"Can you develop and lead a global expedition for our high potential leaders to study water scarcity and develop leadership capacity?" the head of corporate social responsibility of a large hotel asked me this week. And then she added, "We want to invite hotel guests, too."

Becoming and Belonging: the Underpinnings of Sustainable Change

In June, Ashley Welch spoke with Danny Martin: thought leader, environmentalist, facilitator, and inspirational speaker. Ashley and Danny discussed how to deepen and widen understanding within a group or organization so that change can take place.

Darcy Winslow, a pioneer in sustainability, as a 20 year leader at Nike, helped steer the organization to socially-responsible corporate practices.  Darcy and Ashley discussed "Leadership and Sustainability: What Can Leaders Learn from Nature?" Learn about natural principles and frameworks that leaders can apply to solving business problems in this recorded webinar. 

Accelerator Expedition is the leadership immersion experience that transforms high potential leaders into confident, globally savvy innovators. In this program, action learning goes beyond the classroom to immerse gifted leaders in challenges at the leading edge of change - with social innovators who are creating powerful and sustainable solutions.

Writing recently in the New York Times ("It May Be a Good Job, but Is It 'Good Work'?", 11/16/08), Daniel Goleman explored ideas about what makes work fulfilling recently championed by Howard Gardner, William Damon and Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi. Three factors come into play — excellence, ethics, and engagement.

We’re excited that Interaction Associates will be a sponsor for the The Give US Your Poor Concert for Boston's Homeless, Friday, November 16, 2007, at 8 p.m., at the Strand Theatre in Boston, MA. This concert, along with a CD featuring many of the same artists, is designed to benefit the Boston-based nonprofit policy research organization, Give US Your Poor, and a variety of advocacy and helping organizations. The endeavor is an extraordinary example of collaboration in action, in service of a noble aspiration.

As you may know, Pop!Tech, the annual ideas summit, is convening this week in Camden, Maine. Each year, this three-day gathering brings together extraordinary thinkers, leaders and doers to explore the deep forces shaping our collective future, the social impact of new scientific insights and emerging technologies, and the most innovative approaches humanity is taking to address national and global challenges.

Today's employees expect to care about what they do. Their work must be intellectually challenging, emotionally compelling, and spiritually fulfilling. If they love their work, they're more willing to give additional discretionary effort to see meaningful projects succeed.

In her book The High-Purpose Company, Christine Arena dispels common myths about CSR and demonstrates how and why certain approaches succeed while others fail — drawing on extensive research of 75 companies that invest millions annually in the practice. The book enables readers to easily distinguish between true and false corporate responsibility, and also lays out a strategic path toward positive change and superior performance.

A couple of weeks ago, we attended Pop!Tech, the annual conference on technology, business, culture, and emerging ideas. It's more than a conference — it's a community of 500 authors, techies, performers, business leaders, scientists, and thought leaders who come together in Camden, Maine for what Wired calls "a weekend-long huddle." Where else would New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, AskANinja.com's Kent Nichols, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, and acoustic guitar sensations Rodrigo y Gabriela share the same bill?