
Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.
Practical Wisdom for Leaders is your fast-paced, forward-thinking guide to leadership. Join host Scott J. Allen as he engages with remarkable guests—from former world leaders and nonprofit innovators to renowned professors, CEOs, and authors. Each episode offers timely insights and actionable tips designed to help you lead with impact, grow personally and professionally, and make a meaningful difference in your corner of the world.
Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.
Design from the Heart with Jenn Zella
Jenn Zella is the Co-Founding Principal and Chief Visionary Officer of CID Design Group, an intentional design firm that creates authentic interiors and inspired brands that engage, elevate, and endure. With a deep-rooted passion for collaboration, the creative process, and what she terms Conscious Design, Jenn believes in the power of design to make the world a happier, healthier, and more beautiful place.
With over 25 years of experience and stemming from a long family legacy of design, architecture, development, and construction, Jenn has been a catalyst for CID’s growth and evolution, earning recognition as one of the Top 100 design firms by Interior Design Magazine for eight consecutive years.
As a thought leader and creative visionary, Jenn frequently speaks nationally, sharing insights on future-forward and human-centric design, leading with heart and purpose, building a culture of trust, and coaching creativity. She has championed the intersection of design and well-being, creating spaces that support individuals in becoming their best selves. She also embodies this philosophy by integrating well-being into CID’s Blue Zone Certified workplace, including a dedicated Wellness Studio that prioritizes holistic health, mindful movement, and self-care.
With a team based in 11 states and 30 cities, CID has taken a bold approach in the design industry, embracing a predominantly virtual creative workplace, redefining how we design, collaborate, and fuel culture leveraging deep tech and high trust.
Jenn believes in leading and creating with love, with an open mind, and in collaboration with others. None of us are as smart as all of us.
A Few Quotes From This Episode
- “Having fun is elemental to being our best and to enjoying the journey together.”
- “Engage, elevate, endure—that’s our mantra for everything we create.”
- “Physical presence in a seat at a desk does not equate to accountability.”
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
- Book: The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
About The International Leadership Association (ILA)
- The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!
About Scott J. Allen
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Okay, everybody, welcome to Practical Wisdom for Leaders. Thank you so much for joining us today. I am honored today to have Jenn Zella. She is the co-founding, principal and chief visionary officer of CID Design Group, an intentional design firm that creates authentic interiors and inspired brands that engage, elevate and endure. With a deep-rooted passion for collaboration, the creative process and what she terms conscious design, Jenn believes in the power of design to make the world a happier, healthier and more beautiful place. With a team based in 11 states and 30 cities, cid has taken a bold approach in the design industry, embracing a predominantly virtual creative workplace, redefining how we design, collaborate and fuel culture, leveraging deep tech and high trust. Jenn believes in leading and creating with love, with an open mind and in collaboration with others. None of us are as smart as all of us. Jenn, thank you so much for being with me today.
Jenn Zella:Well, I just want to thank you for having me on as well, and, just as like a moment of gratitude, I also want to thank all of the leaders and mentors and coaches that I've been so fortunate to learn from over the years, and I guess that's what today is about. Is, you know, we all go along this journey and we learn something along the way, and hopefully there's something that we can share with others that will help them evolve and become their best, that we can share with others that will help them evolve and become their best. You know, we've just always been a humble, no ego group that is willing to learn from others.
Scott Allen:You know which is just so important to be open. So, Jenn, tell me about CID Design. I know it's an incredible place. I was there in January of this year and could literally feel the warmth, the energy, the enthusiasm in your team as I walked through the halls and interacted with them at the retreat. So what are a couple things we need to know about CID design?
Jenn Zella:We're just a group of co-creators and we love to have a lot of fun, which I do believe that you know. Having fun is elemental to being our best and to enjoying the journey together.
Scott Allen:Awesome. I love the phrasing designed to engage, elevate and endure, so would you talk a little bit about that? Those are three just really beautiful words engage, elevate and endure.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, it's our mantra, it's our approach to how we do what we do. So engagement number one we have a human centric approach to our work, really understanding who we're creating for what they value, what they need, and then elevating. For us is all about ensuring that what we do is better than the last. You know, it keeps evolving, it's unique in the marketplace, unlike anything else. And then, lastly, we focus on endurance. We call it design longevity, you know, ensuring that what we do stands the test of time.
