What does leadership require of us when the old story of work no longer works?

That’s the question I explore in this conversation with Jonathan David Lewis, president and partner at McKee Wallwork and author of The Rebuilders: Daily Foundations for the Leaders We Need.

Jonathan and I talked about how dramatically the world of work has changed and how many of the assumptions that shaped previous generations no longer resonate with today’s workforce. If we’re trying to solve new problems with an old story, we’re going to struggle to find the right solutions.

One of the ideas that really stayed with me is Jonathan’s metaphor of “getting behind the stroller.” Leadership means recognizing that we have a responsibility to the people and communities around us, even when we didn’t choose the circumstances we’re leading through.

I loved this conversation because Jonathan doesn’t pretend that the changes we’re navigating are easy. Instead, he offers a different way of looking at them: things may be crumbling, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. We can rebuild.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why today’s workforce is experiencing what Jonathan calls “transactional, futureless suffering”
• The leadership challenge of this moment
• What leaders need to create instead of optimizing everything for efficiency
• Why our people need a quest—a meaningful challenge and a future they can believe in
• What organizations look like when they rediscover their identity and get their “mojo” back
• What it means to answer the call to become a rebuilder

Mentioned:

• The Rebuilders: Daily Foundations for the Leaders We Need
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't, Jim Collins
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Simon Sinek

Learn More About Jonathan David Lewis:

• McKee Wallwork
• Connect on LinkedIn

Learn More About Heather Smith:

• Talent Elevated