Last summer, social media channels brought us stunning firsthand views of the violence, destruction, and extraordinary beauty of Hawaii’s erupting Kilauea volcano. Fast moving lava flowed from the summit crater through many underground tunnels and eruption vents. From May until August, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) provided daily updates of the amount of lava that was spreading across the island. By the time the eruption ended in August 2018, more than a mile of coastline was added along the big island’s southeast coast.

Earlier this week, an article from Packaging Digest came across my news feed and immediately caught my attention. The report, Nestlé Clarifies its Sustainable Packaging Vision, highlights the company's ambitious vision to make 100% of its product packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2025.[1] While this public goal is exciting on its own, what is really compelling is the increasing number of such announcements and articles. We're seeing more and more reporting on actions taken, progress made, and ambitions pursued and achieved to address climate change and global sustainability.

In this conversation Deb Westphal, Chairman of the Board for Toffler Associates, talks with author and former GE Vice Chair Beth Comstock about the organizational transformation she led at GE through the rediscovery of the company culture and reigniting the passions that the company was founded on.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

– Ronald Reagan, former U.S. President

The early hours of February 13th marked an important personal milestone. I had made it to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro.

Its that time of year again. Across thousands of (success-minded, forward-thinking) businesses, teams of people are heads down, working on annual strategic planning activities. As I step away from these types of day-to-day activities, I find myself reflecting on the value of such efforts and what adaptation must be made to serve us better in the future.

Nike’s Dream Crazier ad is sweeping its way across social media. Debuted during this week’s 91st Academy Awards, its message of female empowerment is clear and direct. Beautiful visuals of strong and confident female athletes flash, evoking physical and mental accomplishment. Tennis champion Serena Williams narrates.

Within a day of its release, the 90-second ad earned five million views on YouTube.

For more than four decades, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting has been a beacon for future-focused leaders. Held amongst the beautiful scenery of Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, the event brings together some of the world’s foremost heads of state, business leaders, policymakers, academics, and societal leaders. Their purpose is to engage in constructive, solutions-focused discourse about global issues and the challenges faced by humanity.

People close to me know that travel is my passion. It has been a priority for most of my life. As the number of trips I’ve had the opportunity to take has risen, my destinations have gone farther off the beaten path. In December, a trip to Antarctica pushed the boundaries to their farthest reaches.

“Time feels like it is accelerating.”

In a December post in Rapport, Deb Westphal opted to skip making a New Year’s resolution, in favor of looking forward. As I step into the Toffler Associates CEO role this January, I am focused on the future of the firm and its unwavering commitment to be a catalyst for change and future value for our clients. 

I work with an organization whose executives struggle daily to advance a mission, achieve meaningful results that yield growth, and align its people around a shared vision. They are failing. Every day. They’re not unusual.