Leadership And The Environment

In our first conversation, David and I talk mostly about creating a work of enduring value. As David says, the way to keep you book so high up on Amazon is by writing a great book.If you want your work to endure and for people to follow, creating quality work is how to do it.David shares about his years of developing, rewriting, and creation, as opposed to get-rich-quick marketing so prevalent today. Without pretense or affectation, we bring in historical masters like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Mozart.Want to be a great leader? You can learn from present-day and historical masters.On the environment, he shares a common issue---that when you've already changed a lot to live by your values, it can feel harder to find new things.Many Americans compare themselves to other Americans, see themselves polluting relatively less, and let go of their values. Since Americans pollute more than nearly any of the billions who have lived since the dawn of humanity, that's about the lowest bar you could use for your integrity.S

This episode contains a lot of laughter.It's about making behaviors conscious. Many people tell me how hard they envision living by their values. They think you have to prepare with planning, analysis, and so on.Anisa's experience suggests the opposite: starting and acting leads you to figure things out. As she points out, if you try to solve everything, you'll never start. If you start, you'll find you can solve more and more things.Hear from Anisa how much easier changing is when you just start. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At last I spoke to someone with a systems perspective!Michael spoke about how many areas we could work in, not to say it's too much but that you can find a place to contribute.Many people wish there was a silver bullet. As far as I know there isn't one. His about-to-launch book, Can Business Save the Earth, treats action on the environment systemically, a perspective I consider essential for environmental leadership.What may seem initially overwhelming doesn't end up that way when you see the big picture, which is what his book covers, and when you find a place to act.Plus, his personal challenge is one a lot of people think about doing but don't, so if you've thought of changing your diet, I recommend listening to Michael's challenge. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why do people who haven't tried it call not flying impossible, yet it was just as challenging for me and I find it one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.Being in a system without realizing it makes it easy to confuse that system's values with your own or with absolute reality. What looks impossible is just impossible within that system.To change, it's easier to exit the system first so you don't feel constrained by its constraints.We were born to some strong systems that make not flying look impossible but not flying is simple. You're probably not flying right now.I present a couple cases -- one simple, the other complex and expensive -- that illustrate what happens when you're trapped in a system versus when you free yourself from it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anisa is another counterexample to believing that working on the environment distracts from getting ahead.She rose to become the director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council despite being early in her career. Though she was doing fine in architecture, she responded to the call for help people and communities in New Orleans after hurricanes Rita and Katrina.Doing what people cared about helped others and led her to positions to help more people, leading her to Washington, DC and being named one of the Most Powerful Women in Sustainability.Still friendly and humble, she shared her environmental values, including where she felt she wasn't living up to them---what many people hide. Then she chose to act on them, recognizing the difficulty.I see her as a role model for improving one's leadership through self-awareness and action. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeff has interviewed authors of leadership books since before I started writing mine. I enjoyed being a guest on his podcast.This time he's on mine, and it's a landmark event, as the next section describes.If you're here for leadership, Jeff is a great example of turning an interest into becoming an important person in a field.If you're here for environmental leadership, listen for Jeff's project---one of the biggest of any guest so far in terms of leading himself and others. I'll let you listen to find out the details, but I'll mention that he takes a leadership role in his community to help people achieve something they all want but no one else has done.Later episodes will reveal how his project goes, but already you can hear his interest in acting over just waiting.Why I'm proudI note that Jeff has read hundreds of leadership books and spoken to hundreds of leadership authors. My book, Leadership Step by Step, and this podcast are the first that led Jeff to lead---not just to talk, read, or write about lea

