, and thought leader on values-driven leadership, Lisa’s work has graced publications like The New York Times, Fast Company and Fortune, while her insightful contributions have been featured at global conferences, corporate workshops, and media summits on five continents. Her award-winning interview series FUTURE OF XYZ, now in its 7th season, is presented by iF Design and is a proud member of Sandow's SURROUND Podcast Network. Lisa holds a BA in Political Science and French from Bates College and an MBA in International Business from INSEAD.
(2:13) We start off learning about who Lisa Gralnek is in the world.
(3:05) Lisa shares how she sees nature and how it has impacted her life and career.
(4:56) How does Lisa reflect on her past experiences and how do they influence decisions today?
(8:51) Lisa delves into how she feels that “values drive a brand”.
(10:48) We learn more about one of Lisa’s strength “Today + Tomorrow”
(13:10) How does “design” fit into everything?
(16:02) What are the patterns and thinking that Lisa is seeing in her work?
(20:20) How do we start having conversations to become more “human centered”?
(22:30) Who does Lisa follow, and where does she find her inspiration?
(25:30) What message does Lisa want to share with the Warrior Community?
(28:10) Over the next 5 years, what does Lisa see about the impact she has had?
Connect with Lisa Gralnek
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagralnek/
https://ifdesign.com/en/
Subscribe: Warriors At Work Podcasts
Website: https://jeaniecoomber.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/986666321719033/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanie_coomber/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanie_coomber
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanie-coomber-90973b4/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMZ2HyNNyPoeCSqKClBC_w
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you really think about brands, you have brand positioning,
(00:03):
which has things like mission, like vision values is core
to that, in my opinion, your value, proposition and your promise.
Now your whole bunch of other pieces like who's your audience,
and like what's your go to market and all that,
but like mission and vision and values are really really,
really corely fundamental.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Welcome to the Warriors at Work Show. This is Genie Coomber,
your guide and host. This is a show for men
and women in the workplace who want to move from
the predictable to the potent. This is your weekly dose
of inspiration with an edge. I talk with CEOs and Shaman's,
sports marketing executives and therapists. All of us are like
(00:48):
minded thinkers and doers who tell stories, share wisdom, and
challenge each other to have the best life possible inside
and outside the office. Welcome to your Warrior Conversation. Hey everybody,
it's Genni. Thanks so much for joining me here today.
Warriors at Work Today, I am bringing to you an
(01:09):
interview with a thinker, a visionary, a force in strategy
and brand building. Lisa Grownick. Her career has spanned senior
roles at Adidas, Chobanimoo dot Com, the Boston Consulting Group,
and Walmart. Lisa is currently the US Managing Director and
Global head of Sustainability and Impact at IF Design. IF
(01:33):
Design is the prestigious international design institution and host of
the annual IF Design Award. Lisa is the go to
resource on values driven leadership. Her work has been featured
in The New York Times, Fast Company, and Fortune, and
today she shares her gifts with us. Enjoy Lisa Grownnick,
(01:54):
thank you so much for joining me here today. I'm
really looking forward to having this conversation with you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Janie me also, so, where I'm going to start with
like a big, juicy question. There's so much that I
want to get to in terms of this beautiful work
that you're doing in the world. But what I want
to do is take a step back and how do
you tell us who's Lisa in the world.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Oh? I love starting with small questions. Well, professionally, I
hold a couple of different roles. I host a podcast
as well that I started five years ago. We just
celebrated our one hundred and fiftieth anniversary last month. One
hundred and fiftieth episode anniversary. It's called Future of Xyz,
(02:42):
so I love doing that. But I also work for
an organization called IF Design, which is a German nonprofit
and we run the world's largest independent design award as
well as a design academy, and I am the managing
director for the US as well as heading up sustainability
and impact globally.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So just a couple of things that you're doing in
the world. I want to jump into something that you
shared with me relating to what you do for sustainability.
For sure, you shared with me when we were preparing
for this conversation that when you were growing up you
were passionate about nature and sustainability. I would love for
(03:25):
you to tell us more about how that has informed
you in terms of what you do for a career,
what you get up every day to do in the world.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean it's interesting. I think you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I grew up in southern California kind of on the beach,
so nature was the beauty around me all the time,
and I spent my summers with my grandparents on an
island with no electricity off the coast of Maine, which
couldn't be more beautiful and I've often said, you know,
(03:58):
nature is my religion, and I really see the natural
world as being the only thing that actually matters, not
only because it sustains our life for us as humans,
but as part of an ecosystem that we are just
a little piece of. So I think, you know, that's
kind of where it all comes from. But of course,
growing up in southern California in the seventies and eighties,
(04:22):
I mean, we were still already having pollution days, where
in elementary and junior high you weren't allowed to go
to pe or the playground because of the air quality.
We had major wildfires, you know, and I remember watching
houses burn and you know, hosing off the roof, not
even to mention the things that humans were doing to
(04:43):
each other. I mean, you know, so, I think I
just always was very sensitive to the state of the
planet as well as the state of society.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And when you think about what you do today, how
often are you refer colecting on all those early life
experiences in how you make choices, how you're making recommendations,
how you're showing up in the world. How do you
connect the two?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Oh, I mean, I you know, I don't see them
as separated. I mean, in some ways, I've been speaking
about values driven leadership and values based brand building for
I mean twenty five plus years now, and you know,
it all informs us. I think, you know, my first
I studied political science in my undergrad years, and I
(05:32):
wrote a senior thesis on identity politics which was called
Self versus Other capital S capital O, which seems increasingly
relevant these days, which was basically, we're all self to
ourselves and we're all other to everyone else, and then
that we're exactly the same, and it requires the respect
of recognition that it doesn't make any difference any other
(05:54):
of the differences because we're exactly the same in our difference.
So a little esoteric or more than a little esoteric,
but that really ended up become kind of blueprint for
how I try to show up in the world, and
so between you know, my nature is my religion and
and you know, kind of that sense of respect everyone equally.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I really do try to show up that way. And
it led to this.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Kind of values driven attitude towards leadership, towards business, towards
brand especially, and and I've always been kind of in
the intersection of business and design I've I've joked for years,
and it's not very funny, to be honest, but I've
joked for years that I'm equally left and right brained.
