Ep. 16 - Purposeful Empathy with Anita Novak

This conversation ended with laughter, smiles, energy showers, and sparkling eyes. It is a direct transmission of what is here and what is coming for humanity.🌈💫We’re thrilled to welcome Carlos Largacha-Martinez in conversation with Vanessa and Eugenia, where we talk about the power of authenticity, inner development, and the evolving role of vulnerability in leadership. 🤝✨Carlos highlights the importance of connecting with one’s true self, embracing the fluid nature of identity, and cultivating a purpose-driven approach to create meaningful change. 🌱 He discusses the challenges of modern life—such as solitude and the need for deeper social connections—and advocates for a shift toward humanistic leadership grounded in trust, deep listening, and openness. 🗣️💖Concluding with a hopeful perspective and an honest reality check, we envision a future where authenticity and collective growth drive social change and flourishing in all aspects of life. 🌍✨—Carlos Largacha is a pioneering leader at the intersection of science, technology, and social change. As the founder of FlourishingAi, he combines quantum mechanics, AI, and human-centered management to drive purpose-led transformation in business and improve well-being. 💼✨ Recognized by Harvard Business Review and McKinsey, and a TEDx speaker, Carlos is deeply invested in the B-Corp Movement and co-created the Inner Development Goals IDG colombia centre. 🌍 He also serves as Colombian Director of the Swiss Humanistic Management Network and is a researcher at Areandina University. 📚 With a PhD in International Studies and Quantum Sociology, plus a Fulbright Fellowship, Carlos passionately advocates for authenticity as a catalyst for workplace and societal transformation. 🌟

What an insightful and surprising episode. We sit down with Kumi Naidoo, founder of Greenpeace International, for an open and honest conversation about inner transformation and activism. 🌍 Kumi reflects on the connection between personal growth and activism, sharing how he once neglected his own well-being. 🧠💪 He explains why caring for both mental and physical health is key for long-term activism. We also discuss how organizations should support the mental health of activists and make sure personal values align with public actions. 🫶 He talks about the need for open conversations about trauma in the activist community and the importance of creating spaces for these tough talks. 🗣️💬 Kumi highlights how arts and culture can help activism connect with people on a deeper, emotional level. He shares his own experiences with trauma and stresses the importance of seeking help and taking care of oneself. The conversation also touches on spirituality, indigenous wisdom, and the power of gratitude in recognizing life’s simple blessings. ✨ Kumi encourages building supportive communities where joy and purpose are central to activism. 🌈💫 We wrap up with a reflection on how gratitude and compassion are closely linked in creating positive change. 🤝💖

We’re thrilled to welcome Anita Nowak, PhD, where we explore empathy-driven leadership and the transformative impact of the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) on compassionate growth. 🌍✨ Anita, author of Purposeful Empathy, award-winning educator at McGill University, and empathy advocate, shares her journey into making empathy a leadership superpower. 🌟💼 Empathy isn’t just about feeling—it’s about listening, connecting, and setting boundaries for self-care. This "superpower" brings joy, fulfillment, and connection, creating positive change for a kinder world. 💖🌱

We’re back to school on this second half of 2024, getting ready for the IDGs Plus Summit🚀, and we couldn’t be happier to present the one and only, Katharina Moser—master of ceremonies, curator, and event designer—who is also part of the Global Leadership Team of the IDGs. 🎉 Here we are, in preparation for the approaching global summit (which you can’t miss)! The IDG Summit is a space for experiencing the IDGs and diving deep into inner growth. It's a moment to remember that this journey of inner development for outer change is all about presence, a key skill for embodying the IDGs and thriving in complexity. 🌟 Being present opens the door to authenticity and vulnerability, creating a safe space for true connection and collaboration. 🙏 Together, we come to understand the relevance and meaning behind gathering, sharing, and expanding our truth. The IDGs provide a common language and narrative that unites us, allowing individuals to continue their work under this shared framework—a revolution of hope inspiring everyone to make a difference in the world. As we approach the summit, we celebrate the importance of vulnerability and emotional expression in all areas of life, including the corporate space. The IDGs strive to be inclusive and diverse, while also recognizing their origins. With inspiring speakers and a variety of program tracks, this year’s IDG summit promises to be transformative, filled with joy and meaningful connections. — Katharina Moser joined the IDG leadership team in 2022, taking on the roles of curator and designer for the IDG Summit and serving as the Master of Ceremonies ever since. A distinguished professional moderator and experience designer, Katharina has designed, organized, and moderated around 300 events, with a focus on enhancing their human element. She is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections that drive collaboration on global challenges. Before founding her creative agency, MOSAIK, in 2015, Katharina worked with the Austrian Foreign Ministry, the British Council, and the European Forum Alpbach. Her agency has developed several impactful projects on European cohesion, one of which was honored with the State Prize on Europe.

