S1E2 Todd Zerger: Building culture with intent

Todd Zerger has spent 30 years leading creative teams and still draws every day. That discipline, he says, is exactly why he has never been afraid of AI. In this conversation, Todd and Pauline get into what actually separates teams that stay creative under pressure from teams that just execute: the difference between designers who can start from a blank page and those who can only work within a system, and why a leader's job is to build a culture where both can thrive. Todd is VP of Design at Strategy CX and has led creative teams at Razorfish and Sapient Nitro across two decades. He draws every day, writes on Medium, and thinks about design the way an anthropologist thinks about culture: as something that emerges from people, not something imposed on them. From paperboy to creative director: how encouragement shapes a career AI as a creative collaborator, not a replacement When specialisation becomes a ceiling Building teams from diversity of thought Structure, generational expectations, and the blank page problem Culture as something that emerges, not something you prescribe How adults learn, and why conversation is the mechanism Follow Todd on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toddzerger/ Polar Bear exists because great teams deserve great people ops. We work with creative agencies and consulting boutiques to build the career paths, cultures, and systems that make talented people want to stay. Our main mission is to protect human connection at work, so we started At The Den to connect with leaders who inspire us and give them a space to share their stories, lessons, and hard-won wisdom on building stronger, happier, more resilient teams. Follow Pauline on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/paulinebertry/ Explore Polar Bear: www.meet-polar-bear.com All episodes: www.meet-polar-bear.com/podcast