Scott Allen:Yeah, so I love how that can be applied to client work, right? I mean, that applies beautifully there, but I think it also could apply to just the culture of your organization. I mean engage, elevate and endure. And so how do you think about that in relation to organizational culture? Because you've been at this for years and you've been building this culture for years, and it's a very, very special place.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, it's interesting and so insightful because we also create brands. We create brands and spaces and that is sort of our approach to creating those things. And you think about it a brand, and creating and designing a brand and creating the architecture of a brand, it's essentially the same as creating a culture yes, think about it, and it does take intentionality and a a culture. Yes, think about it, you know, and it does take intentionality and a creation process.
Scott Allen:Yeah, one thing I love in the world of kind of problem solving and, again, design, is this notion of experimentation and I would love to talk a little bit about some of the experiments you've run, as you've really worked to shape the culture and maybe there's some experiments that have just paid off wildly well and maybe there's some experiments that didn't pay off well. But I think in that process I mean literally when it comes to culture and designing culture there's no one you can call in the world and say, hey, this is Jenn from Naples, I'm trying to design culture. What are the four steps? It just doesn't happen right and it's kind of it's this process and this experimentation. So would you talk a little bit about that experimentation over the years to get where you are today.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, I actually think what's so interesting about this is that we are in a creative space and so we talk a lot as a design firm about the creative process and how do we actually create and what place does that actually come from? And you know, the notion of experimentation is such an important conversation because we think of it, as you know, especially early on in the creation process. We think about, like, lowering the bar and thinking about it just being a sandbox and about trying things and not being fearful of making mistakes. Love it, Because I think what we've learned over the years is that we continue to adapt. If something doesn't work, we just pivot and we try a different way, and we're grateful that our team gives us grace to make mistakes, because I think we're designing that way. We're talking about that when we're creating brands and creating spaces. You know that if something doesn't work, you just try again. You start again.
Scott Allen:I love it. And so what are a couple of things that you've stumbled upon that maybe you didn't know were going to work when it comes to culture and experimenting around culture and have just paid off wildly well? What are a couple of those experiments?
Jenn Zella:I mean regarding building culture and communicating it clearly. I'll say that early on, and I'll say, like our first 10 years as a company, it was funny. Our first business coach that came in asked us what our you know core values and culture was, and what we said to him was we care about everything. And he's like whoa, whoa, whoa. I mean I get that. You know, you guys are passionate and you big lovers and you care about everything, you want everything, you write every little detail and everything.
Jenn Zella:But he's like, if you care about everything, you know you can't be clear about. You know, really, what is most important, and so he helped us distill that down to truly what was most important. I also, you know, one very early lesson was that, you know, we really had to ensure that the values that we aligned ourself with were truly authentic to who we were as people. You know, because we have to truly operate that way through and through. And so, you know, as we designed, I'll say that culture and what we decided to truly value the most and to really lean into were things that elevated creativity and that allowed for creativity to truly flourish.
Scott Allen:I love that. So there's this process of kind of distilling down who we are and who we want to be, but then also this process of really tapping into those values that speak to us, that truly represent who we want to be, and from there I mean you've got this rock solid kind of foundation.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, and again, this was part of the journey and process of really understanding that not only do we have to completely operate that way, but we needed to assemble a group of people and attract like-minded people that believed the same thing, and clients too. You know we share that with every single new client. You know who we are. We're very clear about that so that you know ultimately we find our way to like-minded clients and business partners as well.
Scott Allen:Well, and what a wonderful way to be. I mean because I remember that now that you just said that when I was with you in January talking about how that is communicated who we are, what we stand for, our values, how we work, that's communicated to clients, but it's so critical to communicate it to potential employees in the recruitment process, because are we attracting both clients but also co-workers who value what we value and want to be a part of this journey with us?
Jenn Zella:Yeah, it is critical and you know we don't lose sight of it either. It's not something that is just talked about through the recruitment process. It's something that's talked about every single quarterly conversation that we have. We have a citizen awards no pun intended CID citizen awards ceremony every single year, where we talk about it's a peer nominated award, you know, for alignment with the values of our group and our people. So it's something that has to be, you know, continuously focused on and we have to always be aware of and it just keeps us. So, I mean, we have found that it creates so much harmony and so much cohesiveness and, truthfully, if we're going to talk about WorkWell Anywhere and sort of our hybrid, remote approach to how we've structured our company, it has been the foundation. It has been what has made it truly possible is being, you know, in alignment with one another.
Scott Allen:Yes, well, ok, so let's talk a little bit about that, because you have come out strong and said look, we are a remote workforce. We're very clear on who we are, who we want to be as an organization. We're going to recruit people who value what we value, but we also are going to let people work where they are. So talk a little bit about that and how that's paid off, and maybe even are there a couple of things that we just haven't figured out totally 100% yet, because I love the fact that you've planted that flag.
