On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews David O’Donnell! David is a design strategist and researcher with over 25 years of experience in innovation consulting and the field of design thinking. He holds a Masters in Urban Planning and Public Policy, is a member of the Sonder Collective, an international cooperative of designers based in the US, the EU and several African countries, and runs a small strategy consulting business called Post Normal, which works on energy transition and public health projects for nonprofits and government agencies. In this episode, Michael and David discuss what it means for workplaces to have a culture that matches their core values, the importance of sustained time to build trust and community, and how to make people feel heard. David offers his insight that if you want to change something, you must take a tangible first step and be open to input.
Key Takeaways:
Core values must match culture
Sustained time is the root of connection and understanding
Get everyone involved in conversations about improving the workplace
You don’t need a perfect plan to start making changes
Move from a culture of EEMP (email, email, meeting, powerpoint) to one of creativity and collaboration
Have fewer meetings and make them worth people’s time
__
David’s Media Recommendations:
The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow (book)
An Immense World by Ed Yong (book)
__
Find David’s work
Sonder Collective website: https://www.sonderdesign.org/
__
For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
__
Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.
Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!
