1172: Jess Pettitt

Thrive in Business

Sep 15

“DOING GOOD BETTER”

Curiosity is the secret ingredient to real change—and this episode dives deep into why embracing what you don't know can spark growth, connection, and excellence. What does it really mean to "do good better"?

Lou Diamond sits down with the fearless and refreshingly candid Jess Pettitt—keynote speaker, author, and newly inducted Speaker Hall of Famer—to unpack her personal journey, her trilogy of work on enough-ness and trying, and how redefining responsibility and agency can unite us in polarized times. Jess brings stories, smart strategies for cultivating curiosity at work, and a behind-the-scenes look at what recognition from your peers truly means. Get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even challenge what you think you know.

Timestampes Overview

00:00 Episode intro and Jess Pettitt’s candid welcome
[00:48] Jess’s thought leadership: enough-ness, trying, and making “doing good” better
[04:56] The evolution of Jess’s trilogy—why lived experience and business lessons collide
[06:07] Disruption and change: what can businesses “do better” today?
[08:41] “Good Enough Now”—where the idea really came from
[10:58] Polarization, facts, and the danger of algorithmic echo chambers
[12:16] Redefining responsibility and agency in work and life
[14:55] Why polarization might be what actually helps us improve
[16:25] How technology changed communication—and what we’ve lost
[18:20] Rediscovering curiosity: breaking out of echo chambers
[20:17] Building curiosity-driven cultures at work
[21:38] The power of conversation: a no-device workplace experiment
[23:35] How to spark connection by asking questions you don’t know the answer to
[27:52] Jess’s Speaker Hall of Fame induction and what it means
[33:18] The real definition of excellence and peer recognition
[35:39] Where to find Jess Pettitt and her books
[36:42] Speed round: activities, first concerts, and powerful music memories
[40:16] Closing remarks and episode wrap-up