E117 - Greg Hoffman: Harnessing the power of emotion to achieve high performance

This week’s episode is a conversation with Greg Hoffman, leader, creative and author. Greg worked at NIKE for almost 30 years, his last role being Vice-President of Global Brand Creative and Marketing Innovation. Greg shares with us how being a bi-racial man who was adopted by two white parents shaped his life. His relationship with NIKE first began when he saw they were the only advertising company, using people of colour in their advertisements. 

He offers not only what it takes to be a leader in a global brand, but how to be a great one. He has a focus on empathy, understanding and empowering others. To be a great leader, Greg argues that you should never compromise soul or personality, but get rid of everything else in your way. 

Greg's book 'Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike' is out now.

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This month on the High Performance Circle... Oli Patrick joined us on The High Performance Tour 2022 and gave a great keynote on the three things you can do to improve your wellbeing and operate at the top of your game. Plus, ultra runner Simon Dent explains the performance benefits and common lessons shared between business and exercise. Sign up now to watch: www.thehighperformancepodcast.com

Also, check out our new weekly addition The Monday Motivation Newsletter. The purpose of Monday Motivation is to connect more regularly with you! We want to give Circle members a bit of inspiration, motivation and purpose at the beginning of each week. Whether that is a few key things to consider when facing the upcoming week, reading recommendations or ideas to think about when listening to the weekly podcast episode. Sign up now. Just go to www.thehighperformancepodcast.com

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###PODCAST EPISODE SUMMARY###

**Introduction**

- The episode features Greg Hoffman, a leader, creative, and author who spent nearly 30 years at NIKE, eventually becoming Vice-President of Global Brand Creative and Marketing Innovation.
- Greg shares his experiences as a bi-racial man adopted by two white parents and how it shaped his life.
- He emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and empowering others in leadership.
- Greg's book, 'Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike,' is now available.

**Key Points**

- High performance involves meeting, achieving, and surpassing one's potential while making those around you better.
- A high degree of self-confidence and self-awareness are crucial for high performance.
- Attention to detail is essential, even for seemingly minor aspects, as they contribute to the overall quality.
- Empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to take risks are key ingredients for a life of innovation.
- Emotion is a powerful tool for connecting with people and telling compelling stories.
- High-performing teams are characterized by curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a desire to make a positive impact.
- Building trust with athletes and other collaborators is crucial for successful partnerships.
- Failure is an inherent part of innovation and should be embraced as an opportunity for learning and growth.
- Nike's culture of embracing failure and incentivizing risk-taking contributed to its success as an innovation leader.
- Creativity is a team sport that requires collaboration and respect between creative and business teams.
- Focusing on solving problems and fulfilling audience aspirations is essential for achieving business growth.

**Conclusion**

- Greg Hoffman's insights on leadership, creativity, and innovation offer valuable lessons for individuals and organizations seeking to achieve high performance.
- His emphasis on emotion, empathy, and teamwork provides a refreshing perspective on leadership in today's complex and interconnected world.

**Summary of the Podcast Episode**

**Title:** Unleashing Emotion: The Art of Creating Meaningful Connections Through Design with Greg Hoffman

**Guest:** Greg Hoffman, author of 'Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike'

**Key Points:**

* **Empathy, Understanding, and Empowerment:** Greg Hoffman emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and empowering others as essential qualities for effective leadership. He believes that leaders should never compromise their soul or personality but should strive to remove anything that stands in their way.

* **Speed and Agility:** In today's digital arena, businesses need to eliminate the culture of waiting and permission. Speed and agility are crucial to adapt quickly to changing consumer behaviors and market trends.

* **Breaking Silos and Fostering Collaboration:** Hoffman advocates for breaking down silos and encouraging cross-functional collaboration. By bringing people together from different disciplines, teams can expand their peripheral vision, generate better results, and foster a high-performance environment.

* **Visualization and Storytelling:** Hoffman emphasizes the power of visualization and storytelling in conveying ideas and concepts effectively. He believes that creating a visual representation of an idea, such as a movie poster, can help people understand and connect with it more quickly and easily.

* **Self-Development and Training:** Hoffman stresses the importance of investing in self-development and training for teams. He encourages leaders to create opportunities for their teams to explore new ideas, learn from diverse perspectives, and bring those learnings back to the organization.

* **Transference and Innovation:** Hoffman highlights the significance of transference in innovation. He believes that ideas often come from outside a company's sector, and it is the leader's responsibility to identify and incorporate these external influences into their strategies.

* **Attention to Detail and Looseness:** Hoffman emphasizes the need for attention to detail and the importance of loosening up to discover new territory. He believes that leaders should strive to create designs that are intentional and evoke emotion while also allowing for some level of freedom and creativity.

* **Passion and Vulnerability:** Hoffman stresses the importance of passion and vulnerability in creating meaningful connections with consumers. He believes that brands that feel most human and relatable are the ones that resonate the most. Leaders should encourage their teams to reveal more of themselves and be vulnerable to build trust and camaraderie.

* **The Price of Innovation:** Hoffman acknowledges that innovation often comes with a price, as not all ideas will be successful. He encourages leaders to create a culture where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a setback.

* **The Power of Three:** Hoffman advocates for the power of three in creative problem-solving. He suggests presenting three solutions to a problem, rather than just one or two, to foster a more thorough discussion and arrive at the best possible outcome.

