To help create a better future for everyone, everywhere, all of us can make a difference, by the choices we make and the example we set in our everyday lives. But some individuals in our society hold positions which enable them to have an outsized impact. They include business and political leaders whose actions can affect thousands or millions of people. And celebrities, academics, writers and activists whose words can resonate around the world and change attitudes and behaviours. 

I believe that these individuals hold a higher level of responsibility to say and do what is needed to make the world a better place. Over the course of my more than 30 years working with and advising individuals in positions of power, I have found that nearly all of them are motivated to do good. But that doesn’t always translate into action. In many cases leader are overwhelmed with short-term priorities, and often they feel constrained by the system in which they operate. In something as big as the future of the world, they can feel as powerless as the rest of us.

I began interviewing individuals to explore their reflections on the state of the world, their personal motivations, and their views on what it would take to drive systemic change. Each interview is personal and candid. We talk about what’s possible, what’s needed, and what it means to lead with conscience and courage. 

My hope is that these stories will help others, especially those in positions of influence, feel less alone, more inspired, and more determined to act.