What if leading through uncertainty starts not with control, but with connection? In this episode of Best Ever, Scott sits down with Lara Lee—Fortune 50 executive, former Harley-Davidson and Lowe’s leader, and now an award-winning board director—to explore how culture, strategy, and execution come together to drive transformation. From revitalizing Orchard Supply Hardware to helping shape Harley-Davidson’s legendary customer community, Lara shares how focusing on people and purpose creates lasting results. She also unpacks the personal mantra that guides her leadership and how it can serve as a framework for any leader navigating today’s brittle, anxious, and nonlinear world.
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About Lara Lee:
Explore Lara’s consulting work: creative-renewal.comConnect with Lara on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laralivingstonelee/
Time Stamps:
(02:14) Early sparks: Growing up a “citizen of the world”(07:11) What inner work really means for leaders(09:20) Cultivating equanimity and “imperturbability”(12:46) Journaling, reflection, and learning patterns over time(20:39) Why she studied Chinese before it was “cool”(22:40) Lessons from Harley-Davidson’s customer culture(29:16) Designing growth with psychology and purpose in mind(36:08) Walking into a turnaround at Orchard Supply Hardware(41:31) Why culture was the lever that moved everything(46:57) Moving from execution to creating conditions as a board leader(47:47) The Blue Angels lesson: Why boards should “fly loose”(52:17) Advice for navigating your own next big career transition(54:16) Lara’s personal mantra for leadership and life(58:42) What Lara’s reading: governance, history, and big ideas
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The post Open Heart, Strong Core: Lara Lee’s Mantra for Purposeful Leadership first appeared on The Eblin Group.