Jenn Zella:Yeah Well, first I want to talk about why we went there, cause I think you know, as Simon always says, start with why.
Jenn Zella:You know the true purpose was that we were solving, for you know how do we grow as a company and work with the best and the brightest people?
Jenn Zella:While operating our headquarters out of Southwest Florida, I think within our first five years or so of being located in this marketplace, we realized that, although the beach is amazing, you know we're not going to be able to attract and retain all of the talent and the caliber of talent that we know we need to work with.
Jenn Zella:To are number one, we've got to collect and work with the best and the brightest, and so if we could remove that barrier of, you know, acquiring talent that's willing to relocate, then you know we have access to so much more. So we figured out a way to do it and, truthfully, in the design industry, it has always been such a barrier to work remote or hybrid because of our physicality, with materials and finishes and products, and also always thought that collaboration needs to be physically, you know, in person to be, you know, but that is the way it was done for so many years, and so I understand the tendency to want to go back to what's comfortable, but we set out to solve for how to make this happen because we knew it was so important.
Scott Allen:And so what are a couple of lessons learned and observations on that journey? I imagine one, because you know, as a leader you know this better than anyone You're constantly managing these different tensions. So, hey, we have to meet budget, but we also have to innovate and experiment and try some new things. Or we want to be an organization that is empathetic with our employees and we also need people to do their job. And if we get out of balance, if we're too heavy handed and everyone's being held accountable and we're micromanaging, then we're out of balance. But if we're allowing people to maybe not do their job, then we're out of balance as well. And so you're constantly managing these different tensions. So what are a couple observations you've had in moving into this as a core, kind of foundational belief of the organization?
Jenn Zella:Well, again going back to the why and sort of the biggest aha as we've moved through this process, I'll say it comes down to oh, there's so many things trust for people to live the lifestyle they wish, to be close to the people that they hold dear, to care for an elderly grandparent that might be somewhere else on the other side of the country. Yet they're a perfect person.
Scott Allen:We want to work with them, we've trained them, we've developed, and so it offers so much freedom 100%, and I think it also allows for a degree of autonomy in the sense that core need for human beings is to feel free. I think all of the research on what makes someone happy in their role is if there is some level of autonomy. So it's not that you have to have your butt in this seat, in this location, for eight hours, these specific eight hours, but it's that we're going to give you autonomy and freedom to decide. Obviously, there's going to be meetings that we have to attend, but it doesn't matter if you wake up at 5 am and work from 5 to 7 and really plow on something that needs to be accomplished, or if you go on a walk at noon or at 11 am, but the expectation is you're going to meet your requirements, but that autonomy and that freedom is allowed to these individuals.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, we certainly have found that physical presence in a seat, at a desk does not equate to accountability, and so, you know, I'll say that this business model has forced us to be better, with so many things like accountability, everyone having metrics and measurables so that we know that they're doing. You know what they need to be doing. They just get it done, you know, in their own way, I'll say so, giving true autonomy, I suppose. But what has made all of this possible is to start with this strong foundation of trust and of culture, and that is what has allowed this to be truly successful, I believe.
Scott Allen:Yeah, oh, 100%. I mean, I think, beginning with a spirit of trust, hiring the best, here are our values. Do you align with these values we're going to trust? And then again, you have some backend systems in place. Look, there's very, very clear metrics and there's very clear mechanisms for accountability, because we have to get the work done. We're here to serve the clients and do our best work and live those three words engage, elevate and endure. And one thing I'm super interested in is just a couple reflections from you as we begin to wind down our time. What have you learned about yourself as a leader in the last 25 plus years? I imagine it's constantly. New insights are presenting themselves as you enter into new situations and contexts. But what are some key reflections there?
Jenn Zella:Maybe first number one is just the notion of having a growth mindset and of this just tireless pursuit of becoming better and evolving. You know, maybe the second that I'll cite is truly leading with heart, loving what you do, loving why you're here doing it, loving the people that you're doing it with. I think has been one of the best and most important focuses.
Scott Allen:Would you talk a little bit about leading with heart? Could you unpack that just a little bit? I love the phrasing and again, listeners can feel the warmth here. I'm going to begin with trust and I'm going to start there, and we're going to begin with our values and then leading with heart. What are a couple of things that come to mind of examples of leading with heart?
Jenn Zella:I guess I do believe that the heart is the center of our creative universe. You know, you talk to any artist, any creator. That is the place from which we sing, we write, we create. I believe that leading from that same center is equally important. You know, it's a truthful place, it's an authentic place and, as you said, you know, it does create or it does allow for vulnerability, which, when we talk about the creative process, you know you've got to create a space where people feel like they can truly be vulnerable to share their ideas, you know, and their thoughts and then allow for those to be built upon and adapted and continued and furthered through collaboration.
