Interview with Adena Johnston

Guest bio:

Dr. Adena Johnston is the Principal of the Lateral Group, a talent management consulting firm, where she leverages her deep experience and broad industry expertise to serve as a trusted executive coach and strategic partner. Having sat in the ex-ecutive seat as a corporate president, her background in organizational dynamics and executive coaching informs her inti-mate understanding of leadership challenges from both sides of the table.

Known for weaving together practical business acumen, cultural insights, and behavioral science, Adena partners with her clients to deliver tailored approaches that drive sustainable and measurable results.

3 big ideas discussed in this episode:

BIG IDEA #1: Systems thinking is a mission-critical leadership capability.

Leaders today need systems thinking—the skill of seeing patterns over problems—to overcome disruption, generational shifts, disengagement, and market change. It transforms strategic blindness into clarity for navigating complexity.

BIG IDEA #2: HR leaders who champion ecosystems can build adaptive capacity in themselves and their organizations. With insight into both internal dynamics and external forces, they’re uniquely positioned to apply systems thinking and guide organizations through change.

BIG IDEA #3: It’s never been a more important time for engaging WITH systems rather than imposing ON them.

By working with natural patterns instead of forcing solutions, organizations create sustainable transformation and avoid unintended consequences.

Get a copy of Adena's book here now:

Resources:

Order the book here now

Website: https://lateralgroup.us/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adenajohnston/

Enjoy the interview