A New Perspective on Risk, Failure, and What Really Matters / Alberta Soranzo / Ep. #232

17/07/2025 1h 7min Episodio 232

Listen "A New Perspective on Risk, Failure, and What Really Matters / Alberta Soranzo / Ep. #232"

Episode Synopsis

Everyone wants change, just not for themselves…I remember a great experiment we used to do back in my agency days.At the start of a workshop, we'd ask everyone to put on a prop. It could be a hat, a pair of oversized glasses, or even a superhero cape. After some initial laughter, everyone usually played along.But the interesting part wasn't putting the props on. It was what happened in the minutes that followed.As we started the "official" program, the first person would quietly take their prop off. Then a second would follow, and so on. At no point had I instructed them to stop wearing the props, yet, one by one, they always did.It was a powerful way to confront the group with the strong pull towards conformity. Towards the default mode of doing things. Towards getting back in line.As service design professionals, we know that to create meaningful change, we have to challenge the way things are currently done. But doing anything outside the status quo is inherently risky, especially when the incentive structures in our organizations are set up to reward those who play it safe.To break free, you need a magic ingredient: courage.But how do you build this courage? And why would you risk your career when it’s so much easier to conform?Those are the big questions we explore in a fascinating conversation with Alberta Soranzo. As you'll hear, Alberta has lived these questions. She shares powerful stories about what it takes to create change. From convincing a client to choose a risky, unknown path over the safe bet, to the surprisingly profound impact of a personal choice about her own hair.We also get into what it really means for leaders to provide ‘air cover’ for their teams and how you can find the courage to challenge the system even when you feel powerless — without burning yourself out in the process.I'm confident that you’ll walk away with some unique insights from this honest conversation about leadership, courage, and taking risks.If you've been following along with the past few episodes, I think you'll start to see a clear pattern emerging. When multiple guests, independently of each other, touch on the same topics, it's probably something we should all be paying more attention to.Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact.Be well,~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 23205:00 Why Courage is Key for Organizational Magic09:30 Two Business Breakthroughs15:00 The "Change" Illusion17:30 Signals of true organizational change22:30 What triggered the landslide26:00 Inspiration: Oreo hair29:00 When Leadership Means Role Modeling32:00 Reframing Workplace Urgency35:00 Identity Shift: Your Job Isn't Your Whole Self39:30 Transformation of "my work does not define me, it's part of me"44:00 vulnerable act vs the real act46:00 Alberta's Role: Cultivating Team Excellence49:00 Navigating Resistance52:45 Learning from corporate rebels53:45 The Power of organizational empathy55:00 Empathy for the System59:00 Courage in Future Generations1:01:00 Struggle of helping our kids shaping the world1:02:30 Question to ponder1:05:00 Resources --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/albertasoranzoWebsite - https://albertasoranzo.com/BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/albertas.bsky.socialGood to watch - The Playlist on Netflix --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle---[ 4. FIND THE SHOW ON ] --- Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/232-youtubeSpotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/232-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/232-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/232-snipd

More episodes of the podcast Service Design Show