DNA Of Purpose

Over the last 97 episodes of this podcast, we have spoken to Industry leaders, activists, authors, and everything in between in order to explore the frontiers of technology, science, business, art & design to ignite a more beautiful, hopeful, and purpose-driven world.
The reason we do it is that If we want to change the story of the human race in the 21st century, we have to change the stories we tell ourselves. And thus today, I am beyond excited to speak to an incredible human being at the forefront of the incredible innovations that sit at the intersection of technology, impactful partnership, and social purpose.
His name is Jean-Philippe Courtois, and since commencing his career with Microsoft in 1984 he has spent more than four decades with a bird's eye view of the exponential explosion of technology. In that time he has witnessed the emergence of one of humanity's greatest opportunities to ignite positive change in the world, and he has been a core part of driving that movement forward.
As Executive Vice President and President, National Transformation Partnerships for Microsoft Global, JP as he is affectionately known, is focused on empowering countries’ sustainable economic growth through digital transformation. He is also responsible for accelerating Microsoft’s global investment in data centers, enabling governments, citizens and businesses to leverage the world’s largest and most trusted cloud infrastructure network.He is personally passionate about empowering purpose-driven individuals and organizations to achieve more for society and is also the executive sponsor of the Microsoft Global Social Entrepreneurship Program, which empowers organizations doing good around the world.
More recently JP has become an advocate for what is termed Positive Leadership. Positive Leadership looks at how leaders can energize and inspire their teams to bring their very best by connecting their personal missions to their organizations’ purpose so that they can achieve a positive impact.
As a result of his passion for Positive Leadership, he is also the host of a podcast called The Positive Leadership podcast. He has interviewed game-changing leaders including Satya Nadella; Microsoft's CEO, Kevin Johnson the CEO of Starbucks, and Vincent Stanley who is the director of philosophy and chief storyteller at Patagonia.
Outside of Microsoft JP spends much of my time working with the Live for Good foundation, which he co-founded with his family in 2015. Live For Good aims to unlock the potential of young people from all walks of life through social entrepreneurship, driving societal innovation through a purpose-led community.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose Podcast.
In today's episode, we are going to be deep-diving into one world-changing question, and that question is simply this: What would be possible in the world if we all made the decision to embrace kindness?
That might be radical and grand acts of kindness, but even more significantly small acts of kindness. The simple things that come together to create waves of compassion, connectivity, and care. A wave that binds us in our humanity and innate desire to belong.
Anna Sheppard is the founder and CEO of Bambuddha Group. Bambuddha is a network for dedicated learners who want to make an exceptional impact through leadership in business. Membership provides access to an evidence-based leadership framework that offers industry-leading coaches, communities the resources you need to be the change you want to see in the world. Why? Because Anna believes in a future where every leader is committed to creating a sustainable world of equality and opportunity for everyone.
Every paid membership at Bambuddha Group helps provide scholarships reducing inequalities in leadership and business.
Anna has added value to thousands of companies and inspirational leaders by showing them how to ‘work kinder.’ She is the founder of several other major initiatives including The Corporate Kindness Project, which is an Australian-based research study focusing on the business benefits of working kind. The first white paper was released in 2019 and is now a podcast show called ‘Project Good Boss’.
Members get access to events, learning, and like-minded leaders including The Gamechangers Gathering, which is an annual leadership conference founded by the Bambuddha Group and which brings together thought leaders and social impact experts dedicated to creating change. Throughout her career, Anna has raised millions in funds for charities via mutual partnerships created to reduce inequalities. She is an old hand when it comes to showing the big fish how to give back, and do well while doing so.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose Podcast.
Here’s a question for today – what if purpose has nothing to do with an individual's pursuit for meaning, but instead is a quality that is symbiotic with our innate desire to belong to a tribe? What if the reason the idea of purpose can be tricky to conceptualise is because we don't understand what factors enable purpose to thrive. Drivers such as trust, connection and belonging.
To frame this up we live in a world where we have been exposed to an invisible narrative of seek out success over significance, pursue the promotion over the purpose, and stay on that rat wheel chasing those golden carrots, because if you do your reward at the end is a ‘meaningful life’. Sadly for many people this equation leads to burn out rather than brilliance.
