Episode 52: Karen Jaw-Madson – Building organizational culture using design thinking

Karen Jaw-Madson is an organizational change and culture expert who enjoyed success as a corporate executive before pursuing a “portfolio career” comprised of research, writing, consulting, teaching/speaking, and creative pursuits. Her book “Culture Your Culture: Innovating Experiences @Work” was released in June 2018. This book is a guide for implementing the methodology she created — Design of Work Experience (DOWE) – which combines organizational culture with design thinking, learning, appreciative inquiry and values-based leadership to help people innovate and solve challenging problems at work.

Find out more about Karen and the DOWE methodology at www.designofworkexperience.com and connect with Karen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also purchase Karen’s book on Amazon: Culture Your Culture: Innovating Experiences @Work.

We’ve also got a bonus episode with Karen Jaw-Madson, where she talks about finding and working with a publisher for her book “Culture Your Culture: Innovating Experiences @Work” – and why she describes her experience as a “soap opera!” Listen to the bonus episode here.

Karen’s full bio:

Organizational expert Karen Jaw-Madson enjoyed success as a corporate executive before pursuing a “portfolio career” comprised of research, writing, consulting, teaching/speaking, and creative pursuits. As a versatile leader across multiple industries, Karen developed, led, and implemented numerous organizational initiatives around the globe. Today, this East Coast transplant to Silicon Valley (via Ireland and the Midwest) is principal of Co.-Design of Work Experience, where she enables organizations with innovative approaches and customized solutions for intimidating challenges. Focus areas include culture, organizational change, and people strategies. Her book, Culture Your Culture: Innovating Experiences @Work (Emerald Group Publishing) was released in June, 2018. She has a BA in Ethnic and Cultural Studies from Bryn Mawr College and a MA in Social-Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Visit her website at www.designofworkexperience.com.

Links to other organizational change influencers that Karen mentions during the podcast:

Free Agent Nation by Daniel Pink (the book that inspired Karen to create her portfolio career)

Prof. Jeanne M. Liedka, Darden School of Business

Total Quality Management by W. Edwards Deming

Appreciative Inquiry by David Cooperrider (Karen’s intellectual hero)