Debbie Millman: Wisdom From The World’s Most Creative People

There are many disciplines outside of workplace management that can elevate our leadership effectiveness, & tapping into the experiences & insights of highly creative & accomplished people is one great way of skinning that cat. This is especially true when you have a guest who has interviewed over 400 of the world’s most creative people – & who happens to be one of the most inventive people on the planet herself. Debbie Millman is an author, educator, brand strategist & Chief Marketing Officer at Sterling Brands, where she has worked with over 200 of the world’s largest brands. Fast Company magazine named her one of the most creative people in business & one of the most influential designers working today. She’s also the host of the Design Matters podcast, one of the longest running shows of its kind that’s been downloaded at least 30 million times.

Design Matters is a show about how the most creative people invent their lives. And one consistent theme that’s emerged is that no matter how talented & hard working they all are, they’ve had to overcome often monumental setbacks & hardships in order to succeed. No one gets off easy is a helpful reminder for us all.

Debbie has a new book out called “Why Design Matters: Conversations With The World’s Most Creative People,” which features many of her most interesting interviews. Amongst the luminaries she’s had sit down with her are Brené Brown, Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Krista Tipppett, Ira Glass, David Byrne, Malcolm Gladwell, Cheryl Strayed, Anna Lamott, Adam Grant & Daniel Pink. After producing 80 episodes of my own podcast, I can tell you I’ve been fully transformed by all I’ve learned from my guests. And I invited Debbie to join us full-knowing in advance that the wisdom she’s gleaned from her five times as many conversations would be invaluable for you to hear. And, as it turns out, Debbie has some rather sage insights on leadership to share as well.

By Mark C. Crowley

Mark C. Crowley is the author of Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century which has been taught in 11 American universities. He is a global speaker, leadership consultant and thought leader on the topics of workplace culture and employee engagement.