What makes someone influential? What qualities do people see in compelling communicators and charismatic leaders? At a time when many people seem to be losing faith in institutions, what can leaders and organizations do to build trust and influence? On this episode of Achieve Great Things, we’ll explore these questions with John Neffinger, who co-a…

Not long ago, some of the world’s most accomplished movement lawyers and activists gathered to tell their stories, compare notes, and share lessons about leveraging the law and mobilizing social movements to win hard-fought battles for people and the planet—even when the odds seemed impossible. They were convened by a lawyer, an activist and a stor…

Raj Shah is the president of the Rockefeller Foundation and the author of a new book called Big Bets: How Large Scale Change Really Happens. Dr. Shah has been part of big bets for 25 years—from vaccinating nearly a billion children to helping countries fight Ebola and COVID. Now he’s working to connect a billion people to electricity for the first …

Bestselling author Dan Pink has opened millions of minds to practical insights from social science that can help all of us be better communicators. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, Dan returns to share Top Takeaways from his #1 New York Times bestsellers: To Sell is Human and Drive: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others. You’ll take …

Desmond Meade is president of the Florida Rights Restoration Committee, which inspired the nation with a grassroots campaign that passed a groundbreaking constitutional amendment with a win few saw coming—a supermajority of 62% of the vote. It restored voting rights to 1.5 million people with prior felony convictions who had served their time. The …

Dealing with disinformation tops the agenda for all kinds of organizations working on all kinds of issues. We’re bombarded by fake news, foreign propaganda, consumer scams and other kinds of deliberate disinformation that make it hard to sort out fact from fiction.Alex Cole has been on the frontlines of information wars around the world. He says Am…

Jessica Blank is on a “mission to impact our world through the transformative power of story.” She’s an award-winning writer, director, actor, producer, coach, consultant, and teacher. She has an amazing track record of creating art that leads to impact. She and her husband, Erik Jensen, launched a new form of art-for-impact, called “documentary th…

Dan Pink is the author of bestselling books that have opened millions of minds to insights from social science to help us be better leaders, managers and marketers—and also healthier, happier people. His most recent book is called The Power of Regret. We all have regrets, though we often think it’s best not to. Dan has studied the science of regret…

Many of us working to make change in the world spend a lot of time thinking about how to “break through the noise” of today’s hyperactive media environment. Our organizations are struggling to “be heard” above the din of news, politics, marketing and more that bombard our eyes and ears all day, every day. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we…

Generations of Americans grew up with Consumer Reports, a magazine packed with usefulinformation for making smart purchases. CR is also a national nonprofit with a storied history, animportant mission, and a timely all to action. CR’s CEO, Marta Tellado, is out with a new book, "Buyer Aware: Harnessing Our Consumer Power for a Safe, Fair, and Trans…

The economy is the number-one issue on the minds of voters in the United States. Not surprisingly, it’s also on the minds of politicians, policymakers, and policy advocates. But how do American voters think about the economy? Who do they trust to tackle economic issues? How can you talk about economic policy in terms that really speak to working pe…

Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, is an award-winning epidemiologist who worked on the frontlines of public health before building de Beaumont into a leading voice in health philanthropy and public health practice. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, he shares insights from the foundation’s new book and lessons …

Trabian Shorters is founder of the BMe Community, a New York Times bestselling author, and an international authority on a powerful, important new way of thinking and communicating, called “asset-framing.” It’s a hot topic among leaders and organizations looking to make positive change—because asset-framing can be a game-changer. In this episode of…

How do you achieve a bold vision to unlock $30 billion dollars for 13 million people? On this episode of Achieve Great Things, we talk with Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, about what it takes to envision and achieve a truly ambitious goal.Door Hattaway Communications

On this episode of Achieve Great Things, we spoke to Priya Jayachandran, the chief executive officer of the National Housing Trust, about her organization’s journey to refresh the way it communicates. Priya took the helm in 2018, in her first role as a CEO, succeeding a founder who led the organization for three decades. Now, NHT’s new brand accura…

Tyler Gage is an entrepreneur, investor, and adviser to companies that focus on ESG—the environmental, social, and governance aspects of business. He’s also the author of an amazing book about his very unique journey as an entrepreneur. It’s called Fully Alive: Using the Lessons of the Amazon to Live Your Mission in Business and Life. He’s the co-f…

