This Is DesignIntelligence thisisdesignintelligence

When leaders are approachable, people are more apt to hear and listen, absorb and act on the leadership. But there's another side to this coin.

Amy Cupples is the Managing Principal at Keller Mitchell & Company. Kona Gray is a Principal at EDSA. Kush Parekh is an Associate Principal at Studio-MLA.  On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, they discuss how the changes of the last year have impacted the profession, what it really means to design for health and equity, and how landscape architects are leading that charge.

Leaders make choices that result in life-altering outcomes for both themselves and myriad others. Effective leadership demands we operate far more from front of mind consciousness rather than back of mind automation. Our choices, our decisions matter now and later.

Demeanor is our outward way, the signaling posture we assume consciously or unconsciously. Conscious, unconscious, visual and verbal signals front what others observe about us and from these people naturally draw conclusions, make judgements and determine how they will or won't interact with us.

Both emotional maturity and approachability emanate from a common root: self-acceptance. This value of self-acceptance is inestimable.

Flavia Grey is the leader of the firm-wide data and research development group at ZGF. Upali Nanda is a Principal and Director of Research at HKS. Elizabeth Vandermark is a Principal and Director of Research at SmithGroup. On this edition of This Is DesignIntelligence, you’ll hear their thoughts on the need for a robust knowledge ecosystem across the industry with the infrastructure to support it, and how coalition, not collaboration, could be the key to bringing meaningful insights to a data saturated world.