(06:37):
There are very few people who are who are not.
I think some engineers, I think a lot of architects.
But it's this kind of art and science blend, and
it's in. There aren't a lot of places in the
world for that because the world has moved more and
more towards data, data, data analytics, analytics, analytics, and then
(06:59):
and then you have you're creative, right, which we are
got to Even though we elevate and celebrate creativity, it
has moved further and further into the realm of business.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I feel like in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
And so as someone who's always kind of approached in
that holistic seeing it from the art and science perspective
and the it being whatever it is, especially my career
or business, coming back to the values really allows that
intersection between the left and the right brain, between the
art and the science, between what you hold dear you know,
which for me is that nature and that humanity mixed
(07:37):
with the fact that we live in a capitalist society
and we all need to survive, so I think it
kind of informs everything I do, and design is kind
of where this intersection lives, even though that's considered a
creative pursuit.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Design in every form, whether.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You're talking about a big building or a master plan
for a city, or an infrastructure project, or a an
interface on a cell phone, or even the data centers
themselves or the AI and just think about anything that's
modern right now, the rocket ships like go on and
on and on, and design at the end of the
day is this intersection between the left and the right brain.
(08:15):
Because you need all of the human inputs and the
insights in order and the business fundamentals right in order
to bring something reasonable to market, even if it's a
painting these days that you actually want to make money on.
You have to have that business underpinnings, which again is
left brain, and then you have to have the creativity
to be able to imagine something that never existed before,
(08:37):
which actually we're creating more and more things that already
existed and it's totally uninteresting. But like that's really where
design comes in, and creativity and innovation is you know,
this this really awesome kind of combination of the two things.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You know, you said something that I'd love for you
to expand upon, and you start of touching upon it
when you were expanding there. But I want to go
back back to this idea that values. You're very focused
on how values drive a brand, so I'd love for
you to say a little bit more there.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah, I mean, look, I've been a brand strategist for
a lot of my career, I including right before I
joined IF, I was running my own consultancy, which was
a brand strategy consultancy for seven and a half years,
doing work with Ikea and Walmart and lots of big
companies as well as as an advisor to a lot
of smaller companies on nonprofits, etc. At the end of
the day, if you really think about brand, you have
(09:34):
brand positioning, which has things like mission, like vision values
is core to that, in my opinion, your value proposition
and your promise. Now the a whole bunch of other
pieces like who's your audience and like what's your go
to market and all that, But like mission and vision
and values are really really really corely fundamental, and your
(09:56):
value proposition and your brand promise emerge out.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Of those, and the values are the underpinnings.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I mean I often will describe them as like the
true north or like the north star, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And if you're a tiny.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Little brand, you know your values, like you really really
need to hold to those or you can get put
off course really really quickly.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
But if you're a.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Huge corporate conglomerate, your north star is actually easier to
steer to. But if you get just even a little
points off, you're you've completely steered the ship in the
wrong direction.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I mean, because a big tanker versus a little ship.
So I think.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Values are really, really, really kind of the guiding light
about who are we in the world, what do we
believe in, what do we want to achieve? And they
tie in nicely with your mission and vision and everything else.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But values are really core beliefs.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I've loved when you talk about your strengths as today
plus tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Oh on my LinkedIn profile. You mean, yes, I was like,
brilliant and say more about that. I mean, look, you
know I already talked about I think left brain right
brain is on there too, or maybe I've changed it
subsequently to creative and analytical because most people don't know
what left brain and right brain means, but I have
a bunch of dichotomies. You know, grow up on West Coast,
(11:18):
East Coast. I've lived most of my life in the US,
but I've spent enormous time in Europe and worked mostly
for European companies. You know, they are a whole bunch
of these dichotomies within me. But also the biggest one
probably is this idea of today and tomorrow. I mean,
I was calling myself a futurist over twelve years ago,
(11:40):
and I don't call myself that anymore because there's actually
a practice where people are selling futurism as a skill
and as a profession, and that's not what I'm doing
at the moment. Even though my podcast is Future of Xyz,
I'm not advising on it and I'm not anticipating. But
the ability to extrapolate from where we have been to
(12:04):
where we are and looking ahead it is a core
skill set, I mean. And if you're a strategist and
that isn't one of your core skill sets, you probably
should be looking for a different job. That's humble opinion,
But I do I love the today and the tomorrow
because I mean, we're supposed to psychologically be very mindful
(12:24):
and stay in the presence. But the end of the day,
the interesting thing for me, intellectually as well as intuitively.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Is where's it all going? Where is it leading?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
And so I mean I think about that in business,
like if you're not thinking ahead and I'm not talking
about next quarter, I'm talking about like further ahead.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
That's why I have today plus tomorrow on there, because
I don't know how you can do business, much less
design without that.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
It's such a clever way to capture the importance of
being present and aware of your current state but planning
for and thinking about tomorrow. And I had just never
seen anybody articulate it that way, and I just loved it.
You often say, we must understand that design belongs on
(13:15):
top as we move into the future of a world
addressing growing complexity, climate shifts, and change. Good design is
the answer and we must support it. And so for
all those people listening watching, going okay, so what is
this design thing, how does this all fit? What would
you say?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I mean again, I work for an organization called I
Have Design, where one of the old is design institutions
in the world, and our mission is really, you know,
to elevate design excellence as it serves the world and
makes it better. That's the core belief that we have,
and it's a core belief that I have. As I
(13:56):
mentioned before, I believe that design is kind of that
intersectction of creativity, you know, left brain with with the
analytical piece of the right brain, because you're bringing something
new into the world.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And at the end of the day, design.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Not the not the beauty, not the prettiness, not the
you know what we all talk about, like the sexiness
of like design. But design is everything. I mean, design
is the products for sure. Design is our packaging.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
For sure. Design are our places, whether we're.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Talking about a home or an interior, or a public
square or a commercial building or a hotel or or
even uh you know a place on Mars you know
that that Elon's imagining or someone else.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
And it's also our platforms.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I mean, I mean AI platforms, social media platforms, news
media platforms, and it's policies.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I call it the new five piece.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
It's like design is really product packaging right places, you know,
policies and of course platforms.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
And this is really important to me.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
So I think design is everything, and I really want
us to be using design thinking, which is kind of
an ugly word these days, but design thinking is really
critical thinking. It's integrative thinking, it's holistic thinking. It's thinking
again across left and right brain. It's about collaboration, and
it's needed to be elevated into the C suite because
we're at risk right now as a culture, as a
(15:29):
world of racing to the bottom, because we're looking at
margin margin, margin, efficiency, efficiency, efficiency, and at the end
of the day, where's the love, where's the beauty? Where's
the efficacy for the planet or for the people in that?