21 million books sold among 60 titles---including one I remember from my mom's shelf as long as I can remember---a lifetime of research, speaking, and consulting, and more.Since I don't often get to speak with people who have achieved so much, I was torn between acting like a fan and speaking to him like a regular guy. I hope I balanced them by sharing my One Minute Manager story at the beginning, then talking servant leadership.Ken just released his latest book, Servant Leadership in Action, compiling lessons from top leadership thinkers and writers. He spoke about the book, the people in it, and their stories. More than one has been on this podcast, so click the link to find which.Ken shares increasingly valuable wisdom as the podcast goes on, so I recommend listening to the end. There is no substitute for experience (why I teach experientially) and Ken has more than nearly anyone. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This morning I volunteered to pick up trash along the Hudson River.The experience included baby geese, a crab, lots of plastic and waste, and people not connecting their behavior with all this garbage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David has helped me many times. I felt honored to host him and, I hope, help start his environmental legacy.We covered two main things.First, his new book, Friend of a Friend, on networking. His background as a professor and practitioner means he approaches networking systematically and practically, so beyond learning to network more effectively, you understand networking as a process.Second, his environmental commitment. I loved his choice for reasons you'll hear when you listen. I believe it will improve his life beyond just living by his environmental values.David is direct, knowledgeable, experienced, and plain-spoken. Enjoy! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Which is easier, for a slave owner to free his or her slaves or for you to stop using disposable water bottles and food packaging, flying around the world, turning down the thermostat and wearing a sweater in the winter, and so on?If you had slaves, would you free them?I think most people would say it's a lot easier to avoid plastic than to free slaves, but they would also say they would free their slaves -- at least when no one can check. But they don't act environmentally.If you believe you would make the difficult choices hypothetically, will you also make the easier choices here and now? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vincent shares several stories of Patagonia growing from a few dedicated outdoors people to discovering business growth, the usual ways businesses abandon values besides profit, and their not accepting that abdication of responsibility.The company grew financially, its employees grew emotionally and socially, and its community grew numerically.If you think you're alone in wanting to act, Vincent and Patagonia go farther. Vincent shares how the company made difficult decisions to protect the environment, its employees, its suppliers, their employees, and so on---decisions most people think would hurt companies financially---but didn't.As someone who dislikes many major corporations for what many consider standard business practices, I find in Patagonia and its decision-makers role models we can learn from. Having been there from nearly the start, Vincent gives an inside view.His personal challenge also differs from many others', but I expect you'll like it. Mechanically simple, I bet he'll find it insidiously

RJ and I talk about the early success of LEAD Palestine, the organization he began to teach leadership to youths that most of the world abandoned in Palestine.Where their environment made it natural to respond with hopelessness and what comes from it---desperation to the point of aspiring to blow oneself up---RJ is bringing social and emotional development to create hope themselves.They happen to have been born into a world where leadership meant in politics authoritarianism and militarism, which bled into personal relationships. Nobody taught alternatives and those who acted on those models succeeded, however much at others' costs.RJ is teaching an effective style of leadership built on personal skill. I can't help but imagine a lot of it came from my class, though, obviously he deserves the overwhelming credit for implementing it. Though the class he took with me was social entrepreneurship, that semester, several students showed great interest and initiative and I'd stay after class to teach and coach lead

Do you care about the environment?Do you care about leading?The Leadership and the Environment podcast andNYU's School of Liberal Studiesinvite you to improve both at aPanel of Leadership and Environment ExpertsTuesday, April 3, 6pm – 8pmNYU Silver Building, 100 Washington Sq E (at Washington Sq N), room 405Free, register hereFeaturing Vincent StanleyVincent, co-author with Yvon Chouinard of The Responsible Company, has been with Patagonia since its beginning in 1973, including executive roles as head of sales or marketing. Informally, he is Patagonia’s chief storyteller. He helped develop the Footprint Chronicles, the company’s interactive website that outlines the social and environmental impact of its products; the Common Threads Partnership; and Patagonia Books. He serves as the company’s Director, Patagonia Philosophy, and is a visiting fellow at the Yale School of Management. He is also a poet whose work has appeared in Best American Poetry. Robin NagleRobin's book, Picking Up, is an ethnograp

I created this podcast to bring leadership to environmental action.Who leads?As much as I value science and education, scientists and educators rarely lead effectively. We've mistakenly looked to them for leadership for too long. For science and facts, I see looking to them, but motivation? I don't see it.Besides, the science is overwhelming and everyone knows enough facts. Even if you doubt global warming, you don't want mercury in your fish or litter on the beach.How about a man who got over 100 million people to stand and cheer, winning the Super Bowl?Today's episode features Philadelphia Eagle #50 Bryan Braman, about to block a punt in this picture.[I predict you'll find yourself happily surprised at how much he cares and acts environmentally---to say nothing of his humility and dedication to give his all on the field, starting years before the game.Does his achievement sound relevant to the environment: giving, acting for an uncertain goal, caring, teamwork, enjoying the challenge?The challenge now is to

