Ashka Stephen - week 6

100% relatable.

It’s not very often that you meet someone truly passionate about their work. And it’s definitely not very often that you get to work with them.

Enter Chad Rochkind — the founder of Human Scale Studios.
I was lucky to get the opportunity to chat with Chad last week. When brainstorming questions to ask, my mind flashed back to one of the first team meetings Joe and I attended at Human Scale Studios. Donning his signature look —an open button-down shirt with a plain tee underneath and classic denim jeans— Chad drew out a 3’’ x 5’’book out of his pocket. It was the Tao Te Ching. He then paraphrased his favorite quote to start the meeting:

“A leader is best
When people barely know he exists
Of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say, “We did this ourselves.””
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

This quote represents Chad’s perspective on leadership —one of the biggest takeaways I got from both the interview and from working with him for the past six weeks. When I asked him to elaborate on the quote, he said that the Tao Te Ching "taught (him) about the world, leadership, and the nature of change.”He said this is where he derives his style when it comes to leading —setting a vision and no micromanagement, or in Chad’s words, “clear but broad.”

Chad’s work on the parklet in front of Astro Coffee perfectly sums up not only his leadership style but also his passion for building human-centered cities. His goal: “to create a place where people can hang out and just be kind to each other.”From the way Chad detailed how the park was created, I could tell he lived up to the quote that inspired him so much. “There was one situation where people were disagreeing about the color scheme. There were two different ones.”In the end, it was Chad who impartially decided which was selected. This scenario was unique because most “smaller” logistics, such as color scheme, lighting and furniture are usually left to various members of the community, Chad pointed to the situation as an example of the leadership style he wants to represent —one where the leader is apparent and called for when needed, but referred to sparingly when not.

In the end, what Chad found most rewarding about the project was the process of creation, the public’s repose throughout, and how the parklet was received. Although the parklet was removed, the idea of what could have been and just the short-term benefit that the community experienced was enough for Chad. The feeling of a people-centered community had been revitalized on Michigan Avenue through one event.

​Besides his leadership style, another important theme that came to define interviewing Chad was his self-awareness. When I asked him what he was most proud of, without missing a beat he responded that it was his relationship with his wife —“the most real thing ever” (cue the awes). Cultivating his relationship forced him to stay balanced and maintain a solid outlook despite life’s ups and downs.

Overall, I’d describe Chad as a leader, visionary and idealist. I was lucky to get the chance to interview such an inspirational and creative futurist, and I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone like it. To sum up the interview, I asked Chad whether he ended up where he imagined he would be. To this, he responded:

“I’d say, I’m happy with myself… I’m happy with what I’ve brought to the table”