Achieve Great Things

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-authored a book that's required reading at Harvard, Columbia and other business schools around the world. It's called "Compelling People." It's full of scientific insights and practical skills you can use to be a more influential leader or build a more influential organization.

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 storyteller, who share their stories and lessons in an amazing book—The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated: People Power and Legal Power in the 21st Century. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we talk with Katie Redford, co-founder of Earth Rights International and the Equation Campaign, about her journey—and lessons you can use to take on powerful forces, and win.

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 time. Raj joins us on this episode of Achieve Great things to share inspiring stories and practical information you can use to achieve great things.

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 away insights and ideas you can use to communicate with maximum motivating power.

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 campaign was unique in transcending typical political divides and mobilizing volunteers, donors, and voters across the spectrum. Time magazine called Desmond Meade one of the country's most influential people. He's a MacArthur Foundation Genius Fellow, a Ford Foundation Global Fellow, and his organization was nominated for a Nobel Prize. On this episode, we'll talk with Desmond Meade about ideas you can use to create campaigns that transcend political divides to achieve great things.

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 America is “under a disinformation assault from within and outside our borders.” The “urgency to counter this threat can't be overstated.” And “convenient solutions” are hard to find. Alex is Vice President of External Affairs at Internews, an international nonprofit that believes “everyone deserves trustworthy news and information.” Internews has 30 offices worldwide and supports independent media in 100 countries, reaching millions of people with information they can trust. At the global nonprofit IREX, he helped organizations in Ukraine and other countries fight back against the onslaught of disinformation from the Putin regime in Russia. On this episode of Achieve Great Things, we'll talk about real solutions—practical steps your organization can take to fight one of the most important challenges facing the field of communications—and democracy itself.

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 theater.” They created a play about people condemned to Death Row for crimes they didn't commit. That work of art helped change policy and save lives. She teaches about the brain science of storytelling, the structure of storytelling, and the power of storytelling to “move us, change us, and make us see the world in new ways.” In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we'll talk with Jessica Blank about ways you can use the power of storytelling to create impact.

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 and conducted original research—collecting regrets from more than 16,000 people in 150 countries. Like his other books, it challenges conventional thinking. It offers insights and ideas you can put to use right away. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we'll talk with Dan Pink about The Power of Regret—and how to transform our regrets into a force for good in our lives and the world.

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'll talk about something completely different: The sound of silence. We'll learn from the authors of a provocative book with powerful lessons we can apply in our personal lives and our professional work. It's called Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise. The book makes the bold claim that we can “repair our world by reclaiming the presence of silence in our lives.” Join us for a quiet conversation with Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz to learn how you can use the power of silence to achieve great things.

Generations of Americans grew up with Consumer Reports, a magazine packed with useful information for making smart purchases. CR is also a national nonprofit with a storied history, an important 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 Transparent Marketplace." On this episode of Achieve Great Things, we'll talk with Marta about challenges and dangers facing consumers in today's hyper-connected marketplace—and the potential for building consumer power to create change.

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 people? On this edition of Achieve Great Things, we talk to Bobby Clark, who led research with more than 100,000 Americans to produce a Winning Jobs Narrative you can use to promote all kinds of economic policies and programs.

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 to help you communicate about public health with maximum motivating power.

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 Achieve Great Things, we'll talk with Trabian Shorters about this paradigm-shifting approach to communication.

Amanda Renteria on Achieving a Bold Vision by 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 accurately reflects who they are now and what they stand for. During this episode, we'll explore lessons you can use to think about your own organization's brand, whether you're launching a startup or revitalizing a legacy.

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-founder of a groundbreaking company called Runa, which produces clean energy drinks made from the leaf of a tree that grows in the Amazon rainforest. The company has provided a sustainable source of income for thousands of indigenous families. In this episode, Doug Hattaway talks with Tyler Gage about the role of Aspirational Communication in building a successful social enterprise.

