S1 Ep. 09: Redefining Success: Lisa Decker on Relationships, Setbacks, and Staying Green - Part 1

What if your greatest personal and professional growth came not from success but from being demoted or having your life take a totally unexpected turn?This episode of "Carrie, It's Not That Serious" reveals how setbacks—like a career demotion or suddenly realizing your kids' lives will follow a different path than you ever imagined—can become the very foundation for lifelong resilience, empathy, and authentic leadership.In part one of this conversation, Carrie Hunter welcomes Lisa Decker, principal at Korn Ferry, who built her 25+ year career not just on finding great finance and accounting leaders, but by seeing the people behind the titles. Lisa shares heartfelt stories about her family’s legacy of choosing inclusion, raising LGBTQ+ children, and how her mother’s radical kindness shaped her entire worldview. She dives deep into her most pivotal career setback—a painful demotion—and how it forced her to re-examine her leadership style, priorities, and ultimately led her to a more rewarding, purpose-driven career.Throughout the episode, Lisa reminds us that nobody's life is a straight line to success, and that embracing our unexpected reroutes can unleash our greatest impact—even if it begins with a detour we never wanted. This episode will make you question what you call failure and see the ripple effect of real empathy at home and at work.Connect to Lisa DeckerLinkedInInstagramFacebookWIP - Demotion to Destiny and the Power of Believing in MyselfTimestamps Overview00:00 Introduction to Lisa Decker and her legacy of meaningful impact01:35 Lisa’s childhood: princess dresses, tomboy days, and early leadership03:23 How Lisa’s family history shaped her perspective on seeing humanity in others04:46 Stories of inclusion: Lisa’s mother, Down syndrome advocacy, and ripple effects07:00 Parenting surprises: raising high-achieving LGBTQ+ kids and the lessons learned09:31 Lisa’s darkest career moment—her demotion and what it taught her12:18 How setbacks foster the most profound personal and professional growth14:44 Shifting life’s trajectory: embracing surprise and the gift of seeing your children fully17:10 The power of staying “green” (open to growth) through every unexpected turn20:22 Why Lisa genuinely loves recruiting as her life’s work22:15 The long-term impact of authentic relationships in business25:00 Choosing happiness daily, balancing high performance with real life30:20 Wrap-up and reminder: it’s not that serious—join for Part 2!