Apr 16, 2023
In this episode, Dan connects with prolific author, seasoned marketer, communicator, academic, and entrepreneur, John Davis. John has spent the last two decades in academia, holding various positions in universities across the US and Asia. Currently a professor of practice at the University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business, John's passion for sustainability and transformation shines through his work. With eleven books under his belt, his latest, Radical Business: How to Transform Your Organization in the Age of Global Crisis, highlights the importance of curiosity, innovation, and sustainability in today's ever-changing business landscape. A leader in sustainability, John's unique perspective and experiences make him a sought-after voice in the world of business transformation.
Listen in and...
- Understand the power of curiosity, innovation, and sustainability in revolutionizing businesses.
- Explore methods to develop comprehensive corporate social responsibility programs.
- Find out how prioritizing purpose, advocacy, and meaning can elevate an organization's triumph.
- Understand the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting and why organizations struggle with it.
- Grasp the importance of synchronized stakeholder engagement for transparent decision-making.
- Realize ways to inspire younger generations to champion sustainable change.
Actions and ideas mentioned in this episode:
- Read John Davis' book, Radical Business: How to Transform Your Organization in the Age of Global Crisis, for insights on how to create a sustainable and successful organization.
- Consider incorporating sustainability into your organization's strategy and operations to become a force for good in the age of global crisis.
- Cultivate curiosity and encourage it within your organization as a key leadership quality and driver of innovation.
- Adopt the concept of traveler's eyes by seeking out new experiences and perspectives to stimulate imagination and personal growth.
- Encourage open and honest dialogue within your organization, even when it means challenging established norms and potentially uncomfortable discussions.
- Be willing to collaborate with other organizations and share insights to address global challenges and drive positive change collectively.
- Recognize the importance of balancing short-term targets with long-term goals, allowing your organization to maintain focus on the horizon and avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
- Continuously seek out new learning opportunities and experiences, both within your industry and beyond, to keep your organization adaptable and resilient in the face of change.
Resources & Links
Dan Nestle
- https://nestle.libsyn.com/
- http://twitter.com/dsnestle
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nestle
- https://www.facebook.com/thedannestleshow
John Davis
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Host Dan Nestle welcomes guest John Davis to the show and
introduces the topic of business transformation and
sustainability.
00:00:58 - The Need for Positive Societal Impact,
The conversation touches on the need for businesses to move beyond
profit and create positive societal impact, with the involvement of
all stakeholders.
00:03:09 - Journey to Academia,
John Davis shares his journey from a career in business, primarily
marketing and strategy roles, to falling in love with teaching,
joining academia, and eventually becoming a professor of practice
and sustainability.
00:07:00 - Influence of Singapore,
John Davis talks about how his time in Singapore, with its smart
city initiatives and diverse community, influenced his perspectives
on sustainability and led to working with companies all over the
world.
00:11:21 - The Role of Curiosity,
Curiosity is highlighted as a critical quality for leadership and
strategy, with a need to cultivate wonder and openness to new
experiences and viewpoints to stimulate innovation and
creativity.
00:14:35 - The Importance of Curiosity,
John Davis emphasizes that curiosity is the epitome of exploration
and imaginative responses. He highlights that it stimulates
different kinds of responses and encourages individuals to notice
differences rather than fighting them.
00:16:43 - The Need for Reinvention,
Davis discusses the drivers of reinvention, including climate
change, economic inequality, and social injustice. He believes that
companies need to pivot differently to stay in line with consumer
values and investor interests to be successful in the long
term.
00:22:51 - Influence of Leaders,
Davis talks about the influence of leaders on promoting stakeholder
capitalism and creating momentum for change. He believes that
individuals like Mark Benioff and Elon Musk can wield an outsized
influence on society and businesses.
00:26:08 - Taking Action,
Davis emphasizes that it is crucial to take action and integrate
sustainability into business strategies to stay ahead of the
market. He acknowledges that it may not be easy, but it is
necessary for long-term success.
00:29:57 - Drivers of Business Transformation,
Davis highlights the importance of consumers, capital markets, and
influential people as drivers of business transformation. He
recommends starting where you can start and taking that first step
towards integration.
