In this episode Doug sits down with David Polzin, Executive Director of Design at Cannon Design in St Louis. David is known for creating and fostering a creative culture within a large organization—something that proves to be more and more difficult. There is an inherent tension between structure and creativity in large organizations which means it can be difficult to spark innovation. But David believes that embracing risk and failure is actually very important for fostering a creative environment. New ideas are born from continuously iterating on ideas, letting go of attachments, and synthesizing constraints.

The workplace is changing and the creative process is changing with it. One of David's biggest concerns is that people are becoming disengaged from their physical environments due to immersion in technology and that architecture should enhance lived experience and nature. We are slowly losing our connection to spaces and nature. It's on leaders to adapt their leadership styles to new generations and help rescue the creative process.

Overall this is an incredible interview where David shares his thoughtful philosophies on creativity, design, leadership, and the human experience.

Connect with Maria on LinkedIn.

Click here to get your copy of Maria's children's book—Design Your World.

Follow Imagine a Place on LinkedIn.