I mean, then we're just human doings and like we're
supposed to be being.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Wow, that is so important what you just said completely
see the same thing, overly focused on productivity, performance over people,
over experience, over humanity. So so important. I wanted to
go a step further into the work. I'd love for
you to share what are the patterns of thinking and
(16:12):
feelings associated with what you're seeing? Is their patterns? Is
there things that you're noticing? And then how are you
addressing it?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh that's a big question.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Look, I think we're living in challenging times. I don't
think anyone can deny that, and they're more challenging today
than they were even two years ago or ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Now, my grandfather used to say to me, you know,
every generation thinks it's living in the hardest time, and
he went through history to show me and prove to
me his case.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I agreed with.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Him, and respectfully, this was I was nineteen and in
the heart of my colleague years, and respectfully also disagreed
because I saw some things on the horizon coming back
to today and tomorrow that I was concerned about. And
I will avoid some of those topics right now for listeners.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Who wouldn't agree.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
But I think we are seeing the ramifications of uncertainty,
of growing division, of uncertainty and insecurity manifest into really
a lack of innovation, real innovation, and a lack of
(17:39):
real creativity and a lack.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Of real problem solving.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
There's a lot of band aids, and it's been happening
for the last thirty years. There's a lot of band
aiding that's happening.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
And frankly, i'm speaking in the Western world.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I mean it's not exclusive, but like what's happening in
other parts of the world leads for a lot more
because the status quo was less developed, at least in
the twentieth century, and.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
So you see a lot more room.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
For master planning type situations. And that's the stuff that
excites me. And so you see these kind of dichotomies
of like, you know, I think that there's an arrogance
in the West broadly, and there's a shrinkage of influence
and confidence among those who travel and know and who
(18:30):
really are looking to have impact, and that insecurity of
where is all of this going, Where is the balance
of power? What is happening with our planet right has
really infiltrated You asked me about my work, Like that
sense of insecurity is infiltrating every organization I know right now.
(18:54):
And you know, not everyone is able to articulate that
or even see it, perhaps, but I think that is
just the truth of it. And this has been going
on for quite a while, and it just the speed
of change is on the technological side is increasing so
rapidly and has been. I mean, like the exponentialization of
(19:19):
technological innovation slash change over the last thirty five years
is remarkable. It's unparalleled. I mean, you think about from
the start of the Industrial Revolution to nineteen eighty four.
Really when we started, you know, with with kind of
personal computers to now in twenty twenty five, I mean,
(19:39):
it is a whole different universe. And as you see,
generations are not adapting as some generations aren't adapting as well.
So all of this is creating uncertainty and a little
bit of chaos. And at the same time, those organizations
and those leaders and those entrepreneurs and those artists and
those activists who have a vision have a chance to
(20:02):
really have a big impact.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And that excites me.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
That's that's where I really want to lean in on,
not on the incrementality of things, but on like where's
where's where's there a real opportunity for inclusion versus exclusion
and innovation versus incrementalization.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Well that that was leading me actually to my next
question is like, how do we get ourselves and the
conversation back to being more human centered? Hmmm.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
We have to be human first, I mean, and we
have to recognize what humanity is because it's not us
versus them. Humanity is a species on this planet that
frankly has been incredibly destructive and continues to get worse
and worse. There is more than enough to go around
(20:52):
for every one of the eight and a half billion
people on this planet right now to have basic you know, food, shelter,
medical education. We are the richest world we have ever been,
with the most efficiency and the most resources. How we
are treating the planet and how we are treating each
other is abominable. Frankly sorry, I feel very passionately about.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
That at the moment.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And you ask the very basic question, how do we
get more human centered? Well, we have to recognize what
humanity means. Human centered isn't a design principle. It's not
to have better ux or UI, although it serves that purpose.
It's about how do you bring It comes back to
the word inclusive versus exclusive, how do you bring as
many people into the fold? Inclusive design is actually thinking
(21:41):
about like all the different needs, the neurodivergence, right. I
mean you have great case studies of like supermarkets in
England who have like created like autistic hours, you know,
so for like a people to be able to shop
and they're not getting like the blaring lights and the
blaring sound like or elderly people shopping differently, or experience
sing a night at the movies differently, like, thinking about
(22:03):
experiences of life through a human lens that is inclusive
to as many or all as possible is how we
get back to human centered everything. It's just it's again
respect and understanding, empathy.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I love what you just said, and I loved how
much power and passion you have for what you just said.
That one's gonna stick with me for a couple of days.
How you just said that. I'm so curious, Like, who
do you follow? Who you inspired by God?
Speaker 1 (22:34):
I mean, if you look at my Instagram account, I
mean I have like eight hundred followers or something, and
I follow like thirty five hundred accounts by like by
by algorithmic awareness.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
That is a disaster. Like that's just basically they don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Who you are. They don't know what's going on.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
And also, like the algorithm thinks that if you follow
more than you are followed, you're a loser.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
And so you don't get you don't get shown, which
you know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
In the world that we're living in now, we have
to I believe we have to source our own information.