Long before “purpose” became a buzzword in business, Bill Novelli pioneered the use of marketing techniques to build a better world. He called it “social marketing” and co-founded a global agency devoted to it. He also ran one of the most well-known and well-regarded international nonprofits, led one of Washington’s most formidable advocacy organiz…

Many people are committed to improving racial equity in their organizations, but are unsure where to start. What are the first steps to advance racial equity at work? How do you engage leadership? And how do you overcome common barriers to prioritizing racial equity?In this episode of Achieve Great Things, members of our DEI Committee Reina DuFore …

In 2014, Ian Haney Lopez introduced an important new term to the field of political communication with his book, Dog Whistle Politics. In it, he explained how politicians have used carefully coded language to stir up racial anxiety and resentment to divide Americans and win elections.Political strategists and progressive leaders are struggling to c…

From pandemic updates to climate change news alerts, we’re constantly bombarded with negative messages and bad news, which can trigger feelings of helplessness. Christine Heenan, former Vice President for Global Policy & Advocacy at The Rockefeller Foundation and current President of the Clarendon Group, believes that optimistic communications can …

When the American Lung Association asked Carrie Schum and her team at Porter Novelli to develop a campaign to encourage smokers to make another attempt to quit smoking, they never expected to end up with the headline: “You’re not a failure. You’re a seven-time learner.” Although the campaign headline was different from anything that the American Lu…

While the benefits of a world connected by the internet abound, it's harder and harder to ignore one of its most noxious byproducts - digital pollution. Knight Foundation Vice President of Communities and Impact Sam Gill joins the podcast to discuss how confronting digital pollution can help our democracy overcome a "crisis of trust." Read more on …

In this episode of Achieve Great Things we're joined by Meera Mani, Director of the Children, Families, and Communities Program at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She talks about the power of a shared narrative to achieve greater collective impact, and her organization's journey in lifting up their grantees' crucial work: helping children …

When the Gallup organization first surveyed Americans about same-sex marriage in 1996, only 27 percent of the public supported legal recognition. Fast forward 23 years, and 63 percent of Americans support marriage equality. People changed their minds—but how? In this episode, Evan Wolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry, reflects on how the movement e…

In 2005, Heather founded Caspian Agency to help purpose-driven organizations create more purposeful events. "The effects of a well-produced event," she likes to say, "are felt far beyond the experience itself." In Episode 3, we talk with Heather about the science and strategy behind making events more meaningful for sponsors and participants alike.…

In the midst of an affordable housing crisis and growing income inequality, The San Francisco Foundation asked local communities how to promote equity in the region. In Episode 2, we sit down with Gail Fuller to learn what they heard. The answers might surprise you. Read more about our conversation and access other great insights by visiting our As…

In Episode 1 of our third season, Doug Hattaway talks to Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, about his conversations with Americans in 26 communities focusing on immigration and American identity. Read more about the podcast at our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/armchair-conversations-on-immigratio…

In Episode 8, Joe Goldman of Democracy Funds talks about challenges facing American democracy, from election hacking to declining trust in journalism and propaganda campaigns driven by artificial intelligence — and shares practical steps we can take to address them. Read more about the podcast at our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspiration…

In Episode 7, LIFT CEO and Co-Founder Kirsten Lodal talks about using the power of aspirational thinking and communication to modernize the way America fights poverty. To read more, visit our Aspirational blog at: https://medium.com/aspirational/fighting-poverty-with-an-aspirational-message-9d16dd52bb0b…

In Episode 6, we speak with journalist Ryan Bell about how to get past prevailing narratives and produce work that stands the test of time. To read more, visit our Aspirational blog at: https://medium.com/aspirational/how-to-get-your-audiences-the-real-story-c908d5900627Door Hattaway Communications

In Episode 5, HuffPost Executive Editor Hillary Frey explains how her the publication's Listen to America Tour revealed what's really on Americans' minds — without the political filter. For more details, visit our aspirational blog atDoor Hattaway Communications

In Episode 4, Del. David Reid (D-VA) explains the key to winning his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates last November: listening. Will Democrats in 2018 follow his lead? For more details, visit our aspirational blog at https://medium.com/aspirational/understand-that-it-really-is-about-them-c6d7103d3b41…

