Leadership And The Environment

My third conversation with Geoff covers using his research to figure out what to do.I start with a few questions on how to create a vision for the future based on his research. Can we change our growth trajectory, currently leading to ever-accelerating growth, without sacrificing the superlinear growth that makes cities and presumably culture stable? Recall that sublinear growth leads to companies' and animals' limited lifetimes.Without leadership, it seems inevitable to me that we'll reach collapse. Leadership---changing cultural beliefs---seems our best hope. Creating new technology keeps us on the same track. We'd have to work hard to stay off the track we're on.He talks about how futurists from generations ago predicted technology would free up so much time we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. History shows we found the opposite. The research I've seen on technology creating efficiency has led to more pollution, not less.Listen to the conversation to see what we can do. See acast.com/privacy for pr

This episode is for people who detest Trump. I'll speak to people who love him in future episodes.If you pollute and emit greenhouse emissions beyond the IPCC recommendations, which one round-trip cross country coach flight will nearly do, you personally pulled out of the Paris Agreement so many people criticized Trump for pulling out of.If you defend your flying and other pollution as necessary for your job, congratulations, you used the same excuse behind killing every piece of environmental legislation that's lost.Beyond your actions' effects on the environment, when you tell others to sacrifice for things you don't, you motivate people to vote against you. If you care about issues you differ with Trump on---abortion, gun rights, Supreme Court justices, how the world views our nation---your saying coal miners should sacrifice their jobs while you use your job as an excuse to keep flying motivates people to vote against you. Many people want to stick it to the liberal elite.How to winIf you want to win in 2

I talk to a lot of people who aren't acting on their environmental values. They explain their inaction in many ways, but one of the top ones is that they claim they first have to raise their awareness or become more conscious.To claim unawareness of an issue making global front page news monthly, maybe weekly, when anyone who has ordered takeout or considered eating less meat or driving fewer miles, everyone is plenty aware of the situation and things they can do about it.Action leads to awareness more than the other way around.People will deny it, but nearly everyone uses the specious, fatuous, self-serving pursuit of awareness as a delay tactic, a smokescreen to distract from action.Sadly, beyond delaying awareness, delaying action also delays transforming the internal conflict they're trying to become aware of into joy, discovery, growth, meaning, purpose, saving money, delicious food, and all I created this podcast to share.If you want awareness, act, and bring more joy into your life.I also read a passag

Beth personifies whom this podcast is designed to showcase: someone whose hard work, risk-taking, and personal challenge brought her to the pinnacle of her craft, which she is willing to share. That is, someone who did what leaders in the environment have to---to work hard before you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, having faith in yourself.She shares inside views of cultural change toward environmental stewardship at General Electric, with over 300,000 employees, a world of suppliers and clients, a century of history including major environmental damage. To this day, when I mention swimming across the Hudson, people ask about GE, PCBs, and carcinogens.She didn't shy from the challenges. She took them on. As I saw it, she worked as successful leaders do, with people, seeing them as allies and resources. You'll hear her story, results, and lessons, which apply to my work with large corporations. You'll hear me learning from her how I can help my clients.She also takes on a challenge that sounds big

Many people believe that technology will save many of our environmental problems. I've written and spoken on how making a polluting system more efficient will lead to it polluting more efficiently.My recent cross-country trip by Amtrak, which prompted me to wonder what it would take to transform Amtrak into a first-world train system, illustrated the challenges of systemic change and how pushing on one lever won't do it.Do you think just putting faster trains on Amtrak's tracks would create a system with trains running at first-world speeds, which are double Amtrak's current maximum speeds? Not a chance.This episode considers what goes into systemic change.I close with a reminder that despite its difficulties, the first steps are obvious: you and me, here and now, changing our beliefs and behaviors, which will improve our lives. All my changes to live by my environmental values improved my life.I'm talking about creating joy, meaning, value, purpose, passion, closer relationships, more delicious food, saving

Evelina said she'd avoid plastic for a month before she could think twice about it. Did she complain or back out? You'll hear in this episode, but the big picture is that instead of giving up, she worked harder.I've spoken to a lot of people who started from less and took on smaller projects, if anything. A lot of people talk. Evelina acted. She did a lot.And what do you know? She enjoyed acting more than most people, who seem to prefer saying how helpless they are, despite the sorrow it seems to bring them.Recall, she is a travel writer and chose not to fly. She's already done more than nearly anyone. She takes personal responsibility for what she does. But hearing her speak, you don't hear sadness or missing. I hear her creating joy, taking initiative, not waiting for others.I think the root of her activity and joy is for doing the opposite of what most people do when they face not acting by their values. Most people delay acting by making a goal of "awareness" or "being more conscious," as if reading front

