Luke Lewandowski and I met a long time ago on a leadership programme. Since then, I have followed him on LinkedIn with great interest, enjoying all that he shares about what he is doing with and through others. It was a joy to sit down with him for this episode of Leaders in Conversation.
Luke is Vice President of Global Renewables Research at Wood Mackenzie. In our conversation, he shares what really matters to him, and the lessons he has learnt, and is still learning, about how to lead. Each lesson comes from a person: his mother, his grandmother, his father and Bill, and the last one is still unfolding.
I am not alone in thinking that the way we lead begins long before we have a team. Where did you first learn how to treat people?
Who is Luke Lewandowski?
Luke brings nearly two decades of experience in renewable energy, spanning sales, market forecasting and research leadership. He joined Wood Mackenzie through its 2017 acquisition of MAKE, where he spent nearly a decade helping build the company's brand and its presence in the Americas.
Since then, he has led research across wind, solar, energy storage and the grid edge, and now serves as global head of operations for Wood Mackenzie's Power & Renewables group. He is also the company's global sustainability lead for its Thrive programme, and leads a five-year initiative providing hands-on volunteer work to improve energy access for at-risk communities.
Outside of work, Luke spent six years coaching girls' volleyball and basketball teams.
Lessons for Life and Leadership
Luke takes us through four lessons, each one tied to a person and a stage of life.
Make kindness your first instinct. A lesson from his mother, learnt as a boy.
Be humble. A lesson from his grandmother, learnt as a teenager.
Share your gift. A lesson from his father and Bill, learnt as an adult.
Life is short. Enjoy what you do and make an impact. The lesson he is still learning.
Luke's three encouragements to leaders
Pause before acting or communicating. Ask yourself how it will land. Would I want to be on the receiving end of this?
Remember to have fun. Your team follows leaders who enjoy the work, not those who just endure it.
People follow people, not strategies. Know your team as individuals, so that you can understand how to motivate them, express empathy and understanding, and build camaraderie.
A quiet prompt to take into your week: think of one message or conversation coming up. Before you send it or step into it, pause and ask how it will land. Would you want to be on the receiving end?
Listen to the episode
Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.
Connect with Luke on LinkedIn and find out more about his work at Wood Mackenzie.
Luke's chosen charity is the Let's Share the Sun Foundation.
If this conversation has resonated with you, I would love to tell you more about Collaboration Equation, the leadership framework Lucy Kidd and I created together. Built on Curiosity, Care and Courage, it gives leaders and their teams going through change a practical, relational way forward. Get in touch directly at anni@annitownend.com to find out more.