I had a fascinating discussion with my friend and colleague John Izzo, author of six books including the newly released The Purpose Revolution, on the topic of leadership and purpose in an age of social good.

What We Explored

John says there is a global, growing cross-generational movement of employees, customers, and investors who want their work and money to not only provide for their own material needs but to contribute to something that is meaningful and good – to help create a better world for all.

He cites recent studies that show that 34% of global customers are punishing or rewarding companies based on whether they believe the company is doing something good in the world, and that 37% of global employees make decisions about who they are going to work for based on whether it connects with their values. And he says this trend is increasing exponentially.

During our interview, we discussed companies that have done it wrong, such as Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, Uber, and Best Buy, and the bottomline consequences for them. Companies that have done it right, such as Patagonia and Seventh Generation, and how it has built a loyal customer base for them and increased their profitability. And the implications for what leaders can do to ride the wave of this tsunami.

Click below to listen to our interview:

About John Izzo and The Purpose Revolution

John Izzo is co-author of The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Create Engagement and Competitive Advantage in an Age of Social Good and president of Izzo Associates. He has spoken to over one million people and advised over 500 companies, including IBM, Qantas, the Mayo Clinic, Verizon, RBC, TELUS, Walmart, DuPont, Humana, Microsoft, and IBM. He is the author or coauthor of six books, including Awakening Corporate Soul.

The Purpose Revolution Podcast