And I follow increasingly an enormous number not just on
social media but in general, an enormous number of activists
and non and NGOs who are doing real work that
really matters on the ground, whether they're the big ones
(23:23):
like med San Sanfontier, you know, or even World Central
Kitchen you know, Jose Andress, or you know, the UN
as a non governmental organization. I follow a lot of artists,
whether you're talking street artists and performers and culture and
design and really again non commercially leaning.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
We're not talking about like El Decore.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
Which I follow too and I like, but like that's
not where I'm getting my information anymore. It's really like
and obviously substack, but I'm thinking just strictly in terms
of like Instagram and how I curate. I'm following an
enormous number of politicians at local and national levels and
international levels. Claudia Scheinbaum, who's the President of Mexico, I
(24:06):
think is absolutely phenomenal, you know, And and there are
a number of leaders in the world today at local
brother Jones, you know, down in Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
You know, people who are putting their necks out.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
And then the change makers and business, the change makers
in impact, the change makers in climate. I mean, Jane
Goodall just passed away, right when we're recording this, I
mean that is a loss.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
For the world. You have you have you have leaders
in the arts and entertainment industry. Like it's just I
curate broadly.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
It's it's music and culture and entertainment and art and
design and politics and nonprofit and shelter trust, you know,
like in Africa saving elephants, and I mean, you know,
Greta Turnberg coming out of like you know, her her
Israeli prison situation, you know, to support Palestine, like people
who are putting their necks out there. And I'm inspired,
(25:03):
and you know, I hope one day that you know,
I really find my own dumption to do what a
lot of these people are doing in a time when
we need those voices and we need that activism.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Such an example of being human centered. How you just
articulated that and who you follow and what they embody
that you're inspired by. It's just really cool how you
just articulated that. So when you think about anybody listening
watching to this conversation, what do you want them to
(25:40):
hear or do as a result of listening to you
and I chat today.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I mean I always answer similar questions in the same way.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Like I think we all we all need to do
what we can do and not get overwhelmed that what
we do isn't enough. Often it isn't. I mean I
feel that way every day. It's it's definitely not enough.
But what can we do? How can you show up
in the world and make it better, just even in
incremental pieces. Is that that you get crazy about recycling?
(26:15):
That's one of my things. I'm like a little I'm
a little I'm a little insane.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
You know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I'll pull people's trash out of the trash and recycle
it for them differently. But that's like a little example.
How do you think about your digital footprint? How do
you help someone out? How do you even just give
a smile? I mean, there are so many opportunities right
now at a very very micro level that don't take
(26:40):
a lot of lifting, no matter what you know, And
then they're really really big things. I think putting your
money where your mouth is. You know a lot of
people are struggling right now. How can you help if
you have enough? You know, there's there are unteen gazillion
ways to get involved, even if you don't put your
own physical, bloody or time on the line. And if
(27:02):
you can do that in addition or separately. So I mean,
I guess my point is figure out what matters to
you and do something small every day and teach the
people around you that you're doing it and why and
encourage them to do the same. That's like, that's the
first thing.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
The second thing professionally is, you know, if you are
in the design and or business world and you have
a product, a service, an interface, packaging, branding, communications, a building,
an interior, and you want to apply for the largest
international independent design award in the world. The deadline for
(27:41):
the IF Design Award twenty twenty six is coming up
on November fifth, so you visit ifdesign dot com to
do that or just look through the awesome content. You
can find the links for Future of Xyz there as well.
You can find out about the Design Academy which we've launched,
which talks about a lot of these skills that we
were just discussing. And yeah, I guess that's uh, and
(28:06):
listen to the Future of xy Z.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
So I love how you think, and I love your
energy and this really important work that you're doing in
the world. My last question is just look out over
the next three to five years. How has Lisa had
an impact?
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I mean, look, I I guess I'm struggling with it
myself as a question, Jeannie, I mean for me right
now with the roles that I play, you know, at
IF Design, I'm really proud that sustainability is now twenty
percent of the overall scoring criteria across ninety three categories
(28:45):
of design. We are the only and that includes both
social and environmental impact, and we have leading questions and
accreditations and things. We are the only design award that
has embedded sustainability into the primary during criteria. I am very,
very proud of that work. And so what I'm hoping
is through this organization that really has a global impact
(29:08):
and is one of the largest stages for international design
excellence and impact in the world, that we can elevate
this conversation around what is design excellence? What is the
impact of design excellence which equates to sustainability and doing
better for both people in planet without foregoing profit necessarily.
It doesn't have to. That's the that's the old triple
(29:30):
bottom line idea. It does not have to. You just
have to be more inclusive and thoughtful. So I would
really love to be able to speak with more business leaders,
because I think that's really the consultants, the investors, the
private equity and the venture capitalist and really start, you know, thinking,
how do we how do we bring design not as
(29:51):
a cost center or as a function, but how do
we elevate design excellence and impact into kind of the
broader business community. And it's not only business, but everything
is business these days, so it's policy and infrastructure and
all of it. I think we need to be thinking differently.
As as Steve Jobs came up with when he was
(30:13):
at Apple, it wasn't it wasn't so so such a
hard cry of a tagline, and there's an education component
to that that needs to happen, and that can happen
both at the grassroots level as well as the academic level.
And then I guess, you know, I'd just like to
(30:34):
be an advocate for like a lot less exclusion and
a lot less extraction, a lot less focus.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
On me, me, me and money, money, money, and a
lot more empathy, a lot more respect, a lot more culture,
a lot more compassion, a lot more collaboration, a lot
more beauty.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, that would be that would be, That would be
what I'd be advocating for.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
That is what I'm advocating for.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
The word I will add to that is more awe.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Awe is good. I don't think AWE takes a lot, Jeannie.
I think aw is like every single day. There's a
great old quote about it that I'll mess up, but
it's basically, you can find awe everywhere, and especially if
you look at nature, and if you look at you know,
human human beings, not human beings, and human beings and
humanity as part of the natural ecosystem, the natural order.
