Leveraging Change for Good

Posted on by Julie Van Ness




When we hear the word “change,” it can evoke powerful feelings spanning from fear to excitement with the anticipation of the unknown. 

For some people, depending on their perspective and circumstances, change can be truly paralyzing, but for others, it can spur on creativity and engagement.

Wise leadership is essential during challenging times and requires the ability to know how to inspire others throughout a wide spectrum of circumstances, from lessening anxieties within an organization to channeling either negative or positive energy into a purpose-driven plan that creates exciting momentum. 

If you’re a far-sighted business leader who can see positive opportunities within change, you can set the tone by uniting people to share what they consider as their positive purpose to help achieve favorable results. If your leadership view is more immediate and fearful, your narrow focus tends to skip personal expression and solely chases short-term financial goals — which can slow down momentum because it lacks collective purpose and acceptance.  A key question during tumultuous times is, “How do we unite those with opposing viewpoints and strong opinions?”

This question can be especially relevant during times of political unrest, when many people are experiencing a lack of control over their changing circumstances. The answer is often found in leveraging any change that individuals value and which they can respond to with optimism. This requires some surveying, respectful team discussions, and perhaps a vision board to co-create a unity plan!

Outstanding examples of those leaders who knew how to leverage change for good within their organizations can be found in the winners list of the Top Impact Companies of 2025! We congratulate and appreciate every impact business who made the list. Support them in any way you can.

CEO Shelley Zalis, of The Female Quotient, is a great example of how to turn challenging topics into positive perspectives, which can change behavior. Read her inspiring cover story interview from the spring edition to find out the one goal you should achieve in your lifetime.

The common thread among many of these purpose-driven CEOs is leveraging their team’s input for positive change, creating mutually beneficial outcomes.

The process of change can be the same in “normal times” as well as in turbulent times. When a CEO is trying to shift thinking or adopt a new program, they can get their team to rally around a collective North Star vision if the players help co-create the vision that provides the change for good.

I’ve learned not to get discouraged by the people who resist change that I view as positive. Instead, I focus on supporting the 10% or 20% who are early adopters. They, in turn, bring the others around over time. 

As Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Patience and persistent input, aligned with a spirit of uniting for the greater good, will keep the wheels of change in constant motion while keeping people connected. 

Stand Tall With Courage

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

Photo Credit: Stacy Keck



“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” — Anaïs Nin


What do the words “stand tall” mean to you? There are so many complexities and interpretations around those words, and they can have significant impact.

In the addiction world it can mean not veering off your course for survival. In battle it can mean holding the line for mass protection. In business it can mean not compromising your principles and values and staying true to your mission. Regardless, those two fundamental words have monumental power because all their applications are grounded in courage. As a real leader who can alter the course of your company and its employees’ health and fiscal stability, standing tall means everything. 

So why do we let our courage slip? Is it based on our own fears or uncertainties? If we ask ourselves that question and answer truthfully, it can help us achieve courageous leadership and immense rewards. Why? Because fear of the unknown can shrink us, and the courage to stand tall can expand us.

I urge everyone, especially in today’s challenging world, to take a solid, values-based position on what you know is right and stand tall in it. Speak and live your truth with conviction and fortitude. The more courageous leaders who figure this out and act on it, the better business and society will be. Think about it: Will we ever be able to say we know what courageous leadership feels like unless we try it? To never try is cowardly, and who wants to stay anchored in fear? On the flip side, if we truly don’t know where or how to begin, that’s okay because there are endless opportunities to learn, connect, and grow your leadership with courage. 

In the fall 2025 edition of Real Leaders magazine, Mel Robbins shares how she turned her setbacks and fears into her greatest strength, which helped her build a highly successful business within the impact coaching community. Also in this edition, you can get inspired by real leaders Mike and Kass Lazerow — serial entrepreneurs, investors, and cofounders of Golf.com and Buddy Media; they tapped into the power of courage collaboratively by surrounding themselves with like-minded, purpose-driven people. 

This focus on courage is growing worldwide. Business as a force for good has gained tremendous momentum and financial success over the past decade through the courage of those who stand tall in their commitment to a better way. 

Let me know how you are standing tall. We love sharing your inspiring stories.

Julie Van Ness, CEO

Julie@old.real-leaders.com

Character — It’s What Matters Most

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

“Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike. ” —Theodore Roosevelt


By Julie Van Ness


What’s your definition of a real leader?

