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What Can Guide Dogs Teach Us About Leadership?
What if the best leaders aren't the ones who follow every rule, but the ones who know when to challenge them? And what if preparing people for the future of work requires rethinking the systems they're entering, not just the skills they're learning?
Recorded live at the Mannington Commercial showroom in New York, Amanda Schneider is joined by Deb Golden, former senior consulting executive and volunteer puppy raiser, and John Miller, President and CEO of the Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs, to explore the unexpected leadership lessons we can learn from guide dogs.
Together, they challenge traditional ideas about obedience, training, and success, introducing the concept of intelligent disobedience: knowing when not to follow a command. From building trust and exercising judgment to creating environments where individuals can thrive, the conversation explores why the future of leadership may require us to unlearn some of the very things that made us successful in the past.
In this episode:
Why great leadership requires more than simply following the rules
What guide dogs can teach us about trust, judgment, and intelligent disobedience
Why organizations need to rethink outdated systems, not just develop new skills
How curiosity, play, and adaptability can unlock better outcomes
Why empathy, grace, and understanding may be among the most important leadership skills
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Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Rob Schulte, and Rachel Senatore.
Special thanks to our podcast sponsor Mannington for hosting this event - a company doing big things to move the design industry forward.
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Design Nerds Anonymous is the only podcast of its kind – holding an engaged audience of architects, designers, CRE leaders, and end users – and delivering the most insights per minute on the forces shaping the built environment. With over 100K+ downloads, the show features industry powerhouses from brands like Chick-fil-A, Hilton, and StoryBrand, having bold conversations on what’s next in business and design—market shifts, process innovation, and the hidden dynamics driving change.
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