Business, based growth, loves the ideas of a circular economy and recycling because both promotes more, but may keep us on track to unsustainability, global warming, plastic, etc. I don't know the answer, but the city of Charlotte contacted me about their Envision Charlotte program. I told them I'm cautiously optimistic and am not sure what they're doing is in the long run helpful. I'm not saying it isn't but since few people get the difference between efficiency and total waste, few people are working on reducing total waste. They put me in touch with Amy Aussieker, their Executive Director, and we had a great first conversation where I said the above and she was game for a conversation. I admire her putting herself out…

With some guests I have a hard time finding a quote to start the episode with. With Anand, I had the opposite -- at least half of what he said wowed me. When I first saw him speak and saw the title of his book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, I wondered if someone at the elite event I attended would really challenge a community he was in. He did. You'll hear Anand in the first few minutes describe the starting point of the book. His book shows how our society is leading people who believe they are helping. Though trying to decrease the inequities toward classes of people who, through no fault or lack of their own, lose out…

I met Colonel Read through Colonel Everett Spain, who has also been a guest of the podcast. Two myths about the military have unraveled in me as a result of seeing West Point from the inside and talking to 4-star Generals and department heads. One is that the military practices command-and-control and that someone of any rank can just order people to do things and get compliance. On the contrary, you'll hear Mark share how people lead with compassion and understanding, at least most of the time outside of combat. The second is that the military wouldn't care about the environment or their effect on it. Again, I don't think anyone could hear Mark as faking caring. So far, the military seems to be fixing…

Anna is down to earth for anyone, let alone a gold medalist and Crossfit champion. Watch her videos to see the contrast with what she does, her abilities, and how she doesn't have to be humble. She does something hard, that most can't do, like a clean and jerk or climbing a rope, then does as many as she can in a cycle with other hard things, to past exhaustion. She shows us what people are capable of, mentally and physically. I hear from her that she wants people to develop for themselves what she does for herself, community being a big part of it. She talks about the value of coaching -- the intimacy and vulnerability in it. Number one means reaching your potential.…

Kevin and I have been friends since we both wrote for Inc, and before I appeared on his podcast, which always opens a conversation. It's two guys talking about leadership and love with examples of hardball football and basketball coaching and the like. That leadership view isn't the only perspective on leadership, but it recalls my blurb that I wrote for his book: If you want to lead so people love working with you, not just manage so they comply, and the usual instruction isn't helping, you probably need some shaking up. Kevin Kruse wrote his book to provoke you into changing and growing. It's filled with stories, research, and personal experiences that will make you think and point to how to change and grow.…

I got an email that Bob Langert, McDonald's former head of Corporate Social Responsibility, wrote a book on his experience in over two decades at the corporation. From my view, seeking change, I see places like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Exxon, and Monsanto, to name a few, as the places with the greatest potential. Many protest them, which I consider important, but I also believe they could use help. I don't know how many large organizations can change without outside help. Am I the one to do it? I'm not sure, but I can't ignore their potential for change. I read the book and scheduled a conversation with Bob. My goal is to understand the man and his experience to find opportunity for help, if desired. I…

Katie continues the line of world class sailing champions who have translated their athletic success to leadership in their sport, business, and beyond. What success? How about three America's Cups, including being the youngest member of the first ever all-female boat, two around the world races, as well the famed Sydney Hobart and Worrell 1000 Extreme Catamaran Races. She's also a lawyer and is president of the Rising Tide Leadership Institute. She just got back from Olympic racing in Miami, which followed placing second in the Sydney Hobart race, sponsored by Ocean Respect Racing, who promotes reducing pollution. We talk about seeing plastic in the remote ocean as well as in much greater density closer to shore, especially America's shores. Around the world sailors see…

We're holding our next live, in-person event, April 10 at The Assemblage, a beautiful coworking space in Manhattan. My guest will be former President of the Rainforest Alliance and director of NYU-Stern's Center for Sustainable Business, Tensie Whelan (see her full bio below). Contact me to register Tensie has worked with, influenced, and led some of the world's largest corporations and their leaders. You will hear inside stories of what has happened and what works in environmental action at the highest levels. Plus she's friendly, personable, and able to answer questions you've always wanted to hear answers to. April 10, 2019 Leadership and the Environment: A Live Podcast Recording with Joshua Spodek & Tensie Whelan 7:00pm - 8:30pm The Assemblage NoMad 114 East 25th Street  |  New York, NY 10010 Ground…

This episode is about a simple experiment anyone can do. It costs nothing and takes no extra time or other resource besides carrying a mug with you. Everyone knows how much garbage we're dumping in the ocean. Everyone knows they can pollute less, including me. Probably including you. This episode shares Sean's experience cutting out coffee cups. I'd say you never have to use another coffee cup again, but you may hit challenges. Sean did. This episode shares his experience.

Do you feel gratitude toward people who have helped you? Do you express that gratitude more than enough, not enough, or about right? You're probably familiar with research that expressing gratitude and feeling it improve people's lives. I loved my exercise of writing ten gratitude messages a day for a week. Here is the Inc. piece I wrote on it: I Wrote 70 Gratitude Emails. Here Are My Awesome Results. Today's episode is Chris Schembra interviewing me as part of his project including Bill Gates, Simon Sinek, and other luminaries. He asks us: If you could credit or thank one person that you haven't enough, who is it? The conversation doesn't directly relate to the environment, but does to leadership. The leadership part of this…

For context for today's guest, those who know I'm avoiding flying might also know I'm learning to sail to explore off North America. When considering acting on their values, most people focus on the part they like of what they're stopping. They don't seem to have trouble ignoring undesired side-effects, like the pollution flying causes. Sailing and the other things I've replaced flying with have given far more than I could have predicted at a fraction what I used to spend on flying. Among its many benefits is the sailing community. In that community, today's guest, Dee Caffari, is off the charts. Once a school teacher, she started sailing to world-athlete levels. Now the international sailing community calls her a legend. Watch her videos. They…