That’s the question that we have asked global business leaders on our Real Leaders Podcast and in our magazine for over a decade. The answers have been insightful, and most share this winning combination: (1) the importance of caring for something greater than themselves, (2) the willingness to do the work necessary to achieve a positive outcome for the greater good, and (3) doing it in a financially sustainable and scalable way. 

In our sixth annual Real Leaders of Impact Investing edition, you’ll discover some of the top impact investors in the world and how they choose who, what, and when they invest (p. 56).

You’ll also discover our exclusive interview with impact investing pioneer Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen, who talks about the importance of cultivating moral imagination, avoiding the conformity trap, and practicing courage (p. 48): “The world continues in the short-term to reward the shiny, but in the long-term, it pays off on character.”

The key to being a successful impact investor is the ability to invest in a leader who is likely to perform long-term. This ability to qualify a leader is important to all of us as we choose whom we want to work for, hire, and represent us in organizations and government.

The most articulate salesperson may shine in short pitches but cannot withstand the scrutiny of closer due diligence.

We’re reminded of the old saying that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do I trust this person? What does their past tell me about them? What is their litigation or bankruptcy history? Have they been successful in something comparable before? How resilient are they? What is their reputation? Would I be happy working for them? These are the kinds of questions that help us to determine one’s character and values, and character is ultimately what matters the most. 

Investors often lose money when they become enamored with the product or service but overlook the questionable character and reputation of the leader. Many of us have made this mistake in personal or business relationships, but when the stakes are high, mistakes can be devastating. 

Today, I pose this question to you: What’s your definition of a real leader? Think carefully about your response, as your description can serve as a guiding light when selecting leaders for your own life and for our world.

You can access the latest Real Leaders Magazine on shelves or on Real Leaders Website July 1.

Uniting Mission-Aligned Leaders

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

By Julie Van Ness

Growing up, I used to hear the saying, “Choose your friends, choose your future,” and I often wonder what life would have been like if I had not followed that sage advice.

I firmly believe that in today’s world — even more than ever — the same mindset has tremendous value in the business world. Whom you align with — and whom you choose not to align with — are equally important decisions with game-changing outcomes that will create a ripple effect throughout your professional and personal life. The journey to find those who are mission-aligned with purpose-driven values, strong ethics, and character can be a daunting challenge.

But one thing is for certain: By uniting and acting together, we become an irresistible force for good.

Through the Real Leaders community, many people have found multiple ways of connecting to elevate their purpose, surrounded by supportive, creative, and dedicated peers. An outstanding example of this purposeful mindset was at the Real Leaders UNITE event in early February 2024. This annual gathering of award-winning impact leaders is one of the few opportunities for mission-aligned leaders to connect and collaborate.

Lessons were learned from highly respected leaders including Stedman Graham, who guided our understanding of identity leadership; Lisa Bodell regarding radical simplification; Shark Tank’s Daymond John on raising capital and the do’s and don’ts of investor pitches; Tamara Loehr discussing building your personal brand to drive growth and impact; Shadi Bakour on the power of collaboration; and Peggy Shell on cultivating impactful teams, among many more.

There were also global high-profile celebrities and business leaders who care about social entrepreneurship, such as Pharrell Williams, who by video shared his words of advice and the latest news about his phenomenal nonprofit organization Black Ambition, which is helping close the opportunity gap for entrepreneurs of color and was the cover story in our Real Leaders Spring 2024 edition.

“Each and every one of you has the power, the will, and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you live in.”
— HARRY BELAFONTE

In a room filled with voluminous wisdom, everyone witnessed a collective spirit to leverage our business model and make the world a better place.

Every one of us has the choice of playing a small, medium, or tremendously large role in progress
— or doing absolutely nothing. I think singer Harry Belafonte nailed it before he passed away
in 2023 when he referred to “the power, will, and the capacity to make a difference,” which is why choosing whom you align with, what events you attend, and what you learn from those experiences truly matters.

Most of us see positive changes occurring within the business community, so let’s push those doors open even wider to include more newcomers, voices, choices, and solutions. There are no boundaries that we can’t collectively advance to create a far better future.