Scott Allen:I mean, just even in your phrasing right there, some things kind of come to mind for me, and it was in your bio. None of us is as smart as all of us. So it's opening up to others, it's creating that place of psychological safety, and it's less about whether it's my idea or your idea, it's what is the best idea and let's go on a pursuit to find what is the best solution for this space or what is the best solution for our culture. But there's an openness there that I just really love and there's a warmth there. And again, that doesn't mean that you're not making hard decisions. That doesn't mean that you're not holding people accountable, but I think there's a center from which everything begins, because, of course, course, you've had to let people go over the course of your tenure. Of course those are. You've had the tough conversations when people aren't meeting expectations, but we're going to start from a place that is very, very grounded. I mean, that's kind of what I'm hearing and what I'm discerning. Is that somewhat accurate?
Jenn Zella:Yeah, I think when you're super clear about you know just clarity in general, clear about who you are, clear about what the role, is clear about what people are accountable for. You find very quickly whether somebody is in alignment with that or not. And the more clear you are, the quicker you discover that. Yes, yeah.
Scott Allen:You know you're starting from a place of trust, You're starting in a place from the heart, from being human centric, that is. It's just a good place to start from.
Jenn Zella:And if only we all started from there, you know, early on in our business journey. You know it took us time to find our way there and to really understand. That was essentially the key to it, at least for us.
Scott Allen:Yeah, that's a good place to kind of pause for today. I always wind down these conversations by asking guests what they've been listening to, what they've been reading, what they've been streaming. It could have to do with what we've discussed today. It could have nothing to do with what we've discussed today, but what's caught your attention in recent times.
Jenn Zella:Yeah, Well, I guess, going along the topic of the creative process, since we've talked a bit about that today like a lot of leaders, I'm listening always to so many different things at all the same time. But the one that I'll highlight are frequencies. So, you know, on Spotify or YouTube, you can search for frequency music, for frequency music. So every different song in this universe has been created, you know, at a certain harmonic or a certain frequency. So, for example, mozart's music was all composed at 432 Hertz Really, yes which is also the same frequency of Tibetan sound bowls. It's also the same, interestingly, the same frequency of planet Earth. You know what's known as the Schumann residence.
Jenn Zella:So you can listen to all these different frequencies or harmonics, depending on what sort of state you're trying to be in. For example, when we sleep, it's best to try to sleep to delta waves, because that puts you into a really deep state of sleep, nice, and so if you're trying to get into a creative state, you want to listen to 432 hertz. So I listen to a lot of different music that inspires these different types of frequencies. I've also been listening a lot to I don't know if any of you are familiar with Rick Rubin, the author of the Creative Act yes, one of my favorite books ever because you can just flip to any page or any chapter and just pick up and read something wise. But he has a beautiful podcast called Tetragrammaton and he just has a lot of very interesting perspectives and often they talk about the creative process. So I've been finding that quite interesting.
Scott Allen:Yeah, I think probably in the last month I listened to him and Matthew McConaughey. Often they talk about the creative process, so I've been finding that quite interesting. Yeah, I think probably in the last month I listened to him and Matthew McConaughey, which was a fun conversation. Yeah, and Neil Young, which is always an interesting conversation, and so, yes, I listened to the creative act and he reads it and it is such a great, great book. I mean to your point Speaking of wisdom, oh my gosh, it's just absolutely incredible, Wonderful, wonderful resource. And I'd never thought of the frequencies, but I do have music, Jenn, that if I need to work I can put my headphones in and I can put in specific music and I will just kind of float. It brings me to a state of flow and I will float. I won't hear. A whole album will be done and I won't hear it, but I will have floated on that and just zoomed forward with my tasks.
Jenn Zella:Yes, we all have the music that we listen to when we're trying to work out, or we're trying to get in a groove, or we're trying to relax. You know, music is so powerful.
Scott Allen:Yes, oh, 100%, 100%. Okay, I will put links to a couple of those resources in the show notes. For all of you and Jen, thank you so much for being with me today. I really, really appreciate your time. Thanks for the incredible work you do, thank you for the culture you're creating, and you know what I just have so much respect.
Jenn Zella:Likewise, Scott. Thank you for the opportunity.
Scott Allen:Take care, be well. I hope you could feel the heart in Jen's approach to leadership and I think it's just an inspiring conversation of an individual who has built an incredible organization, doing incredible work out there in the world and leading each and every day designing culture not only designing beautiful spaces, but actively designing culture. Jen, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate you, appreciate your great work. Bye-bye.