(31:42):
It's it is awe inspiring.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I am so grateful to have connected with you, and
this has been a fascinating conversation. I'm really grateful that
you're doing this amazing work in the world and that
you took the time to be with me today. So
thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Thanks so much for having me, Jennie. I really enjoyed
this conversation. It's fun to get a platform to just
spout off.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Thank you for joining me for another episode of the
Warriors at Work Show. If you are interested in learning
more about what we do at the Warriors at Work
Show and platform, be sure to go over to my
website Genie Komber and subscribe to my monthly Warrior Playbook newsletter.
I share everything that I'm up to month by month,
(32:30):
as well as some lessons and insights that I've learned.
I'm also interested in hearing any feedback you have about
this conversation or future topics, so reach out to me
directly on JC at geniecoomber dot com or on LinkedIn.
Be sure to tell your friends and your colleagues about
this Warriors at Work conversation. Subscribe, review and rate us.
(32:53):
It's the best way to get this message out into
the world.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Be well,
If you really think about brands, you have brand positioning,
(00:03):
which has things like mission, like vision values is core
to that, in my opinion, your value, proposition and your promise.
Now your whole bunch of other pieces like who's your audience,
and like what's your go to market and all that,
but like mission and vision and values are really really,
really corely fundamental.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Welcome to the Warriors at Work Show. This is Genie Coomber,
your guide and host. This is a show for men
and women in the workplace who want to move from
the predictable to the potent. This is your weekly dose
of inspiration with an edge. I talk with CEOs and Shaman's,
sports marketing executives and therapists. All of us are like
(00:48):
minded thinkers and doers who tell stories, share wisdom, and
challenge each other to have the best life possible inside
and outside the office. Welcome to your Warrior Conversation. Hey everybody,
it's Genni. Thanks so much for joining me here today.
Warriors at Work Today, I am bringing to you an
(01:09):
interview with a thinker, a visionary, a force in strategy
and brand building. Lisa Grownick. Her career has spanned senior
roles at Adidas, Chobanimoo dot Com, the Boston Consulting Group,
and Walmart. Lisa is currently the US Managing Director and
Global head of Sustainability and Impact at IF Design. IF
(01:33):
Design is the prestigious international design institution and host of
the annual IF Design Award. Lisa is the go to
resource on values driven leadership. Her work has been featured
in The New York Times, Fast Company, and Fortune, and
today she shares her gifts with us. Enjoy Lisa Grownnick,
(01:54):
thank you so much for joining me here today. I'm
really looking forward to having this conversation with you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Janie me also, so, where I'm going to start with
like a big, juicy question. There's so much that I
want to get to in terms of this beautiful work
that you're doing in the world. But what I want
to do is take a step back and how do
you tell us who's Lisa in the world.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Oh? I love starting with small questions. Well, professionally, I
hold a couple of different roles. I host a podcast
as well that I started five years ago. We just
celebrated our one hundred and fiftieth anniversary last month. One
hundred and fiftieth episode anniversary. It's called Future of Xyz,
(02:42):
so I love doing that. But I also work for
an organization called IF Design, which is a German nonprofit
and we run the world's largest independent design award as
well as a design academy, and I am the managing
director for the US as well as heading up sustainability
and impact globally.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So just a couple of things that you're doing in
the world. I want to jump into something that you
shared with me relating to what you do for sustainability.
For sure, you shared with me when we were preparing
for this conversation that when you were growing up you
were passionate about nature and sustainability. I would love for
(03:25):
you to tell us more about how that has informed
you in terms of what you do for a career,
what you get up every day to do in the world.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean it's interesting. I think you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I grew up in southern California kind of on the beach,
so nature was the beauty around me all the time,
and I spent my summers with my grandparents on an
island with no electricity off the coast of Maine, which
couldn't be more beautiful and I've often said, you know,
(03:58):
nature is my religion, and I really see the natural
world as being the only thing that actually matters, not
only because it sustains our life for us as humans,
but as part of an ecosystem that we are just
a little piece of. So I think, you know, that's
kind of where it all comes from. But of course,
growing up in southern California in the seventies and eighties,
(04:22):
I mean, we were still already having pollution days, where
in elementary and junior high you weren't allowed to go
to pe or the playground because of the air quality.
We had major wildfires, you know, and I remember watching
houses burn and you know, hosing off the roof, not
even to mention the things that humans were doing to
(04:43):
each other. I mean, you know, so, I think I
just always was very sensitive to the state of the
planet as well as the state of society.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And when you think about what you do today, how
often are you refer colecting on all those early life
experiences in how you make choices, how you're making recommendations,
how you're showing up in the world. How do you
connect the two?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Oh, I mean, I you know, I don't see them
as separated. I mean, in some ways, I've been speaking
about values driven leadership and values based brand building for
I mean twenty five plus years now, and you know,
it all informs us. I think, you know, my first
I studied political science in my undergrad years, and I
(05:32):
wrote a senior thesis on identity politics which was called
Self versus Other capital S capital O, which seems increasingly
relevant these days, which was basically, we're all self to
ourselves and we're all other to everyone else, and then
that we're exactly the same, and it requires the respect
of recognition that it doesn't make any difference any other
(05:54):
of the differences because we're exactly the same in our difference.
So a little esoteric or more than a little esoteric,
but that really ended up become kind of blueprint for
how I try to show up in the world, and
so between you know, my nature is my religion and
and you know, kind of that sense of respect everyone equally.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I really do try to show up that way. And
it led to this.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Kind of values driven attitude towards leadership, towards business, towards
brand especially, and and I've always been kind of in
the intersection of business and design I've I've joked for years,
and it's not very funny, to be honest, but I've
joked for years that I'm equally left and right brained.
(06:37):
There are very few people who are who are not.
I think some engineers, I think a lot of architects.
