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.
(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
Explore Lara’s consulting work: creative-renewal.com
Connect with Lara on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laralivingstonelee/
Ready to have the Best Life Ever? Start here: www.courses.eblingroup.com/p/best-life-ever-course
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Website: www.eblingroup.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scotteblin
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