We're honored to have this seriously playful and insightful conversation with Dan Siegel, whose work we have been following for a while. In a conversation with Gonzalo, they delve into the concept of IDGs and how understanding our inner nature can help us navigate life. He emphasizes that the mind is not just located in the head but is fully embodied and relational, explaining that the mind is an emergent property of energy and information flow, and the self is a collective and interconnected entity. He highlights the need to shift from a culture of individualism to one of connection and love, expressing optimism about the potential for change. The conversation explores themes of interconnectedness, collaboration, and transitioning from a separate self to a collective identity, stressing the importance of recognizing and utilizing individual gifts and passions for community benefit. The discussion also touches on the power of love, hope, playfulness, pervasive leadership, and compassion in driving positive change and the co-creation of a better world. ------ MD, Dan Siegel is an award-winning educator and writer in the field of mind and mental health. He is the executive director of the Mindsight Institute, Senior Scientific Advisor of IDGs, and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. He is also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine, where he was principal co-investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development. He was trained in attachment research and narrative analysis. https://mindsightinstitute.com/

We are thrilled to introduce Marte Alstad Hansen for our 13th episode! 🎙️ Join host Vanessa and Marte as they dive into a profound conversation about the synergy between inner sustainability and outer sustainability, emphasizing the crucial role of the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) in fostering personal and organizational growth. Marte, one of the founders of @Awake—a pioneering communication agency focused on sustainable development—shares her inspiring journey and how the IDGs have been seamlessly integrated into their impactful work. Some key takeaways from this episode: 🌱 The significance of self-awareness, curiosity, and mindfulness in both personal and professional spheres. 🤝 The necessity for organizations to align their values, engage employees meaningfully, and bridge the gap between profit and sustainable development. 💡 The transformative potential of shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance and gratitude. 🌿 The vital role of inner spiritual development and observing nature as a model of perfection. 🌐 Envisioning a new world and system that values community, connection, and the fulfillment of basic needs. This conversation also highlights the importance of support, the courage to ask for help, and the need for leaders to be visible and supported.  Tune in to explore these thought-provoking ideas and discover how we can collectively create a system that honors both people and the planet. 🌟🌍 ----- Marte Alstad Hansen is the Creative Director of Awake, a communication agency with a holistic approach to sustainable development. She is a System Thinker, Visionary and Playful female founder that love to create ideas and bring out emotions in people. In November 2022, Awake established their IDG Hub in Oslo, as the first Hub in Norway. Since then, they have experimented with different topics to practice the IDGs in their gatherings. 🦋💚 Fun Facts: She is 38 years old, from Norway, loves nature and being one with it. She has done stand-up comedy, snowboards, surfs, and loves sailing as well. She worked in advertising before starting Awake.

In this emergent conversation with Bayo Akomolafe and host Eugenia, we explore the monstrous and how de-patologizing any monstrous aspect leads to unveiling new ways of understanding, experiencing and thus transforming public and private affairs. The conversation explores the concept of the monster and its potential for generative and transformative politics. The monster is seen as that which cannot be sensed or represented, disrupting our familiar arrangements and exposing the violence we are already in. Courage is seen as an ecological secretion, an infection that invites us to stay with the monster and embrace its disruptive potential. The conversation also touches on the importance of embracing imperfection, breaking societal arrangements, and recognizing our entanglement with the world and technology. Non-attachment is seen as emerging from attachment, and there is an acknowledgment that there is no final arrangement or perfection to be attained. --- Bayo Akomolafe is an intellectual, post-activist, philosopher, poet, writer, teacher, speaker. He’s a father and proud partner. He has lectured and visited  many universities and institutions around the world as is a renowed and accaimed speaeker recognized for his poetic, unconventional, counterintuitive, and indigenous take on global crisis, civic action and social change. He is Executive Director and Chief curator of the emergence network and recently appointed the first Scholar in Residence of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and of the Schumacher College for a New Economics.    “Bayo hopes to inspire a diffractive network of sharing – a slowing down, an ethics of entanglement, an activism of inquiry, a ‘politics of surprise’…one that does not treat the crises of our times as exterior to ‘us’ or the ‘solutions’ that conventional activism offers as discrete or separate from the problems that we seek to nullify.