But it's this kind of art and science blend, and
it's in. There aren't a lot of places in the
world for that because the world has moved more and
more towards data, data, data analytics, analytics, analytics, and then
(06:59):
and then you have you're creative, right, which we are
got to Even though we elevate and celebrate creativity, it
has moved further and further into the realm of business.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I feel like in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
And so as someone who's always kind of approached in
that holistic seeing it from the art and science perspective
and the it being whatever it is, especially my career
or business, coming back to the values really allows that
intersection between the left and the right brain, between the
art and the science, between what you hold dear you know,
which for me is that nature and that humanity mixed
(07:37):
with the fact that we live in a capitalist society
and we all need to survive, so I think it
kind of informs everything I do, and design is kind
of where this intersection lives, even though that's considered a
creative pursuit.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Design in every form, whether.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You're talking about a big building or a master plan
for a city, or an infrastructure project, or a an
interface on a cell phone, or even the data centers
themselves or the AI and just think about anything that's
modern right now, the rocket ships like go on and
on and on, and design at the end of the
day is this intersection between the left and the right brain.
(08:15):
Because you need all of the human inputs and the
insights in order and the business fundamentals right in order
to bring something reasonable to market, even if it's a
painting these days that you actually want to make money on.
You have to have that business underpinnings, which again is
left brain, and then you have to have the creativity
to be able to imagine something that never existed before,
(08:37):
which actually we're creating more and more things that already
existed and it's totally uninteresting. But like that's really where
design comes in, and creativity and innovation is you know,
this this really awesome kind of combination of the two things.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You know, you said something that I'd love for you
to expand upon, and you start of touching upon it
when you were expanding there. But I want to go
back back to this idea that values. You're very focused
on how values drive a brand, so I'd love for
you to say a little bit more there.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Yeah, I mean, look, I've been a brand strategist for
a lot of my career, I including right before I
joined IF, I was running my own consultancy, which was
a brand strategy consultancy for seven and a half years,
doing work with Ikea and Walmart and lots of big
companies as well as as an advisor to a lot
of smaller companies on nonprofits, etc. At the end of
the day, if you really think about brand, you have
(09:34):
brand positioning, which has things like mission, like vision values
is core to that, in my opinion, your value proposition
and your promise. Now the a whole bunch of other
pieces like who's your audience and like what's your go
to market and all that, But like mission and vision
and values are really really really corely fundamental, and your
(09:56):
value proposition and your brand promise emerge out.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Of those, and the values are the underpinnings.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I mean I often will describe them as like the
true north or like the north star, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
And if you're a tiny.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Little brand, you know your values, like you really really
need to hold to those or you can get put
off course really really quickly.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
But if you're a.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Huge corporate conglomerate, your north star is actually easier to
steer to. But if you get just even a little
points off, you're you've completely steered the ship in the
wrong direction.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I mean, because a big tanker versus a little ship.
So I think.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Values are really, really, really kind of the guiding light
about who are we in the world, what do we
believe in, what do we want to achieve? And they
tie in nicely with your mission and vision and everything else.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But values are really core beliefs.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I've loved when you talk about your strengths as today
plus tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Oh on my LinkedIn profile. You mean, yes, I was like,
brilliant and say more about that. I mean, look, you
know I already talked about I think left brain right
brain is on there too, or maybe I've changed it
subsequently to creative and analytical because most people don't know
what left brain and right brain means, but I have
a bunch of dichotomies. You know, grow up on West Coast,
(11:18):
East Coast. I've lived most of my life in the US,
but I've spent enormous time in Europe and worked mostly
for European companies. You know, they are a whole bunch
of these dichotomies within me. But also the biggest one
probably is this idea of today and tomorrow. I mean,
I was calling myself a futurist over twelve years ago,
(11:40):
and I don't call myself that anymore because there's actually
a practice where people are selling futurism as a skill
and as a profession, and that's not what I'm doing
at the moment. Even though my podcast is Future of Xyz,
I'm not advising on it and I'm not anticipating. But
the ability to extrapolate from where we have been to
(12:04):
where we are and looking ahead it is a core
skill set, I mean. And if you're a strategist and
that isn't one of your core skill sets, you probably
should be looking for a different job. That's humble opinion,
But I do I love the today and the tomorrow
because I mean, we're supposed to psychologically be very mindful
(12:24):
and stay in the presence. But the end of the day,
the interesting thing for me, intellectually as well as intuitively.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Is where's it all going? Where is it leading?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
And so I mean I think about that in business,
like if you're not thinking ahead and I'm not talking
about next quarter, I'm talking about like further ahead.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
That's why I have today plus tomorrow on there, because
I don't know how you can do business, much less
design without that.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
It's such a clever way to capture the importance of
being present and aware of your current state but planning
for and thinking about tomorrow. And I had just never
seen anybody articulate it that way, and I just loved it.
You often say, we must understand that design belongs on
(13:15):
top as we move into the future of a world
addressing growing complexity, climate shifts, and change. Good design is
the answer and we must support it. And so for
all those people listening watching, going okay, so what is
this design thing, how does this all fit? What would
you say?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I mean again, I work for an organization called I
Have Design, where one of the old is design institutions
in the world, and our mission is really, you know,
to elevate design excellence as it serves the world and
makes it better. That's the core belief that we have,
and it's a core belief that I have. As I
(13:56):
mentioned before, I believe that design is kind of that
intersectction of creativity, you know, left brain with with the
analytical piece of the right brain, because you're bringing something
new into the world.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And at the end of the day, design.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Not the not the beauty, not the prettiness, not the
you know what we all talk about, like the sexiness
of like design. But design is everything. I mean, design
is the products for sure. Design is our packaging.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
For sure. Design are our places, whether we're.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Talking about a home or an interior, or a public
square or a commercial building or a hotel or or
even uh you know a place on Mars you know
that that Elon's imagining or someone else.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
And it's also our platforms.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I mean, I mean AI platforms, social media platforms, news
media platforms, and it's policies.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I call it the new five piece.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
It's like design is really product packaging right places, you know,
policies and of course platforms.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
And this is really important to me.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
So I think design is everything, and I really want
us to be using design thinking, which is kind of
an ugly word these days, but design thinking is really
critical thinking. It's integrative thinking, it's holistic thinking. It's thinking
again across left and right brain. It's about collaboration, and
it's needed to be elevated into the C suite because
we're at risk right now as a culture, as a
(15:29):
world of racing to the bottom, because we're looking at
margin margin, margin, efficiency, efficiency, efficiency, and at the end
of the day, where's the love, where's the beauty? Where's
the efficacy for the planet or for the people in that?
