Leadership And The Environment

I met Brent through guest Tia Nelson, both Wisconsin celebrities---she in politics, he in sport---who work with the Outrider Foundation.He is this podcast's first MLB pitcher in string of athletes from the Olympics, NFL, Americas Cup, beep baseball, and more. I bring athletes because they excel in the key leadership domain of personal growth and development.In a world based on polluting, environmental action requires challenging yourself to grow and develop. Early leaders like this podcast community have to swim upstream, acting against cultural norms.Besides winning on the diamond, as you'll hear from Brent, he is also developing himself, his teammates, the Brewers organizations, and the Brewers fans to act environmentally. Professional athletes not being known for hugging trees, he's choosing to take on challenges he doesn't have to. He wrote of his stewardship and teamwork in Winning Over My Baseball Teammates to Strikeout Waste.In this episode he shares why and how. We also talk about the professional ath

What is Earth's carrying capacity? Why is it important?Many ask how we will feed 10 billion people. Mathematician way of asking is if we can feed so many and if so how. Maybe we can't.First, don't want to know. While it depends on many assumptions that aren't hard or measurable numbers, like standard of living, distribution of resources, and technology, we can say it's maximum misery per person.How do we narrow it down? Could ask resources per person and how much resources Earth can provide. Limits to Growth projects how much planet would sustain from a systems perspective including history and how we live our values.I prefer a historical perspective I learned from Alan Weisman based on the Haber-Bosch process, which enabled artificial fertilizer. Before artificial fertilizer, limitations on fixing nitrogen to grow food suggest Earth could sustain about 2 billion, enough to create Einstein and Mozart. Want people like Jesus, Buddha, Laozi, and Aristotle? We needed only a few hundred million to create them.If

Alan Weisman's book Countdown changed my strategy to the environment. It ranks among the top most influential works I've read, watched, or come across, up there with Limits to Growth.Why? Because when you look at environmental issues enough, and it shouldn't take too long these days, population always rises to the top as one of the top issues. Many people today hear about projections that the population will level off around 10 billion. Actually, the ones I see project that the population will keep growing exponentially then, just slower than now.If you only look at one issue---only climate, only deforestation, or only extinctions---they seem possibly solvable, but they're all linked. Solving several at once---say meeting power needs while the economy falls apart and food becomes scarce---looks impossible.Also, since nothing deliberate limits population growth, we're lucky if it levels off. We aren't choosing where to level it off and 10 billion looks three to five times what the Earth can sustain. Cultural c

Here are the notes I read from for this episode:Outward manifestationBeen saying latelyWhen you see pollution, dingy skies, sea levels risingAny one person listening may not haveBut if American, likely more than nearly anyoneLess technological, more social and personalResults from our behavior, from our choicesFrom our beliefs, stories, images, desiresOpposite would be stewardship, caring about others first, serviceWhy leadership mattersCrazy part is harmony with nature simplifies lifeCreates joy, community, connectionNot about guilt or shame, just perspectiveIn all fairness, some past systemsI'm just like everyone else. When I think of something fun and polluting, I think, maybe it won't matter, the plane was flying anywayThat's the cause of global warming and our climate problemsMaybe I'll get away with it. Maybe my contribution won't countYou can blame it on lots of things, but that attitude and ones like it are at the root of that behaviorThe outward manifestation of that thought is pollution See acast.co

Lorna's challenge is one of the longest and most personal at over a year.I also couldn't wait to bring her story to you most because within weeks she was reporting the joys overcoming the challenges. We've become friends through her challenge. Within months she started sending senior executives my way as her sharing her challenge with them led them to follow.In other words, Lorna didn't experience sacrifice or burden. She experienced personal growth and friendship. At least as I heard.Don't take my word. Listen for yourself.Maybe because we met through guests Tensie Whelan, NYU-Stern's head of sustainable business and Vincent Stanley, director at Patagonia, she's outgoing and friendly. Or maybe from her experience leading, which she describes in her TED talk that came toward the end of her year buying no clothes.In any case, I keep having to remind myself she's from the C-suite of Danone, a 30 billion company, and that she helped Danone USA become the largest B-corp yet.If anyone could claim to need clothes,

I ask people their reasons for polluting activities like flying, take-out, taking taxis or ride shares where public transit serves. They consistently tell me that they love these things. They love visiting family, seeing remote places, etc.If you feel similarly, you're about to face some tough love. These motivations came to mind while listening to Thomas Kolditz on a podcast I listen to and that has featured me. He is one of today's premier leaders and leadership educators. A few words about him:Tom Kolditz is the founding Director of the Ann and John Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University–the most comprehensive, evidence-based, university-wide leader development program in the world. The Doerr Institute was recognized in 2019 as the top university leader development program by the Association of Leadership Educators. Prior to Rice, he taught as a Professor in the Practice of Leadership and Management and Director of the Leadership Development Program at the Yale School of Management.A retired Br