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 organizations, took on the tobacco industry, and launched a program at Georgetown University's business school that helps nonprofits, business, and government “create economic and social value.” In this episode of Achieve Great Things, I talk with Bill about his new book—and lessons from a remarkable, 50-year career.

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 and Veronica Selzler talk with Dr. Judy Lubin about how to improve racial equity in the workplace. They explore what racial equity looks like at work, how organizations can prioritize racial equity, and some of what Hattaway has learned through our work with CURE.

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 counter the insidious power of racial appeals in American politics. Now, Ian Haney Lopez is back with potentially powerful, research-based solutions. In this episode of Achieve Great Things, we’ll talk about insights and ideas from his book, Merge Left: Fusing Race and Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America.

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 help. Unlike communication strategies that focus solely on talking about today’s most pressing problems, solutions-oriented communications can not only make audiences feel better, but opens them up to hearing what they can do to help.

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 Lung Association had done before, the campaign tested strongly because of one key reason—Carrie and her team developed a strong understanding of their audience. On this episode of Achieve Great Things, Hattaway's new EVP Carrie Schum gives us a crash course on how to combine audience insights, smart strategy, and courageous choices to drive meaningful behavior change.

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 our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/discerning-truth-through-a-web-of-online-misinformation-8b8d07467082

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 grow up healthy and ready for school. Read more about this conversation and get other great communications insights at our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/a-foundation-finds-its-voice-cb9fabaf5c7

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 eventually achieved a supporting majority that couldn't be stripped away. Read more about our conversation and access other great insights by visiting our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/the-road-to-durable-support-for-marriage-equality-88a796607fde

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. Read more about our conversation and access other great insights by visiting our Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/the-science-and-strategy-behind-meaningful-events-b5406a44980d

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 Aspirational blog: https://medium.com/aspirational/the-san-francisco-foundations-north-star-is-equity-what-s-yours-e201b521912b

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-immigration-and-american-identity-ec436ce3342a

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/aspirational/checking-the-vital-signs-of-our-democracy-65f78774ab2

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-c908d5900627

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 at

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-4b34dc692944

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-26a9ec3ed47f

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

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

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

Episode 20, Sean Gibbons, Communications Network by Hattaway Communciations

Episode 19, Macon Phillips, CARE by Hattaway Communications

Season 1, Episode 18: Veronica Selzler, Hattaway Communications by 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 17, Mark Reading-Smith, Senior Director of Communications & Media at the Sikh Coalition, joins the podcast to discuss the difficulty of combatting messages based in fear. A durable, foundational message is key; without it, voters won’t pay attention to policy details or expertise. And communicators can’t afford to “over-intellectualize their responses.”

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, advances in data science and advertising increasingly let powerful actors to “buy people’s belief sets.” How can we respond? By taking chances, focusing on local engagement level, and remembering to trust people when they say what they need.

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, changemakers in the real world need coherent vision to inspire people—and narratives that connects with them in a powerful, deep way. Jo and Amanda join the podcast to discuss the connection between speculative fiction and social change, and explain why “you can’t be what you can’t imagine.”

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 taking losses personally and lashing out at the voters you’re trying to help.

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. People can receive very different messages from the same information—and younger, less polarized leadership could be key to reaching across traditional divides.

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 people can relate to—and how their new venture can help organizations with limited resources turn those insights into action.

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, communications professionals can’t afford to tinker around the margins.

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. If they don’t, they’ll fail to build support for good policy—and continue to waste money on communications that don’t resonate with younger voters.

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 powder dry for when it really matters, and the unique opportunity for progressives to mobilize a massive, energized constituency.

This week we speak with Sean Gibbons, CEO of the The Communications Network, an organization that connects leaders seeking to elevate and advance communications for good. As 2017 comes into focus, foundations and nonprofits are trying to find their way in a crowded communications landscape. We discuss the relationship between good communications and good strategy, ways to create a communicating organization, and the importance of research and data that gets beyond demographics. We look forward to any feedback. You can hit us up anytime at podcast@hattaway.com. You can check for updates on our podcast on our website, hattaway.com.