I mean, then we're just human doings and like we're
supposed to be being.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Wow, that is so important what you just said completely
see the same thing, overly focused on productivity, performance over people,
over experience, over humanity. So so important. I wanted to
go a step further into the work. I'd love for
you to share what are the patterns of thinking and
(16:12):
feelings associated with what you're seeing? Is their patterns? Is
there things that you're noticing? And then how are you
addressing it?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh that's a big question.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Look, I think we're living in challenging times. I don't
think anyone can deny that, and they're more challenging today
than they were even two years ago or ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Now, my grandfather used to say to me, you know,
every generation thinks it's living in the hardest time, and
he went through history to show me and prove to
me his case.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I agreed with.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Him, and respectfully, this was I was nineteen and in
the heart of my colleague years, and respectfully also disagreed
because I saw some things on the horizon coming back
to today and tomorrow that I was concerned about. And
I will avoid some of those topics right now for listeners.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Who wouldn't agree.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
But I think we are seeing the ramifications of uncertainty,
of growing division, of uncertainty and insecurity manifest into really
a lack of innovation, real innovation, and a lack of
(17:39):
real creativity and a lack.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Of real problem solving.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
There's a lot of band aids, and it's been happening
for the last thirty years. There's a lot of band
aiding that's happening.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
And frankly, i'm speaking in the Western world.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I mean it's not exclusive, but like what's happening in
other parts of the world leads for a lot more
because the status quo was less developed, at least in
the twentieth century, and.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
So you see a lot more room.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
For master planning type situations. And that's the stuff that
excites me. And so you see these kind of dichotomies
of like, you know, I think that there's an arrogance
in the West broadly, and there's a shrinkage of influence
and confidence among those who travel and know and who
(18:30):
really are looking to have impact, and that insecurity of
where is all of this going, Where is the balance
of power? What is happening with our planet right has
really infiltrated You asked me about my work, Like that
sense of insecurity is infiltrating every organization I know right now.
(18:54):
And you know, not everyone is able to articulate that
or even see it, perhaps, but I think that is
just the truth of it. And this has been going
on for quite a while, and it just the speed
of change is on the technological side is increasing so
rapidly and has been. I mean, like the exponentialization of
(19:19):
technological innovation slash change over the last thirty five years
is remarkable. It's unparalleled. I mean, you think about from
the start of the Industrial Revolution to nineteen eighty four.
Really when we started, you know, with with kind of
personal computers to now in twenty twenty five, I mean,
(19:39):
it is a whole different universe. And as you see,
generations are not adapting as some generations aren't adapting as well.
So all of this is creating uncertainty and a little
bit of chaos. And at the same time, those organizations
and those leaders and those entrepreneurs and those artists and
those activists who have a vision have a chance to
(20:02):
really have a big impact.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
And that excites me.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
That's that's where I really want to lean in on,
not on the incrementality of things, but on like where's
where's where's there a real opportunity for inclusion versus exclusion
and innovation versus incrementalization.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Well that that was leading me actually to my next
question is like, how do we get ourselves and the
conversation back to being more human centered? Hmmm.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
We have to be human first, I mean, and we
have to recognize what humanity is because it's not us
versus them. Humanity is a species on this planet that
frankly has been incredibly destructive and continues to get worse
and worse. There is more than enough to go around
(20:52):
for every one of the eight and a half billion
people on this planet right now to have basic you know, food, shelter,
medical education. We are the richest world we have ever been,
with the most efficiency and the most resources. How we
are treating the planet and how we are treating each
other is abominable. Frankly sorry, I feel very passionately about.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
That at the moment.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And you ask the very basic question, how do we
get more human centered? Well, we have to recognize what
humanity means. Human centered isn't a design principle. It's not
to have better ux or UI, although it serves that purpose.
It's about how do you bring It comes back to
the word inclusive versus exclusive, how do you bring as
many people into the fold? Inclusive design is actually thinking
(21:41):
about like all the different needs, the neurodivergence, right. I
mean you have great case studies of like supermarkets in
England who have like created like autistic hours, you know,
so for like a people to be able to shop
and they're not getting like the blaring lights and the
blaring sound like or elderly people shopping differently, or experience
sing a night at the movies differently, like, thinking about
(22:03):
experiences of life through a human lens that is inclusive
to as many or all as possible is how we
get back to human centered everything. It's just it's again
respect and understanding, empathy.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I love what you just said, and I loved how
much power and passion you have for what you just said.
That one's gonna stick with me for a couple of days.
How you just said that. I'm so curious, Like, who
do you follow? Who you inspired by God?
Speaker 1 (22:34):
I mean, if you look at my Instagram account, I
mean I have like eight hundred followers or something, and
I follow like thirty five hundred accounts by like by
by algorithmic awareness.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
That is a disaster. Like that's just basically they don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Who you are. They don't know what's going on.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
And also, like the algorithm thinks that if you follow
more than you are followed, you're a loser.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
And so you don't get you don't get shown, which
you know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
In the world that we're living in now, we have
to I believe we have to source our own information.
