Ep 344 The Leaders We Need Now with Jonathan David Lewis, Owner & President at McKee Wallwork; Albuquerque, NM, USA

Leadership gets harder when the path forward is unclear, but knowing who you are can make the decisions in front of you much clearer.

In this episode, I spoke with Jonathan David Lewis about leadership, brand identity, and what it means to rebuild organizations during seasons of uncertainty and change. We explored why decisiveness is such a critical part of leadership, how knowing who you are as an organization can help leaders cut through the noise, and why brand strategy needs to extend far beyond a mission or vision statement. Jonathan also shared insights from his book, The Rebuilders: Daily Foundations for the Leaders We Need, and a workforce study involving 3,000 participants that examined what employees are looking for from work today.

We discussed the growing desire for meaning, the changing relationship between employees and employers, and the opportunity for leaders to create a more relational, future-oriented story around work.

Here are the highlights:

● Decisiveness is a core leadership skill. Knowing who you are as a leader and organization can help cut through competing options, reduce noise, and enable clearer decision-making.

● Leaders have a responsibility to rebuild. Organizations facing cultural, technological, and workforce changes have an opportunity to take responsibility for the future rather than simply reacting to the challenges around them.

● Employees are looking for meaning. Workforce research points to a growing desire for purpose, vision, passion, and a meaningful connection between work and life.

● The story of work matters. Leaders can create stronger organizations by helping employees understand the larger quest they are part of and how their individual contributions fit into it.

● Organizations need to know who they are and be who they are. Strong brand identity can create clarity and motivation, while effective communication and organizational development help bring that identity to life throughout the company.

About the guest:

Jonathan David Lewis is the owner and president of McKee Wallwork, a nationally recognized brand strategy firm that helps CEOs and leadership teams through pivotal moments. A sought-after speaker, Forbes contributor, and author of three books - including Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments and The Rebuilders: Daily Foundations for the Leaders We Need - Jonathan draws on more than a decade of proprietary research and hard-won experience to help audiences restore decisiveness in the fact of disruption, stalled growth, and organizational change. He is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Connect with Jonathan:

Website: https://www.mckeewallwork.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanlewis11/

Connect with Allison:

Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/

Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/

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