00:30:29 - Getting Started with Innovation,
John Davis suggests using human-centered design or design thinking
to ask the right questions upfront and understand what the target
audience is looking for. He emphasizes the importance of
recognizing the different stakeholders and having conversations
with them to create a purpose-led tent that everyone is invited
into.
00:32:10 - Recognizing the Complications,
John Davis highlights the importance of recognizing the
complications in today's world while approaching stakeholder
conversations. He mentions the significance of sustainability,
diversity, and inclusion, and how they are influential in creating
value for businesses.
00:34:00 - ESG Metrics,
John Davis discusses the importance of having ESG (Environmental,
Social, and Governance) metrics while reporting sustainability
initiatives. He highlights the different reporting standards and
the overlapping nature of these standards.
00:37:35 - Climbing the Transformation Ladder,
John Davis talks about the difficulty of climbing the
transformation ladder for large companies with many internal
stakeholders. He emphasizes the importance of decision-making
capability and comfort with discomfort to make progress towards the
goals. He also highlights the significance of transparency and
communication while working towards the goals.
00:43:17 - Radical Business,
John Davis suggests organizations should take a look at their
purpose and align it with the context to answer the big question of
why they exist. He mentions the importance of having an aspiration
and thinking intentionally about what their mark on the world will
be. Thinking abstractly about aspirations is more difficult than a
mechanical approach, but it is crucial to move forward.
00:44:43 - The Importance of Aspiration,
John Davis emphasizes the importance of having a guiding star or
aspiration for an organization. He explains that this helps put in
place next steps, decide on the kind of people needed, and create
meaningful experiences. He notes that many organizations have
mission statements but lack an aspiration, which creates an
imperative for organizations to define one.
00:46:05 - Purpose, Behaviors, and Values,
The host and John Davis discuss the importance of purpose,
behaviors, and values in an organization. They highlight the need
to get employees on board with the culture, which requires having a
clear aspiration. They discuss the concept of discretionary effort
and how people want to know that their work matters and that
they're contributing to something beyond earning a wage.
00:50:10 - The Changing Work Environment,
The conversation shifts to the changing work environment and the
need to move away from the industrial revolution thinking of a
fixed nine-to-five workday. They discuss the importance of
accountability and productivity while allowing for more freedom and
flexibility. They note that there's a big systemic issue around
this cultural mindset.
00:54:25 - Cause Advocacy and Meaning,
John Davis introduces the concept of cause advocacy and meaning as
a more effective way to understand people and their motivations. He
notes that this approach goes beyond the traditional segmentation,
targeting, and positioning model in marketing. Cause advocacy
involves understanding what drives an individual, while meaning
taps into what gives their personal and professional lives
meaning.
00:57:38 - Moving Forward in Marketing and Communications,
The host asks John Davis what marketers and communicators need to
do to move forward. Davis emphasizes the need to move away from the
traditional marketing model and focus on cause advocacy and meaning
to better understand people. He notes that marketing is an
evolutionary discipline and that this approach is a powerful set of
tools that goes beyond traditional marketing tactics.
00:59:06 - Understanding the Meaning that Drives Organizations,
John talks about finding out the meaning that drives organizations
and how it can help talk to stakeholders. He also shares an
exercise he used to do with MBA students that highlighted the
importance of context and how it impacts innovation.
01:01:30 - Creating Societal Value,
John discusses how societal value doesn't always mean the latest
gadget or innovation but often comes from looking at underserved
populations. He highlights the importance of looking at these
populations where a lot of innovation is likely to happen.
01:04:20 - Using Resources Creatively,
John talks about how innovation is not necessarily dependent on
abundant resources and uses examples like GreenCake in the West
Bank, which created building blocks from rubble, and a man who
created a $5 prosthetic leg.
01:06:28 - John's Final Thoughts,
John shares that his book is a starting point for organizations to
figure out what steps they need to take to transform, but he
believes that we have infinite capacity and capability to make the
changes we want. He's optimistic about the future and mentions how
younger generations are already ahead of the game in terms of
wanting to make positive changes.
01:10:31 - Closing Remarks,
Dan thanks John for being on the show and encourages listeners to
check out John's book and consulting work. He also asks listeners
to leave a review and share the podcast with friends to help spread
the word.
*Show notes have been partially AI-generated, but The Dan Nestle Show is 100% human.