Julie Van Ness, Real Leaders CEO

Female Iranian Motorcross Rider Challenges The Norm

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

Behnaz Shafiei is a 29-year-old Iranian motocross trailblazer who has been challenging gender norms since refusing to submit to an arranged marriage at age 16.

She uses her sport to advance women’s rights – including the right for a woman to ride a motorbike on public streets in Iran, where it’s currently banned. Her vision is to develop an Iranian women’s team and has single-handedly trained 117 women and teenage girls in the past year.

Shafiei has been riding motorbikes since age 15, disguised as a boy and practicing after dark between 9 pm and 3 am to avoid revolutionary guards. “Remember that American women fought for nearly 100 years before they were allowed the vote in 1920,” she says. “Since then, America has only inched closer to gender equality in business, politics, the arts and sports.”

www.shirzanan.org

Kenny Chesney: My Lessons a Year After The Hurricanes

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

We asked American country music star and part-time U.S. Virgin Island resident, Kenny Chesney, what lessons he has learned one year after the hurricanes wreaked havoc across the Caribbean.

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How many people can say they’ve lived through two category 5+ hurricanes within two weeks? Would you know what to do if you suddenly lost your electricity, Internet, TV, cell phone coverage, landline, ATMs and roads? And your home got destroyed too. Additionally, what if you had no idea how many months this would last, or if anyone was coming to help. Chesney remembers the chaos well, and shared with us his impressions of that time and why he felt compelled to help.

What compelled you to take action to help St. John?

Knowing how many people’s lives were profoundly changed. From watching the weather channel and texts from friends, you knew it was bad. Knowing people’s lives were being torn away from them, people I knew… people whose names I might know, others by face only. When you think about that you have to get involved.

What are some of  the most impactful memories?

When I was on the island for the first few times after the storms, and seeing all the trees and brush just gone, seeing boats thrown up on land, houses that were nothing but a few bits of foundation or a piece of wall. You’re not prepared to see some place as lush and as happy-looking as the Saints, look like that. There was a look of exhaustion, confusion and sadness on the faces of people who we flew off island. There was a look in their eyes that I’d never seen before. It still haunts me – the restlessness of the people with nowhere to go. On the other hand, the people who remained and got stuck in to rebuilding were so happy.

What did you learn from dealing with this disaster, that other people might learn from?

Patience. There was urgency, and everyone’s going as fast as they can, but you can never go fast enough. You want to cut through red tape, but that’s not always gonna work. You have to figure out how to be effective and not get bogged down.

What was the greatest challenge in helping those affected by the hurricanes?

The fact that the whole island was basically wiped out. We were starting over. There was no power, we needed generators, medical supplies, tools, tarps, water and food, whatever was needed. For a while getting planes in and out of St. Thomas was tricky, but it was the only way to get supplies in.

What inspired you the most during the relief?

The people. The way they came together. Islands are like a small town; people have opinions and disagreements. When Irma hit, that was all gone. Residents had survived the storms, and they put everything else aside. They knew what was important: rebuilding their island, and they were  all doing what they could. It was awesome.

Kenny Chesney’s Love For Love City Fund supports and gives to local and national 501c3 charities aligned with their mission of getting relief where it’s needed, immediately and ongoing in the Virgin Islands. They are people who dig in when needed, give when they see struggle and seek to find the best ways to make a difference. Every little bit helps. Sales from his new album “Song For The Saints,” Featuring “Get Along” will help benefit the ongoing relief in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

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Case Study: Thailand Promotes Partnerships for a Sustainable World

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

By sharing its Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as a model, Thailand is helping other developing nations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the final goal – revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development – may be the most compelling of all. Because the only way we can build a better world is by working together. So many of the challenges we face, from climate change to eradicating diseases, are borderless. Although we measure results on a nation-by-nation basis, unless nations can find ways to work together for the good of our planet and its peoples, our future will ultimately be unsustainable.

The Kingdom of Thailand has made its primary mission to enhance cooperation between North and South and also to strengthen South-South Cooperation. This exchange of resources, technology and knowledge between developing countries, often referred to as the Global South, can be complementary to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Thailand has worked to transform this vision into action. Even before its chairmanship, Thailand had been sharing its own model of development among countries grappling with the challenges of a changing world. That model is known as the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.