And I follow increasingly an enormous number not just on
social media but in general, an enormous number of activists
and non and NGOs who are doing real work that
really matters on the ground, whether they're the big ones
(23:23):
like med San Sanfontier, you know, or even World Central
Kitchen you know, Jose Andress, or you know, the UN
as a non governmental organization. I follow a lot of artists,
whether you're talking street artists and performers and culture and
design and really again non commercially leaning.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
We're not talking about like El Decore.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
Which I follow too and I like, but like that's
not where I'm getting my information anymore. It's really like
and obviously substack, but I'm thinking just strictly in terms
of like Instagram and how I curate. I'm following an
enormous number of politicians at local and national levels and
international levels. Claudia Scheinbaum, who's the President of Mexico, I
(24:06):
think is absolutely phenomenal, you know, And and there are
a number of leaders in the world today at local
brother Jones, you know, down in Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
You know, people who are putting their necks out.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
And then the change makers and business, the change makers
in impact, the change makers in climate. I mean, Jane
Goodall just passed away, right when we're recording this, I
mean that is a loss.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
For the world. You have you have you have leaders
in the arts and entertainment industry. Like it's just I
curate broadly.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
It's it's music and culture and entertainment and art and
design and politics and nonprofit and shelter trust, you know,
like in Africa saving elephants, and I mean, you know,
Greta Turnberg coming out of like you know, her her
Israeli prison situation, you know, to support Palestine, like people
who are putting their necks out there. And I'm inspired,
(25:03):
and you know, I hope one day that you know,
I really find my own dumption to do what a
lot of these people are doing in a time when
we need those voices and we need that activism.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Such an example of being human centered. How you just
articulated that and who you follow and what they embody
that you're inspired by. It's just really cool how you
just articulated that. So when you think about anybody listening
watching to this conversation, what do you want them to
(25:40):
hear or do as a result of listening to you
and I chat today.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I mean I always answer similar questions in the same way.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Like I think we all we all need to do
what we can do and not get overwhelmed that what
we do isn't enough. Often it isn't. I mean I
feel that way every day. It's it's definitely not enough.
But what can we do? How can you show up
in the world and make it better, just even in
incremental pieces. Is that that you get crazy about recycling?
(26:15):
That's one of my things. I'm like a little I'm
a little I'm a little insane.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
You know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I'll pull people's trash out of the trash and recycle
it for them differently. But that's like a little example.
How do you think about your digital footprint? How do
you help someone out? How do you even just give
a smile? I mean, there are so many opportunities right
now at a very very micro level that don't take
(26:40):
a lot of lifting, no matter what you know, And
then they're really really big things. I think putting your
money where your mouth is. You know a lot of
people are struggling right now. How can you help if
you have enough? You know, there's there are unteen gazillion
ways to get involved, even if you don't put your
own physical, bloody or time on the line. And if
(27:02):
you can do that in addition or separately. So I mean,
I guess my point is figure out what matters to
you and do something small every day and teach the
people around you that you're doing it and why and
encourage them to do the same. That's like, that's the
first thing.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I guess.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
The second thing professionally is, you know, if you are
in the design and or business world and you have
a product, a service, an interface, packaging, branding, communications, a building,
an interior, and you want to apply for the largest
international independent design award in the world. The deadline for
(27:41):
the IF Design Award twenty twenty six is coming up
on November fifth, so you visit ifdesign dot com to
do that or just look through the awesome content. You
can find the links for Future of Xyz there as well.
You can find out about the Design Academy which we've launched,
which talks about a lot of these skills that we
were just discussing. And yeah, I guess that's uh, and
(28:06):
listen to the Future of xy Z.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
So I love how you think, and I love your
energy and this really important work that you're doing in
the world. My last question is just look out over
the next three to five years. How has Lisa had
an impact?
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I mean, look, I I guess I'm struggling with it
myself as a question, Jeannie, I mean for me right
now with the roles that I play, you know, at
IF Design, I'm really proud that sustainability is now twenty
percent of the overall scoring criteria across ninety three categories
(28:45):
of design. We are the only and that includes both
social and environmental impact, and we have leading questions and
accreditations and things. We are the only design award that
has embedded sustainability into the primary during criteria. I am very,
very proud of that work. And so what I'm hoping
is through this organization that really has a global impact
(29:08):
and is one of the largest stages for international design
excellence and impact in the world, that we can elevate
this conversation around what is design excellence? What is the
impact of design excellence which equates to sustainability and doing
better for both people in planet without foregoing profit necessarily.
It doesn't have to. That's the that's the old triple
(29:30):
bottom line idea. It does not have to. You just
have to be more inclusive and thoughtful. So I would
really love to be able to speak with more business leaders,
because I think that's really the consultants, the investors, the
private equity and the venture capitalist and really start, you know, thinking,
how do we how do we bring design not as
(29:51):
a cost center or as a function, but how do
we elevate design excellence and impact into kind of the
broader business community. And it's not only business, but everything
is business these days, so it's policy and infrastructure and
all of it. I think we need to be thinking differently.
As as Steve Jobs came up with when he was
(30:13):
at Apple, it wasn't it wasn't so so such a
hard cry of a tagline, and there's an education component
to that that needs to happen, and that can happen
both at the grassroots level as well as the academic level.
And then I guess, you know, I'd just like to
(30:34):
be an advocate for like a lot less exclusion and
a lot less extraction, a lot less focus.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
On me, me, me and money, money, money, and a
lot more empathy, a lot more respect, a lot more culture,
a lot more compassion, a lot more collaboration, a lot
more beauty.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, that would be that would be, That would be
what I'd be advocating for.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
That is what I'm advocating for.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
The word I will add to that is more awe.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Awe is good. I don't think AWE takes a lot, Jeannie.
I think aw is like every single day. There's a
great old quote about it that I'll mess up, but
it's basically, you can find awe everywhere, and especially if
you look at nature, and if you look at you know,
human human beings, not human beings, and human beings and
humanity as part of the natural ecosystem, the natural order.
(31:42):
It's it is awe inspiring.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I am so grateful to have connected with you, and
this has been a fascinating conversation. I'm really grateful that
you're doing this amazing work in the world and that
you took the time to be with me today. So
thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Thanks so much for having me, Jennie. I really enjoyed
this conversation. It's fun to get a platform to just
spout off.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Thank you for joining me for another episode of the
Warriors at Work Show. If you are interested in learning
more about what we do at the Warriors at Work
Show and platform, be sure to go over to my
website Genie Komber and subscribe to my monthly Warrior Playbook newsletter.
I share everything that I'm up to month by month,
(32:30):
as well as some lessons and insights that I've learned.
I'm also interested in hearing any feedback you have about
this conversation or future topics, so reach out to me
directly on JC at geniecoomber dot com or on LinkedIn.
Be sure to tell your friends and your colleagues about
this Warriors at Work conversation. Subscribe, review and rate us.
(32:53):
It's the best way to get this message out into
the world.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Be well,
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