In this episode, Vanesa and Isabel Rimanoczy discuss the importance of developing a sustainability mindset and facing the wake-up calls our planet is experiencing by pausing, reflecting, and practicing critical thinking. The conversation highlights observation, finding inner stillness, and the 23 skills of the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) as part of the sustainability mindset. Isabel, a legacy coach, shares her journey and insights into how leaders can shift to a more sustainable mindset, emphasizing the importance of purpose and the potential for personal and professional transformation. --- Isabel Rimanoczy is dedicated to developing 'change accelerators' to address the complex challenges facing our planet. She works with influential individuals to multiply their impact on a larger scale, promoting mindset transformations that lead to new initiatives for a sustainable future. Isabel shares her mission through inspiring keynotes, teaching, writing, faculty development, and coach training. Recognizing the pivotal role of educators and leaders in shaping a better planet, she focuses on cultivating the sustainability mindset in the next generation of leaders. As the convener of LEAP!, a global network of academics promoting sustainability, Isabel expands her outreach further. She also collaborates with corporate leaders and coaches to drive the necessary paradigm shift. Isabel is the co-founder and director of SMIndicator LLC, which offers the first tool to map and profile individual journeys toward developing a sustainability mindset. Her motto: "If you're alive today, you've a role to play."

We are honored to have Vernon Foster and Marta Kaprāle in the 10th episode of our podcast! We delve into the enduring wisdom of native peoples, exploring their traditional survival techniques and psychological insights that provide valuable lessons for today's world. We discuss the power of storytelling in preserving indigenous culture and transmitting ancestral knowledge through symbolic tales. Central to these teachings are the core values of humility, respect, and the power of words, which form the foundation of indigenous communities and offer profound insights for living a meaningful life. Vernon is a Native American, Spiritual Leader of the Red Road & Indigenous Rights Activist for over 40 years. As a motivational speaker, spiritual counselor and teacher, Vernon has shared his ancient wisdom and promoted healing and personal growth in Native and non-Native communities around the world. He is founder of innovative programs and immersions for people across the world from diverse backgrounds, ages and paths of life. He has been published in numerous media, films, press and shows around the world.  Marta Kaprāle, on the other side is a Social Impact Storytelling, filmmaker, and a part of IDG community in Stockholm. She has a diverse professional journey spanning film, advertising, business development, social innovation, and science communication, honing the ability to uncover the roots of human behavior, discern patterns, and connect the dots that reshape perspectives.

In this enlightening episode , Vanessa is joined by Aithan Shapira, an esteemed artist, MIT lecturer and founder of TILT, to explore the dynamic interplay of change, art, and collective action. They dive into the personal and communal aspects of evolving in a rapidly changing world. Aithan shares insights into how engaging with art not only reflects but actively influences one’s inner transformation in response to external changes. The conversation spans the importance of deep listening and the power of reducing separateness within organizations to foster a unified direction and purpose. They discuss how individual experiences, whether through art or personal reflection, contribute to collective wisdom and action. The episode highlights the importance of maturity and humility in bridging individual perspectives towards a cohesive collective effort, emphasizing the necessity of embracing both differences and similarities to enrich interaction and understanding. - Aithan Shapira PhD MFA is internationally acclaimed Senior Lecturer in Work and Organization Studies at ⁠MIT Sloan⁠, an established artist, and founder of ⁠TILT,⁠ a firm focused on the artful evolution of leaders and cultures as they move critical initiatives forward in ⁠ever-changing contexts⁠.As facilitator, coach, and designer of developmental programming, Aithan is committed to applying his ⁠progressive ways for training leaders⁠ to serve change agents + global entities that are sincere about developing inner capabilities and forming communities of practice needed to ⁠facilitate growth at the speed of change⁠. The social enterprise he founded, TILT, delivers 6 month trainings in the IDGs.He has applied his ⁠progressive methodology⁠ with a range of high-impact organizations in tech, health, finance, and green-energy including NASA, the UN, Greenpeace, MGB, and Ocean Plastics Leadership Network.  He also serves on McKinsey's think tank for Learning Innovation and is ongoingly developing ⁠new curricular approaches for training leadership⁠ at MIT Sloan, Harvard ilab, Stanford d.school, and the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship.Over the past 9 years, Aithan has trained more than 12,000 leaders, 240 facilitators, given over 160 keynotes, and customized and delivered leadership curricula for more than 30 Fortune 500 organizations. Aithan developed his research on the creative process at the Royal College of Art & Design, lived in an Australian Aboriginal community for three years to study creativity in cultures of survival, and continues to be a visiting critic at arts institutions internationally. He exhibits his art in museums and galleries in New York, London, and Miami.