Within that race we often miss the moment by moment meaning makers. The acts of kindness and connection. The moments where we can empower co creation, and invite conversation that enable us to view the world through a different lens.
What if we chose again and within that, and started to think about purpose through a new lens? Infact, what if the possibilities for a more purposeful life were not about ego, and instead completely reliant on the unique contribution we make within our tribes.
And in leading on from those questions: What can science tell us about how our brain responds to attributes such as trust, belonging and our desire to give back to others? Could it be that ‘purpose’ itself is evolutionary? Today's good conversation is a good one and I can't wait to dive in.
Today's guest is Paul Zak. Paul is the founding Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and Professor of Economics, Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He is also the founder of Immersion Neuroscience. For more than two decades his research has taken him from the Pentagon to Fortune 50 boardrooms to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea. All this in a quest to understand the neuroscience of humans of what makes humans tick.
Paul has been obsessed with human connection for as long as he can remember. His focus on understanding connection led to his ground-breaking research on oxytocin. And all of this work led to the best title ever: nope, it is not PhD or keynote speaker, it is Dr. Love.
His latest book, Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies, uses neuroscience to measure and manage organizational cultures to accelerate business outcomes. His 2012 book, The Moral Molecule: The Source of Love and Prosperity, recounted his unlikely discovery of the exact neurochemical that drives trust, love, and human morality.
On that note, get ready to dive into the wonder and the magic of what I am going to call Neuro Purpose...with the one and only Paul Zak.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is Jane Davidson and in her book ‘Future Gen - Lessons From A Small Country’ she explains how, as Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, she proposed what became the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 – the first piece of legislation in history to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. Unparalleled in scope and vision, the Act connects social, environmental, economic and cultural wellbeing and looks to solve complex issues through better decision-making. This may very well be the answer the whole world is waiting for.
Alongside her work with the the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act Jane also introduced the first plastic bag charge in the UK, and her recycling regulations took Wales to third best in the world. She created the Climate Change Commission for Wales, the post of Sustainable Futures Commissioner and the Wales Coast Path. In education, she piloted major curriculum changes for early years – and she integrated Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship – into the Welsh curriculum.
While Jane and I talked about many aspects of what it means to align policy with better outcomes for the planet there was one thing that she said to me that really stood out - and it was this. The words economy and ecology both contain one unifying phrase being the word ECO. Eco by definition is the environment, habitat or surroundings.
Based on this idea it seems only natural that our economy would be one that would be symbiotic with the environment, yet sadly in many parts of the world it is not. There is so much we can learn from one very small country with a very big mission to show all of us exactly what a sustainable country and that cares for future generations should look like.
So get ready to run with me through mountain tops of the welsh countryside with the one and only Jane Davidson. Welcome to the DNA Of Purpose podcast.
Download The Great Transformation Ebook: https://futurecrun.ch/the-great-transformation-ebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose Podcast.
Today's guest is Afdhel Aziz and he is one of the most inspiring voices in the global movement of business as a force for good. Afdhel is on a mission to solve one of the biggest problems facing companies and individuals in the 21st century: how to find purpose and meaning in the work we do, and unlock the power of business to do good in the world.
He is the co-author of the best-selling book about purpose-driven brands Good is The New Cool: Market Like You Give A Damn, and his recent release ‘The Principles of Purpose’ which we will be unpacking in more detail today.
Af is also the Co-Founder & Chief Purpose Officer at Conspiracy of Love, a certified B Corp and the world’s most inspiring purpose consultancy. He advises some of the world’s largest companies like Adidas, Unilever, AB Inbev, Mondelez, Diageo, PepsiCo and more on how their brands can do good and make money. He’s also a respected contributor at Forbes where his weekly column covers the frontlines of the Purpose Revolution, interviewing the innovators, provocateurs, and changemakers transforming the world for the better.
Now for those of you in Sydney, and most likely in lockdown, let's hope that we can get out and about come the end of September, because the Good Con - aka The Good Is The New Cool conference will be a part of Sydney's vivid festival. As we all know, everything is fairly unpredictable right now, so this is just a little book mark to say watch this space. If for whatever reason these events dont go ahead it is still worth checking out https://www.goodisthenewcool.com/ where you can become a member and gain access to a platform designed to give leaders and creators a space to connect and learn about all things good for you and good for the world.
