8 Seventh Edition Marquis Who’s Who INSIGHT HYLKE FABER Chief Executive Officer, Coach, Author, Podcast Host Growth Leaders Network Phoenix, AZ https://www.growthleadersnetwork.com/ How have you navigated disruptions in your industry to remain a top professional? What the COVID-19 pandemic brought, besides hardship, was a rare opportunity to reflect and look deeply into what we’re doing, who we are and what we want to do. That’s what my work is about – helping people become more contemplative. I call this the connectedness quotient, which is about how deeply we’re connecting to who we are, to others and to our purpose. I traveled a lot for work pre-pandemic and was slated to give a series of workshops in the Netherlands in March 2020. When the pandemic emerged, our team needed to find a workaround. We were already practicing virtual coaching and team development, so we were able to get our workshops online in a week. What changed was the people with whom we were working became more ready to look at the deeper questions. What are two key behaviors/personality traits that allow you to be effective in your role? Truthfulness and compassion. I can’t help people with things that I’m not willing to look at myself. So, I invite leaders and teams to look at their mindsets and behaviors, which includes identifying their fears and past conditioning. Once they spot what is holding them back, they can let go and come out on the other side. The first book I wrote, “Taming Your Crocodiles,” has a unique subtitle in its Dutch translation: “Letting go of the patterns that keep you small.” Those are the patterns that keep you living in a nontruth. Without compassion, truthfulness can become ruthlessness, and you need both truth and compassion to be balanced. TAMMY EDMONDS Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Creative Director Tammy Edmonds DESIGN Inc. Pasadena, CA https://www.tammyedmondsdesign.com/ What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry? An issue not being addressed sufficiently is diversity – I’d like to see greater opportunities to foster more inclusivity in our industry. There are so many points of inspiration gleaned from other cultures as the basis for design. We evoke their spirit, and yet, the architecture and interior design industry still has work to do in welcoming and encouraging culturally diverse talent into the field. Students are the future of any industry. Our goal, as professionals, must be to foster the next guard. We all benefit from being stewards of change. What innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? I think AI will have a positive effect on certain elements of the drawing production process, especially on large-scale, multi-level floor projects. Of course, 3D technologies continue to be a major contributor to the overall design process — visualizing how a space can be is an incredible communication tool. It’s also a great design instrument, but it has a side effect, like a backup camera on your vehicle, where you begin to rely on that to park your car and not trust in your cognitive abilities. That can become a crutch. While technology is doing a good job of being an assistant to what we’re trying to design, we need to remember the personal touch that allows something to come alive. You can copy things easily, but as designers, artists and creative individuals, we need time to quiet the mind and reflect to create something new and unique.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ5NDA2