Leading Boldly into the Future

Planet Earth is on Red Alert, and there is no Planet B. If there is one thing that will unify humanity and keeps us all awake at night, it is the climate emergency and its’ existential threat to the human species. #DontChooseExtinction is not just a compelling and catchy name for a climate action advertising campaign. It is the message that Boaz Paldi is spreading worldwide as the UNDP’s Chief Creative Officer. The UN Secretary General António de Guterres and the United Nations are deeply concerned about the climate crisis and the inaction or inadequate action by major stakeholders to help course correct. Boaz Paldi joins Anne Pratt on the show to share ‘the story behind the story’ of #Don’t Choose Extinction,” and ways we can become part of the solution to save humanity.

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Africa is the perfect place to do well and to do good. Think about it. It’s an underestimated continent with 54 countries, 1.4 billion people, a treasure chest of investment opportunities and a market valued at more than $3.1 trillion US and an estimated $430 million empty bellies. There is a tremendous opportunity for agriculture corporations to seize this challenge and win both in terms of financial success and social impact. Amandla Ooko-Ombaka fleshes this out in this conversation with Anne Pratt. Amandla is a Senior McKinsey Associate Partner and a member of the Leadership Council for Harvard University Center of African Studies. In this episode, she talks about the untapped opportunity to reach the last mile and help the poorest of the poor in Africa’s rural communities achieve food security. She shares how she helped a multinational agricultural company break into Africa's billionaire club and how she asserted her own moral courage within McKinsey to redefine the operating system of the company. Plus, she shares her Mandela Moment, a moment in a cold Boston winter when she had her own Nelson Mandela Mini Long Walk to Freedom. Tune in for all of these and more!

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At a young age, H.E. Nadezhda Neynsky was exposed to a world that taught her that it was not enough to be capable, talented, hardworking, and ambitious to have a bright future. You need to be a part of the system, piercing through the structures and changing it from the inside. This led her to enter the world of politics, where she is putting herself forward to be part of the change as a builder of modern Bulgaria. In this episode, she joins Anne Pratt to tell her inspiring journey—taking us across her country’s history to inspiring hope in the Balkans. Find out how Nadezhda stood up to the Russian ambassador in times of war. Learn about the night that changed her life. And gain insights about the leadership crisis she is seeing in her region and worldwide. Plus, discover her Harvard initiative to build the leadership capacity and unity in the former Balkan states in Southeastern Europe. Full of hard-earned wisdom and advice, this conversation will definitely provide you with inspiration to stand for truth and fortify your own moral courage. Tune in to not miss out!

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These days, it seems like it is better to keep our opinions to ourselves for fear of offending others. We see this not only among individuals but also corporations. There is a tendency to just put our heads in the sand to avoid any engagement. Observing this, Seth David Radwell describes a collapse of political dialogue in the country. And he has written a bestselling book that will take us deep into this current state. In this episode, he joins Anne Pratt to tell us all about American Schism. Seth gives a sneak peek into the history of rifts and divisions that we still see nowadays. Using history as a great teacher, he then shares the lessons we can learn to move past the division. Follow along to this enlightening episode and, with Seth, analyze, understand, and see how he inspires hope to bring back rational political discourse, so we can build a better and progressive society.

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How do we develop a growth mindset, one of teachability that says, "I make mistakes and grow," one of adaptability that says, "I transform and change," and one of possibility that says, "I can be more, do more, and achieve the impossible"? This is what we learn from the story of Yolanda Cuba, who went from wanting to be a white person when she grew up to becoming a trailblazer for women in business in the African continent. At age 29, Yolanda became one of the youngest chief executive offices ever of a Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company. She is the Vice President for Southern and Eastern Africa of the super-successful MTN Group, a homegrown company that is turning heads for its success in Africa and the Middle East. In this conversation, she shares why and how mindset matters, why having a twin uplifts you, why sustainable success is much greater than the numbers in business, why Environmental, Social, and Governance issues matter more than ever, and why meeting Nelson Mandela forever changed the way she leads. Tune in for all of these and more!