I encourage you to review RJ's leadership program in Palestine for yourself. Check out www.leadpalestine.com.RJ Khalaf is my youngest guest so far, still an undergrad at NYU, but achieving beyond student status. He took my social entrepreneurship classes.In this episode, you'll hear RJ on his passion and success: a leadership program that teaches leadership skills to Palestinian kids who would otherwise throw stones or worse, as you'll hear. He makes it happen at the New Askar refugee camp, which has been around for more than 50 years.RJ says he feels in over his head, but he's acting on his values. He teaches leadership to come from kindness and care. He acts with integrity, discipline, compassion, vision, and things leaders twice his age often lack.The camp students and mentors love the message.You'll also hear about his environment challenge---one many listeners can probably relate to, but few have acted on. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After sharing my "after" stories about after taking on my environmental challenges, in this episode I share the "before" situations. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David shares what happens when you act on your values:Act on your values -> better life -> act on your values more -> yet better life -> etcThis cycle is the opposite mainstream society suggests---that environmental action distracts from getting ahead, costs more, or whatever excuse.Acting on your values distracts from living by others' values---in particular, the values of people and institutions trying to influence you most. Who are they? Top ones I think of include:Ads trying to sell you aspiration"Food" companies trying to sell you sugar, fat, and saltNews media selling you outrage, fear, and offenseTV and movies selling you violence and sexand so on.Your first steps away from it reveal how rewarding and, after the initial struggle, easy continuing is.David shares his mental blocksYou still have to start, which David shares.Conversations with people who have acted, as David has, differ from with people who haven't. People who act are less defensive, less "what about you", more thoughtful, and

David's challenged himself to reduce his meat eating. Right off the bat, he said he found it way better and easier than expected. He felt good and wants to do more.What are you waiting for?Chances are your choice to live by your values will be easier and you'll want to do more.You'll also hear from David how he made it work---using his community, choosing his beliefs, considering his goals, and so on.He feels physically better. This conversation set a tone for the podcast of finding joy in the change.The value of acting and involving othersYou might wonder why he didn't change earlier. He knew the issues and felt the motivation before. Yet he sounded happily surprised at his results.That's the value of acting, not just talking and thinking. Sharing with others engages and attracts them to help. You have to lead them, not accept their criticism based on the values of a system you are rejecting.As you think about your values and a challenge to act on it, his experience implies you will enjoy it more than y

Having worked with many people and generations, Frances sees great hope in millennials. She points to research that they are like the so-called Greatest Generation, who fought World War II and then helped rebuild the world. Moreover, we see them as having done it because "it was the right thing to do," not fame or fortune.The environment could use such perspective and results. I hope she's right.I recommend listening to how she has made her life about taking on challenges, which bring her emotional reward. She takes them on deliberately. I believe she expects that work serving others will create emotional reward and meaning.I didn't hear her talk about pursuing comfort and convenience. I think she knows that taking easy, traditional routes don't create long-term reward.The result? I doubt you'll find a happier person, nor a more respectable and accomplished circle of friends and colleagues.I share her main environmental leadership message: that working for others improves your life. Serving others makes you f

How do you treat the world?True to form, Joel committed to a double challenge of avoiding bottled beverages and picking up trash, so we talked about both.I recommend trying the challenge of picking up trash daily for a month or so. It takes almost no time or effort but gives you insight into how little many people value material objects or how much they pollute. Or maybe their ignorance.Joel and I talked about the results. We can't figure it out, but you can't help considering it when you experience how people treat the world.When was the last time you littered? Where does it come from? We speculated. Write me if you have ideas. I find it very confusing.We don't value stuff. That's why we give it away.I hope you see that acquiring bags, disposable things, and so on lead to garbage, which is waste, which hurts others. Stop acquiring.Also true to form, Joel remarked that making a difference is "almost too easy," yet he learned more about the environment than he would have reading statistics.TakeawaysHabits make