Since appearing on his podcast, he and I have become friends. You can't hear it in this recording, but since meeting on line, I've met him in San Diego, where I stayed in his guest bedroom, meet his family, and cooked my famous no-packaging vegetable stew together.So this episode is more personal.Jared has acted more than most to live by his environmental values, so you'll get to hear someone not complaining. You get to hear people who have acted sharing our experiences. If you haven't acted and mean to, you'll hear that from other side. We don't complain, though we wonder why people don't act.To me this was an open, honest conversation among people who are making meaningful changes in their lives and enjoying it. The leadership part of this podcast is about that joy, as well as meaning, value, importance, and purpose.I hope this conversation showed that you'll enjoy changing when it's to live by your values and you'll wish you had earlier. Yes, you'll stop doing some things you are. Think of great historical

In our second conversation, Geoffrey and I continue to pursue his unique approach to viewing the environment. I find it fascinating because he approaches the environment from a different direction, but he arrives to the same conclusion---the need for leadership to change cultural norms.Talking here gave him the chance to explore ideas he raised in his book but didn't pursue. He wanted to do so, as I understand him. His book went in that direction, but he kept conservative.We also considered the role of a scientist in our world's situation, then spoke about science, culture, the environment, and the role of scientists. It seems to me that we have to change the goals of our system, which doesn't mean stopping capitalism.On the contrary, rules like bankruptcy and antitrust legislation fix inherent problems in capitalism of monopoly and debt turning into slavery. Markets also overproduce. We've accepted laws fixing such problems. Why not things like pollution taxes and externality taxes?We also regulate accountin

Many who serve in the military become leaders in business, politics, entrepreneurship, sports, and many other places.Why?What does the military teach so well?Few people can answer better than Everett, as the head of West Point's leadership department. To say he and his department have extensive experience and knowledge leading and teaching others to lead is an understatement. You'll also find few people more calm, gracious, friendly, patient, and helpful. I consider his voice eminently helpful to environmental causes because I see the lack of effective leadership to the greatest impediment to effective environmental action.If you want to improve your leadership, this conversation will tell you all you have to do. You may have to listen many times, but you'll hear what it takes. Implementing will take a long time, but I'm not aware of shortcuts.We cover how to learn to lead and what West Point does that you can emulate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I'm posting this conversation today because Seth just launched his book, This is Marketing, already a #1 bestseller. As he points out, his marketing is close to what I call leadership: how to influence people, to discover your passion, and such. Helping people change is what this podcast is about.We recorded this conversation months ago, so you get to hear previews of his book. We talked a lot about marketing, leadership, and the environment.I saw a new side of Seth in this interview, partly because I was in his home. He met me at the train, coming from his farmers market. We talked about CSAs, volunteering, and such.I'd seen his TED videos and read a couple of his books but speaking to him about my topics revealed something special. A lot of people teach and coach leadership and management. Some are excellent at it.Few speak with his experience leading and practicing teaching leading. His experience shines through in everything he says. Listen carefully and you'll hear him several times anticipate and answer

Michael is the Executive Director of an organization that inspired me as much as any---The Story of Stuff. They continue to inspire me to think bigger and to focus on the details it would be easier to ignore but that matter.If you want to avoid plastic, waste, and other stuff, you'll find Michael's perspective and experience helpful. Having cut my waste a lot, talking to Michael leads me to cut it more---not out of guilt, shame, or other unwanted emotion but to live more by my values. Integrity.Michael shares a lot of facts, grounded in passion.Many people who have thought and acted long and deeply on environmental issues feel an initial resistance in acting more:Haven't I done as much as I can? What more can I do?If you feel that way, you'll be glad to hear Michael shares that resistance. You'll also be glad that he overcomes it, which, I hope, will help you overcome yours. We'll hear in his second conversation if the increased challenge burdened him, as many claiming "awareness" and "balance" tell themselve

Stewardship is Jethro's core message, as I heard---of his community, especially children in it, his country, and the natural world we share. This world is a beautiful, abundant gift we could wreck if we don't steward it as we know we can.He cares about being an effective steward---not just talk but action. Wait until you hear this Alaskan's commitment to live by this value.WARNING: if you're full of making excuses why you can't act, Jethro's no-complaining, in-service-to-others personal commitment will belie any bogus, self-serving ones. If you came here for more excuses or to reinforce complacency, you won't like Jethro's dedication and commitment.We start on education. Jethro is a school principal active beyond his own school with a national audience. He describes how school systems propagandize, which we can and must channel with intent based on our values, not just let happen.We've been friends since I did his podcast a year ago. He contacted me to do this show because of his personal and passionate chall

