Hard Times Spark Our Best Ideas

What if one of the most powerful things a leader can do when circumstances get tough is ask a different question: What can we create now? When Susan Sygall and I first talk in 2021, she tells me leadership is rooted in persistence, optimism, and resilience. Five years later, when we catch up again, I discover that Susan is putting persistence, optimism, and resilience to work! Susan joins me for Where Are They Now?, a limited Lessons From Leaders series that reconnects with past guests to explore what's changed, what they've learned, and how they're leading today. We talk about what happens when plans change, resources shift, and leaders have to decide where to put their energy next. Susan's approach to leading in these challenging times? “Sometimes you just have to jump into things, not knowing how it's all going to work out.” In this episode, Susan and I talk about the power of staying positive without ignoring what is hard, knowing what your organization does exceptionally well, surrounding yourself with people who believe in the work, and creating momentum by simply getting started. And somehow, after interviewing more than 100 leaders, Susan gives me a first! I am not going to tell you what she asks. Or where our conversation goes from there. I will tell you this: by the end, Susan gives me a morale boost. Thank you, Susan, for reminding us that optimism is not about pretending everything is easy. Sometimes it is about looking at what is right in front of us and saying: Let’s see what we can make happen.