Christiana Figueres on power and agency

What happens when you sit down with someone who’s spent their life not just designing buildings, but reimagining the very systems that shape our world? In this episode, Berry welcomes Indy Johar—architect, philosopher, and co-founder of Dark Matter Labs—for a conversation that dives deep into the heart of what it means to live wisely and act boldly in an entangled world. Indy brings a rare mix of big-picture thinking and practical wisdom to questions that can feel almost too big to tackle: How do we move beyond outdated ideas of individualism? What does it look like to build institutions—and even cities—that nurture fairness, resilience, and genuine connection? And how do we find hope and agency when the scale of our global challenges feels overwhelming?Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and EmpathySmall Giants Academy - Interconnected LeaderAnd finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you sit down with someone who’s spent their life building bridges—across continents, industries, and even generations? In this episode, Berry welcomes Sandrine Dixon-Declève, co-president of the Club of Rome, for a candid conversation about hope, courage, and finding wisdom in the chaos of our times.Sandrine brings warmth, honesty, and a touch of humour to topics that can feel overwhelming: climate crisis, misinformation, and the urgent need for global cooperation. She shares stories from her own family’s history of resilience, her early days working with European policymakers, and what it’s like to lead a legendary organisation that’s often misunderstood as “the Illuminati for good.”Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we create the world we want to see? On this episode of Wisdom & Action, Ariel Burger shares his journey from a curious teenager to a mentee of Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. Ariel reflects on Wiesel's transformative influence, the power of questions, and the intersection of spirituality, art, and social change. As an author, educator, and founder of the Witness Institute, Ariel takes us through what it means to be a regulated human, how stories have the power to transform the world, and why joy is so important to hold in our pursuit for a better future. Books: Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel's Classroom by Ariel BurgerWant to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenny Gray is the Chief Executive Officer to Zoos Victoria and a global champion for conservation efforts. In her time at Zoos Victoria, she has spearheaded efforts into saving Victoria’s endangered species, and educated people on how we can all play a part in the conservation of our natural environment. We chat about conservation, leading with empathy and why there is still hope for our native world’s future. With thanks to Zoos Victoria for the recording of the Christmas Island pipistrelle bats. Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Wisdom in Action, I speak with Alexander Beiner, cultural thinker and author of The Bigger Picture, about the urgent need for new frameworks to navigate our complex world. We delve into Alexander's journey—from his early fascination with psychedelics and consciousness to founding the influential platform Rebel Wisdom, and explore the role of culture in shaping society– and why real change begins with a shift in collective values and beliefs. Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katrine Kielos (previously Katrine Marçal) is the bestselling author of Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? In this episode Katrine unpacks feminist economics, illuminating the unpaid, often invisible labor women perform in supporting the traditional workforce. We explore the concept of the "economic man" and question why our economic systems undervalue relational work and care. It’s a thought-provoking conversation that invites listeners to reimagine the next economy, one that truly values humanity's collective efforts.Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My friend Doug Abrams is a multiple New York Times-bestselling author as well as an editor, literary agent, film producer, and life adventurer. Doug shares his inspiring story, from overcoming a tough childhood to collaborating with creative legends like Nelson Mandela and Jane Goodall. We dive into the power of storytelling, why it matters so much right now, and how it shapes how we see ourselves and the world. Plus, Doug explains the difference between having knowledge and actually living with wisdom. This is a deep, fun, and uplifting chat that will nurture your soul.Books:The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World with the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and Douglas AbramsWant to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Lowry is the CEO of Bush Heritage Australia and a dear friend. In this episode we dive into Australia's ecological challenges, conservation strategies, and explore what a critical triage phase of saving threatened species and ecosystems with limited budgets looks like. Rachel’s heartfelt advocacy and grounded counsel offer a compelling vision for a sustainable, reforested Australia, and I am thrilled to share this episode with you. With thanks to Zoos Victoria for the recording of the Christmas Island pipistrelle bats. Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roman Krznaric is a phenomenal thinker, writer, social philosopher with a PhD in political science who has written books I cherish, such as The Good Ancestor, How to Think Long Term in a Short Term World, Empathy, The Wonder Box and his latest book, History for Tomorrow, Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity. In this conversation we chat about how history can inform future planning, explore the concept of cathedral thinking and dive into what hope means in the current state of the world.Three-horizon framework: Where the horizon meets the stars Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and EmpathySmall Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christiana Figueres is one of my heroes. A globally recognised leader in climate change advocacy and diplomacy, Christiana is an author and speaker who played a pivotal role in facilitating the historic Paris Agreement in 2015. We speak about finding hope and forging resilience in the face of climate catastrophe, and dive into what it means to transform pain and grief so that we can keep showing up to fight the good fight.Want to turn this wisdom into action?Small Giants Academy - Impact SafariSmall Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader  And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.Berry xProduced by AudiocraftTheme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.