Initiated by the late monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej through decades of working to uplift the nation’s poor people, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is an approach to development and to life that is based on moderation, reasonableness and prudent decision-making. It prescribes living in harmony with the environment and making wise use of resources in order to build resilience and wellbeing. Its principles can be applied to farmers, communities, businesses and nations. In the context of the philosophy, sufficiency does not mean living in isolation. It calls for communities to work together for the common good – the essence of partnerships.

Thailand understands the value of working together. Once a country in need of development assistance, Thailand is now a donor nation, providing fund and sharing its resources of knowledge, technical assistance, scholarships and capacity building with less developed nations. In 2015, the Kingdom provided $78 million in Official Development Assistance to other countries through the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, while foreign direct investment surpassed $58 billion, with much of it going to the developing world.

While generous funding is important, even more value lies in Thailand’s willingness to share its knowledge and experience with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. To date, representatives from 105 countries have participated in workshops, seminars and training courses hosted by Thailand on the philosophy and its applications.

Thailand has been partnering with several countries to help them implement their own development projects based on Sufficiency Economy Philosophy principles and methods. Timor-Leste is employing decision-making processes based on the philosophy’s framework for sustainable agriculture projects and to support the launch of small businesses. Cambodia has established a Sufficiency Economy village as a pilot for more communities. Indonesia is using sufficiency principles shared by Thai advisors for ecological farming projects that raise incomes and quality of life for villagers. And neighboring Myanmar is working with Thai partners to establish sustainable development centers and rural development projects on sufficiency principles.

Far beyond Asia, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is being adopted for the benefits of local peoples. In the southern African nation of Lesotho, Thailand has supported the establishment of a center to introduce integrated farming and agro-forestry farming that is protecting that nation’s environment while providing greater food security and livelihoods for participants. Several nations in South America have also been applying approaches based on the philosophy.

“Development approaches like the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of Thailand, that promotes development with values, which not only complement the [SDG] agenda, but our own national development framework, will certainly help us in implementing the SDGs,” Guillame Long, Ecuador’sMinister of Foreign Affairs, told the UN General Assembly last year.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will require commitment and perseverance. For some countries in the Global South with limited resources and capacities, the tasks at hand may appear enormous. Despite its own limitations, Thailand achieved the Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, owing a significant degree of that success to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Thailand is willing to partner with any country seeking knowledge, expertise and a proven path to sustainable development. Because there is only one way to build a better world – and that way is together.

It’s Business Unusual at The United Nations

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

At the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Leaders Summit in New York last month it was clear that business has taken center stage in tackling the social problems we see around us.

In the past, conversations like these would have focused on the role of civil society and government in meeting the SDGs. But in recent years, the dialogue has expanded to include the business community and the benefits to them. There’s a growing recognition that there are big incentives at stake – some $12 trillion to be made in the pursuit of sustainability, as estimated by the Business and Sustainable Development Commission.

With 700 people packing the room – many of them CEOs and CSOs – I could sense momentum in the drive to do well by doing good. The leaders who spoke echoed this sentiment as evidenced in the beliefs they expressed and approaches they are taking. Here’s what I heard:

  • Alex Atzberger, President, SAP Ariba: Something has changed between 2007 and today. Sustainability is no longer a nice to have. It has actually become the business. We used to think about the triple bottom line, now it’s just the bottom line.
  • Jean Bennington Sweeney, Chief Sustainability Officer, 3M: The SDGs are a great way to begin finding a new culture of innovation. 3M give their people 15% of their working time to dedicate to following new ideas.
  • Lorna Davis, Chief Manifesto Catalyst, DanoneWave: Be clear where you are going. In discussing sustainability, it’s the people under 35 in our company that are driving us to ensure our activities are lined up with the SDGs. This in turn ensures we use the business as a force for good.
  • Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact: We can only deliver on the SDGs if we find ways to mobilize, and collaborate on actions and ideas to make a movement that is so big it creates a snowball effect and keeps getting bigger and bigger.
  • Abby Maxman, President and CEO, Oxfam: We all know when CEOs and executive boards decide to put creative energy behind the goals, it unleashes the drive to get there.
  • Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever: If we invest in women we actually get a higher return. When are we going to start focusing on the next generation rather than the next quarter?
  • Patrick Thomas, CEO, Covestro: If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. By 2025, we will dedicate 80% of our entire R&D budget to adopting the SDGs. From a culture perspective, the impetus is coming from younger generation – from millennials – and they are forcing us to think about things differently.
  • Mark Wilson, Group CEO, Aviva: If our modeling is accurate, 2017 will be second worst year in our history in terms of natural disaster events. The economics are compelling, yet why does skepticism trump facts? The solution is a mix of economics, science, but also psychology. Maybe we need to turn the path to the SDGs into a competitive sport!