In the meantime, let's start right here. Grab yourself a tea and coffee and let's dive into the world of the one and only Afdhel Aziz.
This podcast is brought to you by Future Crunch. Download The Great Transformation EBook today. https://futurecrun.ch/the-great-transformation-ebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now, up until this interview I had never heard of the word The Anthropocene but it has had me thinking a lot about why we are seeking out purpose in our lives at this time more than ever. For those of you like me who have never heard of this term, The Anthropocene defines Earth's most recent geologic time period as being human-influenced, or anthropogenic, based on overwhelming global evidence that atmospheric, geologic, hydrologic, biospheric and other earth system processes are now altered by humans.
This thought is both terrifying and hopeful all at the same time. It is incredibly difficult to absorb the fact that scientists predict that human effects on the planet will be seen in the fossil record as far away as 10 or even 100 million years. But the one thing we can be responsible for as we become more aware and conscious of our impact in this Anthropocene is that the future needs us now more than ever, and that now is the time to take ownership of the impact that we have.
And that brings me to the topic of today's conversation and today's guest. Her name is Gaia Vince and she is the author of two books Adventures In The Anthropocene and also the topic of today's conversation: Transcendence: How Humans Evolved through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time.
Gaia Vince is an award-winning science journalist, author, broadcaster and speaker with a focus on how human systems and Earth’s planetary systems interact. She is an author and has written a slew of articles from names such as the BBC, The Guardian, New Scientist, Australian Geographic and Science.
Over the course of today's episode, Gaia explains how, through four key elements -- fire, language, beauty, and time -- our species diverged from the evolutionary path of all other animals,to become who we are today. She explores how a primate took dominion over nature and turned itself into something marvellous.
Gaia believes that we are living in a unique time in Earth’s history, in which climate change, globalisation, communications technology and the increasing human population are changing our world – and us – as never before.
So as always, grab yourself a coffee or tea, and strap yourself in. We are about to embark on a journey through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time with the one and only Gaia Vince.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As of today here in Sydney, we are in week two of a lockdown. That doesn't make us special. Let's face it. Over the last two years, we have all been in and out of some kind of quarantine. It's been tough, but as with anything there is always a silver lining and for me, some of that silver lining has been finding a new appreciation for the place that I call home.Today's guest is someone who knows the inside of homes better than most. To be more specific she knows not only to make our homes more beautiful but also more sustainable. Her name is Juliet Love, she is a qualified interior designer, author and television presenter.
Juliet has recently secured herself a guest role on the Seven Network’s flagship program Better Homes and Gardens. Her television career began on Foxtel’s Lifestyle program The Party Garden where she first met her now-husband, award-winning landscape designer and presenter Charlie Albone. Juliet has also been a regular guest on The Morning Show on Channel 7, hosting a series entitled Amazing Homes and as a style expert on national current affairs programs. Alongside working as a television presenter, Juliet remains a sought-after interior designer and stylist. For the last five years, Juliet wrote a regular column for News Corp published nationally as well as a book “Love Style”.
In today's conversation, we went around the world. We of course spoke about beauty and aesthetics when it comes to design, but we also explored all of the trends redefining sustainable and green interior design.
Juliet also has a passion for health and nutrition after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and has recently studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition NYC to become a qualified Health & Nutrition Coach. With that in mind, she is also passionate about the creation of symbiotic and chemical-free environments.
So without further delay take a good look around your home because your perception of your space is about to evolve. They say that world change starts in the home, and in the case of today's conversation that statement couldn’t be truer.
Juliet Love: https://www.julietlove.com.au/For More Good News: https://futurecrun.ch/goodnewsThe Great Transformation Ebook: https://futurecrun.ch/the-great-transformation-ebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose podcast.
As you all know by now this podcast is brought to you by Future Crunch. The team was excited last week to be announced as one of the Time out Melbourne Future Shapers and as were also featured in an article (https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/things-to-do/future-shapers-future-crunch-want-us-to-be-optimistic-about-the-future). In that article, our co-founder Angus was asked a question around whether we had any advice for anyone looking to affect change.
