JEA One Book Podcast: Jim Kales, chief executive of Aspire
JEA’s One Book selection of a “A Curious Mind” by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman, is a fascinating look into curiosity and the benefits of having conversations with strangers.
In the book, Grazer describes how in his life he organizes “curiosity conversations” with people outside of his speciality, which is filmmaking. Through these conversations, Grazer has learned about leadership, perseverance, he’s gained advice, and sometimes, he simply made a connection that left an indelible mark on the way he looked at life.
So in the spirit of the current JEA One Book, Evelyn Laurer and Matt Rasgorshek decided to host our own curiosity conversations, teaming up a JEA member with an individual outside of our organization to learn more about how other industries work.
This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Kales, CEO of Aspire, one of Chicago’s most innovative nonprofits. Kale (@AspirePrez) started his career as a journalist and later moved into politics before entering the world of nonprofits. Kale explains how curiosity helped him pave the path to leadership as the CEO of a company that is redefining what is possible for people with disabilities.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
If you could have a curiosity conversation with someone, who would it be? Comment below and let me know.