* **Involving Clients and Communities:** Hoffman emphasizes the importance of involving clients and communities in the journey of creating products and services. By listening to their needs and incorporating their feedback, leaders can create solutions that are more meaningful and impactful.

* **Self-Knowledge and Understanding:** Hoffman believes that the true prize in competing and winning is the self-knowledge and understanding gained along the way. Leaders should strive to learn from their experiences, both successes, and failures, to grow and develop as individuals and leaders.

### Podcast Episode Transcript: Greg Hoffman, Leader, Creative, and Author###

**Summary**

This episode features Greg Hoffman, a leader, creative, and author, who spent nearly 30 years at Nike, eventually rising to the position of Vice-President of Global Brand Creative and Marketing Innovation. Greg shares his unique perspective on leadership, creativity, and the importance of empathy in achieving high performance. He emphasizes the need to be empathetic, curious, and never play it safe, but to instead play to win. Greg also discusses his book, “Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike,” which offers practical guidance on building stronger emotional connections and realizing one's potential to do so.

**Key Points**

* **Empathy, Curiosity, and Playing to Win:**
* Greg emphasizes the importance of empathy, curiosity, and never playing it safe in achieving high performance.
* He believes that leaders should be empathetic, understand what others see, and find things that others don't to better serve people.
* Curiosity helps leaders look outside themselves and bring diverse inspiration into their work, leading to greater achievements.
* Playing to win means being on the offense and constantly innovating, rather than playing not to lose.

* **The Power of Three:**
* Greg introduces the "power of three" as a guiding principle for effective leadership and creative thinking.
* He suggests that leaders focus on three key areas: empathy, curiosity, and playing to win.
* By mastering these three elements, leaders can foster a culture of innovation and high performance.

* **Emotional Connection and Legacy:**
* Greg highlights the importance of creating emotional connections with customers and stakeholders.
* He believes that brands that can tap into emotions and tell compelling stories will be more successful in the long run.
* Greg defines legacy as improving the lives of others and emphasizes the impact one can have through their work.

* **Sacrifice and Failure:**
* Greg acknowledges the sacrifices he had to make in pursuit of high performance, particularly in terms of maintaining close relationships.
* He also discusses the importance of allowing failure and viewing it as a necessary part of the creative process.
* Greg believes that failure is the price of creativity and that leaders should encourage their teams to take risks and push boundaries.

* **Creating a Culture of Creativity:**
* Greg emphasizes the importance of creating a culture that allows all kinds of people to feel like they belong.
* He believes that leaders should foster an environment where people feel empowered to share their ideas and take risks.
* Greg highlights the example of Nike, which managed to create a culture that fostered creativity and innovation.

**Conclusion**

Greg Hoffman's insights on leadership, creativity, and high performance provide valuable lessons for individuals and organizations seeking to achieve excellence. His emphasis on empathy, curiosity, and playing to win, along with his focus on emotional connection and legacy, offer a comprehensive framework for success. Greg's personal experiences, including the sacrifices he made and the importance he places on allowing failure, further illustrate the challenges and rewards of pursuing high performance. Ultimately, Greg's message is that leaders should strive to create a culture where all individuals feel valued and empowered to contribute their unique talents and perspectives.

# Greg Hoffman: Emotion by Design

**Episode Summary:**

This week, the podcast features Greg Hoffman, a creative leader, author, and former Vice-President of Global Brand Creative and Marketing Innovation at Nike, who shares insights from his book, "Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike." Greg emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and empowering others to become great leaders. He encourages individuals to stay true to their soul and personality while eliminating obstacles that hinder their growth.

**Key Points:**

- **Empathy and Understanding:** Greg highlights the significance of empathy and understanding in leadership. He believes that leaders should genuinely care about their team members and strive to understand their perspectives and challenges.

- **Empowerment:** Greg advocates for empowering others and providing them with the necessary resources and autonomy to succeed. He emphasizes that leaders should trust their team's capabilities and encourage them to take ownership of their work.

- **Authenticity:** Greg stresses the importance of authenticity and staying true to one's soul and personality. He believes that leaders should not compromise their values or beliefs to fit in or please others.

- **Eliminating Obstacles:** Greg encourages individuals to identify and eliminate obstacles that hinder their growth and progress. He emphasizes the need to let go of limiting beliefs, fears, and distractions that prevent them from reaching their full potential.

- **World-Class Basics:** Greg emphasizes the significance of mastering the fundamentals and consistently delivering high-quality work. He believes that leaders should focus on executing the basics exceptionally well before attempting to innovate or implement complex strategies.

**Additional Resources:**

- Visit the High Performance Podcast website: [www.thehighperformancepodcast.com](http://www.thehighperformancepodcast.com/)
- Sign up for the Monday Motivation Newsletter: [www.thehighperformancepodcast.com](http://www.thehighperformancepodcast.com/)
- Purchase Greg Hoffman's book, "Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike": [Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Design-Creative-Leadership-Lessons/dp/1633699265)

**Overall Message:**

The episode emphasizes the importance of empathy, authenticity, and empowerment in leadership. Greg Hoffman encourages individuals to embrace their unique strengths, overcome obstacles, and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. He believes that by focusing on the fundamentals and staying true to their values, leaders can inspire and motivate their teams to achieve remarkable results.