Imagine you were born into a slave holding family. You didn't ask to be born into it. You didn't create the system. You didn't make slavery legal.Every landowner around you would own slaves. You would inherit yours.Would you free your slaves?Have you considered how hard it would be? It's worth thinking about -- how much it would change your life.If you would, without a second thought, no matter the difficulty, what other actions you do that hurt others would you stop?If you don't stop those other things, how do you know you'd free the slaves? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Smit is the co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Eden Project in Cornwall, in the southwest of England.He turned a lifeless, poisoned abandoned mine into a bountiful green world-class garden people love to visit. Eden has attracted millions of visitors and billions of pounds. Tim is a consummate doer---not complainer or blamer---and an environmental campaign and entrepreneur, Tim tells how he met challenges he couldn't have foreseen. I love that Tim has no special skills. He did what needed doing to finish the project, then to take it to the next level each time. How did he learn what needed doing? By doing the steps before it.(Are you not starting because you don't know how to do some later stage? Start with what you can, get as far as you can, and solve each thing when you reach it. That's what Tim did. That's what everyone successful did to become successful.)Tim's wisdom is useful for anyone looking to make a difference. You just have to start.(Bonus points if you can tell what Tim Smit has in com

Chris Bailey shares how to focus and create intention---how to become more productive on the outside and live with more meaning and purpose on the inside by focusing on what is important to you.Focus isn't necessarily easy, but Chris shares from personal experience that anyone can improve theirs.He shares to slow down and focus on less in order to make a larger impact. Modern society motivates the opposite, with marketers and advertisers learning and practicing more effective ways to attract and distract you. They tell you they want to help you achieve and enjoy more, but they distract you from what Chris lives and shares.People judge us as leaders by our behavior. Focus affects how we perceive the world and how people perceive us. It's essential to being effective at leadership or any performance-based activity. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I want to differentiate between telling people facts and what to do or what they should do on one side, and leading them on the other.I see a lot of people telling others what to do. Not a lot of people leading. Martin Luther King led people to choose and want to go to jail to create freedom. That's leadership. He had no authority over them. He didn't convince them to do it. He didn't change their values. He gave them a way to achieve their goals of equality and justice.Well, we moved on that path since we haven't achieved it, but he led them.While he also went to jail, I'm talking about more than leading by example. Even without going to jail, King led people. Eisenhower led D-Day though he didn't fight in it. In neither case did they just tell people what to do or just model what to do.I'm talking about connecting with people's values -- what they care about -- and motivating people by their motivations, leading them to a better life, not just compliance.Almost nobody is leading like that today. As a result

Many people think if you just reason enough, you'll get to what's right and wrong in a way everyone will believe.This happens in the environment and many other places in life. In the environment, you may believe we should pass a law limiting emissions. When you hear another person suggest that that law might hurt jobs, you might think if you convince the other person through reason, they'll come to agree with you.Experience has shown me, and probably you, that trying to convince people tends to provoke debate. I'll show you why trying to convince others and change their behavior through reasoning usually backfires. Convincing and logical debate often leads people to reinforce their positions and dislike you.They think emotion gets in the way and confuses us from seeing clearly what's right and wrong.They don't understand reason, nor emotion, nor how the human mind works regarding judgment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How do we elect people, including a United States President, who act on and steward the environment?I'm going to present a plan that I believe can win the next election that transcends the usual divisions that led to today's political situation, political misery, feelings of futility, and filth that we live in in air, land, and water, as well as our bodies.The links and images I referred to:'Disgusting' piles of trash a fixture outside NYC's first 'green' school, residents sayNew York City stops sewage train to Alabama after residents complain of ‘horrific’ smellSan Francisco’s crisis looks like New York’s futureNew York City's 1895 trash and sewage transformation   Buzzfeed videos on getting fithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm7OtVr7yCEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wXbPghYuRshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okM3OYaBQGgMy electric bill My electric Martha Graham's quoteHere is the quote:The dancer is realistic. His craft teaches him to be. Either the foot is pointed or it is not. No amount of dreaming

First world people pollute hundreds of times more than third world people yet the material prosperity doesn't translate to greater happiness.We could reduce our waste by 75% while improving our quality of life, yet we claim we can't do it.Yet we travel to the third world to change them!Leaders are more effective when humble than proud. Paternalism rarely helps any relationships.In this post I explore how we in the first world act with paternalism and pride to justify our extravagant, wasteful behavior, missing how we could learn from others. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

People ask if I think we can make it out of our environmental mess.I don't know, but I act on my values.Many examples of cultural change suggest we can make it, includingSmokingDrunk drivingSeat beltsLeaded gas and paintThe ozone layerBike lanes in New York CityMy podcast guestsMy podcastStarting a sustainability committeeand more See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.