I certainly left feeling inspired that business leaders are increasingly recognizing real and achievable opportunities to address the SDGs. As many speakers at the event cautioned, organizations must not only talk-the-talk, but walk-the-walk. That includes identifying new ways to collaborate and trying innovative technology-driven approaches. 

It’s Business Unusual at The United Nations

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

At the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Leaders Summit in New York last month it was clear that business has taken center stage in tackling the social problems we see around us.

In the past, conversations like these would have focused on the role of civil society and government in meeting the SDGs. But in recent years, the dialogue has expanded to include the business community and the benefits to them. There’s a growing recognition that there are big incentives at stake – some $12 trillion to be made in the pursuit of sustainability, as estimated by the Business and Sustainable Development Commission.

With 700 people packing the room – many of them CEOs and CSOs – I could sense momentum in the drive to do well by doing good. The leaders who spoke echoed this sentiment as evidenced in the beliefs they expressed and approaches they are taking. Here’s what I heard:

  • Alex Atzberger, President, SAP Ariba: Something has changed between 2007 and today. Sustainability is no longer a nice to have. It has actually become the business. We used to think about the triple bottom line, now it’s just the bottom line.
  • Jean Bennington Sweeney, Chief Sustainability Officer, 3M: The SDGs are a great way to begin finding a new culture of innovation. 3M give their people 15% of their working time to dedicate to following new ideas.
  • Lorna Davis, Chief Manifesto Catalyst, DanoneWave: Be clear where you are going. In discussing sustainability, it’s the people under 35 in our company that are driving us to ensure our activities are lined up with the SDGs. This in turn ensures we use the business as a force for good.
  • Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact: We can only deliver on the SDGs if we find ways to mobilize, and collaborate on actions and ideas to make a movement that is so big it creates a snowball effect and keeps getting bigger and bigger.
  • Abby Maxman, President and CEO, Oxfam: We all know when CEOs and executive boards decide to put creative energy behind the goals, it unleashes the drive to get there.
  • Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever: If we invest in women we actually get a higher return. When are we going to start focusing on the next generation rather than the next quarter?
  • Patrick Thomas, CEO, Covestro: If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. By 2025, we will dedicate 80% of our entire R&D budget to adopting the SDGs. From a culture perspective, the impetus is coming from younger generation – from millennials – and they are forcing us to think about things differently.
  • Mark Wilson, Group CEO, Aviva: If our modeling is accurate, 2017 will be second worst year in our history in terms of natural disaster events. The economics are compelling, yet why does skepticism trump facts? The solution is a mix of economics, science, but also psychology. Maybe we need to turn the path to the SDGs into a competitive sport!

I certainly left feeling inspired that business leaders are increasingly recognizing real and achievable opportunities to address the SDGs. As many speakers at the event cautioned, organizations must not only talk-the-talk, but walk-the-walk. That includes identifying new ways to collaborate and trying innovative technology-driven approaches. 

Turning Global Goals Into Local Business

Posted on by Julie Van Ness

Marking 4 years since the launch of the SDGS, this years UN Global Compact Leaders Summit focused on empowering leaders to embed the Global Goals into the spirit and everyday practice of their businesses.

CEO, Lise Kingo, called for deeper integration of all the goals and reminded the audience of the importance of the ‘5 P’s’ “people, planet, partnerships, prosperity and peace” in meeting the 2030 targets.

After a day filled with optimistic examples of innovation towards the 2030 Goals, Lise Kingo’s closing speech centered on the theme of collective action. She urged business leaders to promote and live the Global Goals starting by finding ways to transform every employee into an SDG ambassador. She also stressed the importance of seizing the present moment to mobilize businesses, to pool ideas and actions and to create momentum for a future we all want. ”

“Leaps of innovation require a bravery that borders on absurdity,” said Kingo, urging us all to start thinking differently in a world faced with new challenges. As we’ve seen throughout history, it’s the crazy ideas that sometimes go on to become the “next big thing” in the world.