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No matter where we come from or what challenges we face, we can all make a positive impact in the world and overcome adversity. As refugees, we are not defined by our past, but by the strength and resilience we exhibit in the face of adversity. In this episode, we have Dr. Maja Zelihic, who shares her powerful story as a refugee. Growing up in Yugoslavia during a time of war, Dr. Maja experienced unimaginable hardships and challenges that shaped her into the person she is today. After transferring to Austria, Dr. Maja faced new struggles as she adapted to a new culture and language. She opens up about her struggles with survivor’s guilt. Through her journey, she learned valuable lessons about resilience, empathy, and the importance of community. Dr. Maja reminds us that a refugee is a refugee, no matter where they come from or when they arrive, and that we all have the power to make a positive impact in the lives of those around us. Tune in to hear Dr. Maja's story of survival, strength, and hope.

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What would you do if you found yourself in the middle of a carjacking event? This traumatic moment has the power to alter your identity because it is now a part of you, and it is difficult to shake that. This episode’s guest has gone through a very traumatic carjacking incident. What he realized soon after extends far beyond himself, bringing out a strong leadership moment. Anne Pratt is with none other than H. E. Prof. Dr. Ambassador Tal Edgars. Professor Edgars is a multi-awarded businessman, academic, author, and diplomat and has been profiled as one of the most sought-after strategists of the 21st century. In this show, he takes us deep into his realizations since the events of April 11th, how that adversity shaped him, and how it redefined his urgent ideals on leadership. Professor Edgars also talks about how the pains and anguish of seeing the lack of women in leadership drove his hunger to succeed. What is more, he shares the meaning of true leadership, the biggest leadership challenges in South Africa and the world, the relevance and impact of Ubuntu, and the importance of not just creating goals but following through with sustainable actions. Full of wisdom on leadership in the current context, Professor Edgars gives us an episode filled with important and much-needed conversations. Tune in to not miss out!

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Being in a leadership role puts you in a position of power. It is with this power that you can lend your voice to the voiceless and speak out. Making a difference by boldly stepping into leadership, the 29th President of Harvard University, Lawrence Bacow, joins Anne Pratt in this episode. He shares with us how he defines bold leadership and what making bold decisions entails, especially within a significant institution such as Harvard. He also takes us through his discussions with China’s President Xi Jinping, the future of leadership, and addressing issues of inequality, democracy, and more. Throughout these events that happened under his role, Larry shows his efforts to disrupt the system, changing the landscape of higher education to give everyone a seat at the table. Power and leadership do intersect, and the field of education puts this dynamic at the forefront of creating a change in society. Follow along to this insightful conversation and be inspired to boldly see opportunities where others see division, bringing people together to move forward.

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The world is unfair, but in an unfair world, music and the performing arts can help us exercise leadership and inspire change because music is the food of love. Music and the performing arts can build our confidence, help us exercise leadership, and inspire change in the world. To put it boldly, perhaps it's time for music and the performing arts to occupy more space in corporate boardrooms, offices, congress halls, and in college classrooms. This is one of the key takeaways from this conversation with an inspiring shoemaker’s daughter who went on to become a successful corporate executive and board chair. Ann Cairns jumps onto the show with Anne Pratt to share with us how her background in the performing arts helped her build the confidence she needed as a corporate leader. She also discusses why and how corporates in the world now need to take the lead in this troubled, unjust, and challenged world. Finally, she gives us her take on what bold leadership means and why we need more of it now. Tune in for all these and more!

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Diversity, equity and inclusion doesn’t just happen. Whether in the workplace or in society in general, it has to be done with intention. DEI is something that needs more than just a little push for it to actually happen. Corporations need to push programs for it. Governments need to push legislation for it. And even families need to radically change how they raise their children and mold them in a more progressive outlook. Faith Khanyile talks about all of these and more in this conversation with Anne Pratt. Joining the show from Johannesburg, Faith is a staunch champion for the economic and social empowerment of women across South Africa and the whole African continent. Learn how diversity, equity, inclusion, AND belonging deliver competitive advantage and why it is deeply needed nowadays, especially for women and other marginalized groups.

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