Most people will find my conversation with Rob unexpected, but talking with someone with his experience and views has long been one of my goals. People keep associating the environment with the political left, but everyone wants clean air, land, and water.Regular listeners know Rob from my appearing in a video episode, A Different Look At Climate Change, at Magamedia.org---MAGA as in Trump's Make America Great Again. Rob supports Trump enthusiastically. In New York City, identifying oneself out of the mainstream reads of a heartfelt deliberate decision.I dislike what I see as the left's coopting the environment as a wedge issue. I don't see trying to beat the right as working. I also don't see combining the environment with things the right dislikes as effective, especially given Trump winning the last presidential election and his environmental views and actions.If you think the quote I started this episode with of Rob describing the effect of Al Gore's personal behavior on the right is unfair or irrelevant,

Nearly everyone treats acting on the environment as a burden or chore---especially would-be leaders who don't do what they say others should. They lead people to inaction.Effective leaders don't discourage. I find role models to inspire me.Vince Lombardi tops many people's lists of all-time top coaches. The NFL named the Superbowl trophy after him. His teams dominated the game.He shared the core of his ethos in a short essay, What It Takes to Be Number 1. It is an ethos of integrity, of finding your best and living your best. Acting on the environment in this time of crisis brought out my best and continues to. I am acting to bring out the best in you and everyone. I haven't accomplished what Lombardi has, so I'm sharing his message and applying it to acting on the environment.I won't tell anyone to stop spreading facts, figures, doom, gloom, and coercion, but I think they'll get more results sharing something more like Lombardi did.I believe it will be more effective. It will be a lot more fun too.The obitua

David's TED talk has over 2 million views. I recommend watching it to learn about his project, Plastic Bank, though he describes it in our conversation.Regular listeners know my views on importance of reduction first. I wanted to know if Plastic Bank's putting a value on plastic, increasing demand. His TED talk talks about turning off the valve if you're flooding, but maybe he's just moving the water around, not shutting the valve.But you'll hear in our conversation that he clearly states his goal is to stop virgin plastic production.David is leading, working with people, beliefs, goals---what I believe is where we should work.Most people tell me what they can't do on the environment, how others have to change, why they shouldn't change.David shares the opposite---how to live how you want in every way.David's TED talk, The Surprising Solution to Ocean PlasticPlastic Bank See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We'll hear about Paul's experiences with eating out, eating at movie theaters, using prepared food, and his changing views on waste that came from experience. Involving his wife too.You'll also hear me several times feel at the edge of my seat, which I attribute to his story-telling and story-telling-teaching. I asked him if he created that effect on purpose or by accident, and we'll get to hear his answer.Paul's site, Lead With a Story See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Click here for the video of this episodeIf you're like most people, you want to act on the environment. You want to make sure you make a difference and fear wasting your time or doing pointless work.I felt that way before I started the path that led to this podcast. Taking initiative overcame it. I wrote my book, Initiative, on taking initiative based on the course I've taught at corporations and NYU to stellar student reviews and videos.If you want to make a difference on something you care about to help a community and people you care about, the exercises in this book are the best way I know.Today's episode is a conversation with Dan Zehner, who did the exercises. Yes, I'm promoting the book, but to help empower this community. I didn't record it intending to post here, but found it so relevant to a world where one of the most common responses involves the phrase "but what I do doesn't matter" that I decided to share it here.Initiative teaches anyone to create more of what you love, get closer to your famil

People often ask me why I don't live in the country.Here are the notes I read from for this post:They say you could live in natureThis is a fundamental misunderstanding about my goals and read of situationAbout people, not CO2 or plasticNew Zealand documentary home restorerNot about me getting away from problemsPattern: Mess -> get away -> others follow -> colony -> town -> cityNot interested in contributing to the pattern that created situationGoal is to solve problem, including happiness, not help myself, certainly not at others' expense See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nadya indulged me in taking this podcast in new directions after listeners said they'd like to hear more unscripted conversation for a more human conversation.Before starting recording, we talked about the difference between celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the 50th anniversary of walking on the moon. You'll hear that we spoke and got along swimmingly for a while.Then we began misunderstanding each other for about half the conversation, talking past each other. It wasn't my intent, but conversations like it happen all the time. Sometimes I'm in them, others I hear others get stuck in them.I don't know if you'll find it entertaining, tragic, or what. It was certainly frustrating in the moment, but Nadya and I were doing this not to annoy but to understand.By the end, we didn't wrap everything up, but I think we came out okay. Before posting I asked if she was okay with it and she responded with an enthusiastic yet.So by popular demand, you get to hear how conversations on the envi

Who doesn't love food? Vanessa also loves whole, fresh vegetables and fruit. If you haven't seen the movie The Game Changers, about athletes who love vegan food and still compete at the highest levels, well you don't need to because Vanessa is living it.Changing diet and changing environmental habits have a lot in common. Vanessa found the joy, community, and connections in food that I did, and she won a bodybuilding competition. We also talk about environmental action. Still fun.Vanessa and my second conversation might look long, but I suggest it's worth it. She's shares herself personally and openly, so I chose to let it go long.She shared what many people go through---the internal resistance and reasons not to act, for example, and who doesn't know about making excuses not to act? You'll also hear her say why to act on diet, so you can hear about habit change on both sides from the same person.Her openness helped me to where I think I'm opening up and speaking more naturally.Her challenge worked in some wa