Angus said this: regardless of how we feel about some of the world’s largest question marks right now – global pandemics, artificial intelligence, climate change, social change – reactions that come from fear are rarely ever the solution. Something that’s really worked for us is to look for what we call “mini-utopias” – small bubbles of progress, examples of individuals, organisations or communities really getting it right.
I share this today a) because the idea of mini-utopias is one that I love, but also because this is an idea that I believe encapsulates the essence of what today's guest is all about.
His name is Kelvin Campbell and he is a collaborative urbanist and writer. He is also the author of ‘Making Massive Small Change’. He is the chair of Smart Urbanism and the Massive Small Collective, an international network of collaborators facilitated by his son Andrew Campbell, a sustainability expert.
Kelvin believes that the key to fixing our broken patterns of urban development does not lie in grand plans or giant projects; rather, it lies in the collective wisdom and energy of people harnessing the power of many small ideas and actions to make a big difference.
In an increasingly complex and changing world where global problems are felt locally, the systems we use to plan, design, and build our urban neighbourhoods are failing. It's not that the system is broken - but that it was built this way. The good news is that there is another way, and that is what we will be diving into today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose Podcast.
In today's episode, we are traversing from the world of science into the world of wildlife, in particular, what the wild can teach us about ourselves. About our motivations, our sense of personal responsibility, and about our purpose when our life is quite literally in the jaws of an angry lioness.
Today's guest is not only a friend and colleague but also an extraordinary human being who nearly lost his life, to work out how he could best use his life in the creation of a better world.
His name is Richard Field and he is regarded as one of Africa’s finest safari guides and today is a globally recognised professional speaker. At only 25 years of age he also became one of the few people who’ve been mauled by an angry lion and lived to tell the tale. With his life having flashed before him, and his life saved by an onlooker, Richard’s recovery didn’t obstruct his love for the African wilderness, but it did leave emotional scarring - and forever influenced his outlook on life.
Richard's experience has taught him the importance of responsibility, the impact and effects of giving and taking the blame and the necessity for perseverance and resilience. And while for many of you listening today, let's hope you never get attacked by a lion, but it is fair to say that we all have lions. Behaviours, patterns and beliefs that we are avoiding or not taking responsibility for.
And if the goal is to create a more abundant and optimistic future, then personally and collectively we need to take responsibility for the change that we seek in the world. After all our inner nature influences all of nature.
So without further delay let's get wild with the one and only Richard Field.
This podcast is brought to you by Future Crunch. If you would like updates on upcoming episodes as they are released in addition to good news posts from the world of science and technology please follow along at our Instagram page which @dnaofpurposepodcast or sign up to our newsletter at futurecrunch.com. You can also download our brand new E-book on the Great Transformation which is available on our website. https://futurecrun.ch/the-great-transformation-ebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the DNA Of Purpose Podcast.
Now as for today's interview get ready to get bugged out! Today we are speaking to the one and only Shasta Henry on the unexpected influence of bugs and let me say this! If the point of this podcast is about the creation of a better planet then as it turns out bugs are a crucial part of that ingredient.
Shasta is a scientist; a passionate adventurer, entomologist and educator. She’s part of Future Crunch, a group of scientists, artists, researchers and entrepreneurs that believes science and technology are creating a world that is more peaceful, connected and abundant. Their mission is to foster intelligent, optimistic thinking about the future, and to empower people to contribute to the 21st century that works for everyone.
She is an advocate for invertebrate technology improving the human condition, addressing problems like agricultural waste, hunger, gendered poverty and biodiversity decline. She has named beetles from the Amazon (and has one species named after her), guided white water rafts in Canada and once crocheted a hot air balloon. She's worked at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, and is currently completing her PhD at the University of Tasmania, investigating the impact of fire on invertebrate communities in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
To hear more from Shasta check out the following live stream events.
Science in the Pub: https://pintofscience.com.au/event/the-big-pint-show-2021Pint of Science: https://scipubtas.org.au/upcoming-events/
If you would like updates on upcoming episodes as they are released in addition to good news posts from the world of science and technology please follow along at our instagram page which @dnaofpurposepodcast or sign up to our newsletter at futurecrunch.com. You can also download our brand new E-book on the Great Transformation. https://futurecrun.ch/the-great-transformation-ebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.