(Note: The below interview is from this article just published by the folks at Sustainable Brands)

SB: John, your work is based on the idea that strategic communications are an important and underused tool for driving business and social change. Have you gotten much resistance or pushback on this idea from the mainstream corporate world?

Initially, yes—I got many glassy-eyed stares!  But I’m glad to say the landscape has changed.  Back in 2007, when I wrote “Igniting Inspiration” I was gripped with this vision, clear as day.  Having been steeped in applied psychology research for decades, and having become aware of the urgent need for massive global business and social change, I had reached a personal breaking point. Things seemed so utterly hopeless and well ‘big’.  A sense of doom about the fate of mankind overcame me and I simply gave up.

In that moment a funny thing happened.  It all came together…a vision.  I saw very clearly that the biggest barriers toward growth for the sustainability movement were not economic or social, but rather they were deeply psychological.  It suddenly it became clear to me that all of the apathy, cynicism and frustration that aspiring change leaders were facing could be explained by this simple, developmental ‘worldview thinking’ model. I saw that understanding worldviews would be the key to help change leaders reach breakthrough levels of personal and professional effectiveness. I felt like the luckiest person on earth to finally see this vision!

So I set out and wrote a book to spread the good news. I suppose I foolishly expected everyone to immediately jump for joy, like at the end of some campy 1980’s movie where the underdog finally gets the girl and a room full of strangers starts applauding at his heroism….and thus began what became a long arduous path of realizing just what an odd person I am! What I didn’t yet realize back in 2007 was that the concept of “communication as a tool for change” was still a very radical and abstract idea to many. It was all so clear and self-evident to me at the time, but the corporate world didn’t yet know what do with a guy like me.

SB: And what has changed since then?

Everything.  The business world has changed, the political world has changed, digital media has changed…and perhaps most importantly, I’ve changed. I’ve finally learned how to ‘eat my own dog food’ as they say.  And I strongly believe that what has worked for me can work for anyone reading this who hopes to change the status quo

The key to my turning this vision into a successful career has been the same thing I preach in my keynotes and workshops: empathy…empathyfor the challenges and worldview of today’s top business leaders.  Let’s face it: Even when they have a deep visionary streak, decision makers are inherently data driven and risk averse. The structures and systems of the capitalism status quo almost force them to be that way

Brazen ideas about ‘worldview insights’ and ‘communication strategies for driving change’ are inspiring, but at the end of the day corporations need proof. Otherwise the perceived risk is just too high…especially in the topsy-turvy economic climate since the financial collapse of 2008.  I eventually realized that I somehow needed to flip the risk profile for decision -makers. I needed to help them see that the true risk for their business was not in their hiring me to apply these new ideas, but rather in their being left behind–in their not having the insights required to win the hearts and minds of their critical stakeholder groups.

(To read the full interview click here.)

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