The notes I read from for this episode:People don't want to do small things. They want to do things that matter.Stop telling people small things they can do except as part of everything. Find things that you care about, that you notice.And stop measuring against a global problem. Ask yourself if you care. Do you care when you see litter in your neighborhood, then pick itup. If you care, you'll get something out of it.If you care about sea level rise, do something big to act on it. For your values. Who cares if you aren't fixing the world's problems all by yourself. If you're improving your life, you'll enjoy doing it anyway.What does it do to you to know you're hurting others but still doing it anyway, no matter how much you can say doing different doesn't make a difference. What are you here for, to give up? To do what you think others shouldn't because they are too? Believe it or not, if you want to make a big, measurable difference, whatever you do will achieve it fastest and most effectively.In a world wh

You probably know the value of stories---though it's probably bigger than you think. You probably could improve your storytelling. Even if you're improving, I bet you're focusing on less-important parts of the craft.Paul Smith teaches storytelling, but as you'll hear, storytelling to lead people is different than just engaging or entertaining them. You'll hear tips and techniques to help you in every part of your life stories matter.Developing yourself as a storyteller to lead others is different than to engage. Not that there isn't great value in it, but if you want to lead, you'll learn from Paul how and where to focus. I say this as someone who has worked on parts that aren't as valuable as what he talks about.On the environment, Paul showed the pattern many do at first---they play down their knowledge and experience, but when they talk about it more, caring and passion emerge, as when he talked about China and LA.Then the more he talked about it, the more emerged.Paul Smith's page with links to his videos

Here are the notes I read from for this episodeI've said we don't have many role models. Well I found one. I was wrong. I'm going to tell you about a man I briefly mentioned in one of my episodes on Alan Weisman's book Countdown.He exposes the absolute self-pitying lie that what one person do doesn't matter. Also the lie that government has to act first, or corporations. On the contrary, the fastest, most effective way for them to act is for people to act first. Yes you, here and now can make a difference.This guy made enormous nation-size headway in the face of government lethargy and complacency on one of the most challenging issues. Most people won't even talk about population and most people enough to realize how it underlies every other environmental issue.Then most people can't stop their knee-jerk reactions to the same misconceptions. They associate it withChina's one child policyEugenicsForced sterilization and abortionsDespite most fears and misconceptions, this man made enormous progress. He's not t

Here are the notes I read from for this episode, along with the text of the speech:You might know I gave a series of talks at NYU that preceded this podcastOne of their themes was parallels between the US civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s and environmental action. Who would have expected it to succeed to the extent it did, however far we have to go?One attendee, a friend who is black, told me once I talked about it, as a friend he listened, but as he put it, as a black man listening to a white man, he disengaged. He advised me to drop the analogy or I'd lose more people than I'd gain.I took his advice but now disagree with it. However great the differences, the parallels are too great and if I lose people for how people view a white person discussing civil rights, one of us will have to learn and resolve the problem.Today being the day the US celebrates MLK's birthday, following my recent application of Henry V's St Crispin's Day speech to environment, I want you to consider a few parts of the I Have a

Here are the notes I read from for this episode:I recently recorded conversations with Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to LiveRewatched The End of Dieting and a part captured meAbout stopping a habit, the stages one goes throughThough he talks about food and diet, the same stages and challenges appear in living by your environmental habits.He starts by talking about how when you start -- eating in his case or avoiding packaged food, not flying, etc if you act on the environment.He describes everything I went through, from feeling like I couldn't, like I made my way harder or worse, like others could do this, not meAll the way to how I came to love it, find the old ways disgustingWhat he talks about the joys, he's speaking from experience that anyone can have, of more of what you love at less cost, more convenience, and so on.He says taste buds change. They do. You will find packaged food disgusting and fresh fruit unbelievable.That change will happen in other areas. You'll see buying packaged food unpleasant, same with

The notes I read from for this episode:Service and giving back using Jason McCarthy GoRuck guy on Jocko.Friend, Dan Zehner, knows JasonTold me about his episode on Jocko Willink's podcastOne section resonated with me because it described what I feelHe speaks as a veteran and starts by describing owingJason says elsewhere in the conversation that military service isn't unique in providing these results. Other kinds of service do too.The sense of service and stewardship, and the depth and meaning of teamwork and community seem similar.I hear how most people describe the interaction with the environment, grasping to reusing disposable cups.They sound like they feel shameful and guilty, as if someone else and not their behavior, was causing the feelingsListen to Jason. Wouldn't you rather sound like him?Beyond feeling better about personal action, think of the potential to lead, to create that feeling based on effective results in othersImagine helping transform American and global culture, or your local communit