Episode 3 features a conversation with Joshua Ulibarri, chief pollster for the Democratic Caucus in the Virginia House of Delegates, about historic Democratic victories in 2017. For more details, visit our Aspirational Blog at https://medium.com/aspirational/a-new-day-in-the-old-dominion-700a10237457…

In Episode Two, we check in with Lanae Erickson Hatalsky about Third Way’s post-2016 “listening tour” to hear what they found. For more details on this episode, visit our Aspirational blog at: https://medium.com/aspirational/no-one-in-d-c-cares-what-i-think-4b34dc692944Door Hattaway Communications

Season Two of Achieve Great Things kicks off by recapping the key insights that progressive communicators need to take to heart in 2018. For more details on this episode, visit our Aspirational blog at: https://medium.com/aspirational/its-a-new-year-and-the-stakes-couldn-t-be-higher-26a9ec3ed47fDoor Hattaway Communications

In the final episode of Season One, Chad Nelsen of the Surfrider Foundation gives advice for turning people’s passions into activism.Door Hattaway Communications

In Episode 22, Clarence B. Jones, speechwriter to Martin Luther King, Jr., talks about America’s need for moral courage.Door Hattaway Communications

Episode 21, Jill Schwartz and Alex MacLennan, World Wildlife Fund by Hattaway CommunciationsDoor Hattaway Communications

Episode 20, Sean Gibbons, Communications Network by Hattaway CommunciationsDoor Hattaway Communications

Episode 19, Macon Phillips, CARE by Hattaway CommunicationsDoor Hattaway Communications

Season 1, Episode 18: Veronica Selzler, Hattaway Communications by Hattaway CommunicationsDoor Hattaway Communications

Ever since September 11, many Sikh Americans have been falsely associated with terrorism. And in 2017, fear-based messages seem to be gaining traction more easily than ever. The presence of fear in our politics has very real consequences — but it’s also an opportunity for education, and for more Americans to become part of the solution.In Episode 1…

In Episode 16 of Achieve Great Things, Sara-Jayne Terp talks money in politics, disinformation, and why local engagement is key to progress. Data scientist Sara-Jayne Terp says that polarization, money in politics, and widespread disinformation have made elections in the United States resemble “money-driven dictatorial campaigns” abroad. Meanwhile,…

In 2017, political narratives have taken hold that aren’t based in reality. Can great fiction like Wonder Woman, Star Trek and Harry Potter show us how to change them? Jo Miles and Amanda Kloer, the founders of FutureShift, believe that they can. Science fiction writers like Octavia Butler are masters at imagining alternate worlds. Similarly, chang…

This week on Achieve Great Things, RJ and Kate sit down with Emily Norman, Vice President of Analytics at the Global Strategy Group, to get some answers. She discusses “switch voters” who vote differently than they respond to polls, and the need to continually challenge best practices after both successes and failures. She also cautions against tak…

On this week’s episode, RJ sits down with Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, Vice President of Social Policy and Politics at Third Way, a Washington, D.C. think tank. She talks about how the conversation in Washington doesn’t mirror people’s concerns for their everyday lives, and why Democrats can’t afford to talk to Trump voters like they’re Steve Bannon. P…

This week, RJ sits down with Claire Humphreys, Kristen Ablamsky and Rachel Renock, the founders of Starthatching—a marketplace that connects freelancers to nonprofits that need their expertise. These three women, who share a background in advertising, discuss how insights from advertising can help nonprofits boil down complicated issues into ideas …

This week we continue our conversation with Brad Jenkins, executive producer at Funny or Die DC. In part 2 of the interview, we discuss what makes comedy effective at breaking through ideological echo chambers and how digital storytelling can help Democrats leverage grassroots energy into electoral success. In a disruptive political atmosphere, com…

This week we sit down with Brad Jenkins, Obama White House alum and current executive producer of Funny or Die DC. Our self-described “least reputable podcast guest" discusses how President Obama’s appearance on “Between Two Ferns” changed the game for Healthcare.gov, and how Democrats need to make serious investments in digital content creation. I…

This week, RJ sits down with three of his colleagues at Hattaway Communications—Kate Pazoles, Steve Pierce, and Eric Zimmerman—to discuss opportunities and challenges for progressive communicators in the Trump era. They touch on the dangers of constantly responding to President Trump’s bizarre comments, the importance of keeping your communications…