Phil Gilbert joins Joe for a masterclass on leading lasting change—how to move large organizations, overcome cultural antibodies, and build systems that make transformation stick.
As the former head of design at IBM, Phil was tasked with one of the most ambitious corporate transformations of the last decade: to reignite creativity, collaboration, and speed inside a century-old company known for its consistency. Drawing from his new book Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success, he shares the playbook that helped shift IBM’s mindset from compliance to commitment—and what leaders in any field can learn from that journey.
In this conversation, Joe and Phil unpack what it really takes to drive change at scale: how to earn voluntary adoption instead of forcing compliance, why culture must evolve alongside strategy, and how language, branding, and storytelling can make or break a transformation. They explore lessons that resonate from boardrooms to battlefields—how to lead people through uncertainty, protect the integrity of a mission, and create a culture that thrives on iteration and learning.
Listeners will come away with an actionable framework for driving change—one rooted in human behavior, organizational design, and the power of intentional leadership.
In this episode, Joe and Phil also explore:
- Why the status quo is resilient—and how great organizations learn to challenge it continuously
- How IBM’s “Hallmark” program turned change into a desirable brand, not a mandate
- The formula behind lasting culture: people + practices + places
- Why forcing compliance breeds “antibodies,” and how to inspire genuine belief instead
- How storytelling and small-team “boot camps” made transformation go viral inside a 400,000-person company
- The role of senior leaders in rewarding behavior and reinforcing new norms
- What the “magic people” and The Captain Class teach us about influence from within teams
- Why great leaders think like designers—iterating, prototyping, and refining as they go
Whether you’re leading a military unit, a corporate team, or a creative project, this episode offers a field-tested blueprint for driving change that lasts—one built on empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for the craft of leadership.
Meet Phil
Phil Gilbert is a recognized leader in design, culture, and organizational transformation, known for driving innovation at scale. In 2012, he was tasked with revitalizing IBM’s legendary design program, spearheading a bold effort to transform how the company approaches and solves complex challenges. By integrating formally-trained designers across the organization and reskilling thousands of employees in design thinking and agile practices, Phil helped establish a sustainable culture of creativity and collaboration. This transformation set a new global standard for the role of design in business and was featured in The New York Times, Fortune, and the acclaimed documentary The Loop.
During his tenure at IBM, Phil also co-chaired the company’s Global Women’s Executive Council and founded the Racial Equity in Design team—both initiatives reflecting his commitment to diversity, empathy, and systemic innovation as essential drivers of business success. His contributions earned him induction into the New York Foundation for the Arts’ Hall of Fame in 2018, as well as recognition as an Oklahoma Creativity Ambassador in 2019 for advancing creative thinking and innovation globally. (courtesy of Gilbert.com)
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