Leading in a Legacy: Insights from Kohler’s Chief Sustainable Living Officer

Season 5, Episode 3

This episode features Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainable Living Officer, Kohler. Laura shares insights about the legacy of Kohler and her journey within the company, and Kohler’s culture of innovation, sustainability and purpose. Laura also discusses the importance of re-skilling, the role of technology in sustainability, and how her personal values have played a role in her leadership journey.

Discussion Questions:

We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:

  1. If you were to further cultivate your own resilience, persistence, and innovation, how might that serve you well in your ongoing leadership journey?
  2. What opportunities might exist to further cultivate sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and individual behaviors in your own organization?
  3. Are you leaving money and talent on the table by not fully activating your own team members? What might you do to better activate them?
  4. What could you do to foster a culture of innovation in your team and how might you be able to influence that more broadly in your organization?
  5. What skills and competencies of your own do you need to update, and what is your plan to do so?

Highlights:

  • 1:51: Kohler’s Legacy Values: Resilience, Persistence and Innovation
  • 6:49: What started as cast iron farm implements
  • 11:20: The importance of sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and behaviors
  • 16:33: Innovation and Purpose: People are more than the job they do
  • 20:07: Dealing with roadblocks when building a culture of innovation
  • 22:05: Smart products to serve sustainable living
  • 24:41: The importance of reskilling and a 70-20-10 model
  • 29:48: The thrill and challenge of career pivots