![ChangeThis ChangeThis](/globalassets/headers-page/changethisheader.jpg?preset=full-width)
ChangeThis
ChangeThis is our weekly series of essays from today's thought leaders that are meant to evoke conversation by bringing forth new and unique ideas.
ChangeThis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
The Smart People Manifesto: How to Get Our Nation's Top Graduates to Build Things
By Andrew Yang
"We've got a problem right now: our smart people are doing the wrong things. If we can get them to do the right things it will transform the country. We need more jobs, new enterprises and a resurgent culture of innovation in the U.S. The question is—how can we encourage our top people to take risks and build new things? [...] According to one McKinsey study, since 2007 eighteen- to twenty-four-year-olds experienced the greatest decline in entrepreneurial activity of any group, leading the authors to conclude, 'The US economy is currently not producing enough of its next generation of serial entrepreneurs.'"
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
A Manifesto for the Corporate Idealist
By Porchlight
"We are Corporate Idealists. We're in Asia's factory zones, working with local managers to make sure employees are paid and treated properly. We're in Africa, sitting on dirt floors with village elders to protect indigenous traditions amidst an influx of foreign oil workers. We're in Silicon Valley, collaborating with product developers to better protect user privacy. We're in London and New York, convincing our directors that protecting people and the planet is good for business. We have experienced heartache and disillusionment. But we also know that big business can make the world a better place, and feel compelled to do all we can to make that happen. Are we delusional or realistic? Are we changing the way that business is done or tinkering at the margins? Terrified of the risks or excited by the opportunities? Is our love of big business justified or misguided? Yes. This is our manifesto."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Lead Positive: How to Be a Highly Effective Leader
By Kathryn D. Cramer
"When you 'lead positive,' you offer a compelling vision of the future by reframing problems into possibilities and appealing to a higher sense of purpose, a noble and mighty cause. When you think, speak, and act out of the positive side of the ledger, people feel more hopeful and confident about the future. And if you are able to articulate why your vision is so important to those you serve, people trust and respect who you are, not just your ideas. Then, when you take a stand that requires courage and sacrifice, you can rely on their support and determination as you walk together toward a new positive direction."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
A Brand-Builder's Guide to the Universe: 17 Ways to Build a Great Brand Today
By Denise Lee Yohn
"Companies with great brands conceive of their brands as complete strategic platforms. They identify the key values and attributes that define their brands and then use them to fuel, align, and guide everything they do."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Four Forces for Economic Dominance to Unleash the Second American Century
By Porchlight
"I've been watching the American economy for decades, and for the last few years I've put it under a magnifying glass. My conclusions are strongly positive: the United States is about to enter a period of prolonged economic growth, filled with opportunity. It's not the emerging market countries that will power the world into the next economic era. It's the United States. There are four forces that explain my optimism: America's astounding levels of creativity The renewal of manufacturing Vast reserves of energy Massive amounts of investible capital. Add to these four forces two additional facts. American consumers—the world's engine of growth for more than 50 years—have less debt, as a share of income, than at any time in the last 35 years, thanks to the cleansing effects of the recession (see chart below). And, Americans are savings are at record levels. To paraphrase George Costanza's declaration to Jerry Seinfeld, 'America's back, baby!'"
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
The Calorie Myth Manifesto: How We Can Eat More And Exercise Less—Smarter
By Porchlight
"Over the past few decades, we've been trying harder and harder to be healthy and fit. The result: We got heavy and sick. What's going on here? When did healthy and fit start making us heavy and sick? And why is everyone calling us lazy gluttons? If an architect builds us a house and it crumbles, is that our fault? No. But we better find a good contractor who knows how to build something solid and safe. Similarly, if a doctor prescribes us a medication and it makes us worse, it is up to us to stop taking it and to find a new doctor. We have to apply the same logic to health and fitness. We've received so much contradictory, damaging advice over the years, often resulting in frustration and extra pounds. It's high time for us to make a better choice. But what other option do we have than the decades-old, calorie-counting approach?"
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
The Thought Leader Manifesto: Strategies for Building & Leveraging Your Influence
By Denise Brosseau
"Whether you're an executive, entrepreneur, or a non-profit leader, your success is often dependent upon your ability to engage and enroll influencers to get on board with your ideas. When you create connections with recognized and well-respected influencers, you move from a "one-to-many" to a "many-to-many" model, empowering others to carry your ideas forward to their communities. What follows are 12 strategies to secure the support of influencers and empower them to amplify your message."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Don't Block Up the Hall: Bob Dylan's Advice on Climate Change?
By Leidy Klotz
"In perhaps his most influential civil rights era song, Bob Dylan asked senators and congressmen to 'please heed the call.' Of course, help from those in power makes it easier to address any major societal issue. But Dylan went on to warn these leaders: 'Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall.' His sage advice to allow other contributions is now as relevant as ever. We must prevent catastrophic climate change, our societal challenge akin to those Dylan was 'singing' about and King was meeting. We can do it, but only with new thinking, thinking that is currently shackled by the status-quo."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
The DO! Manifesto: The Pursuit of Xceptional Execution
By Kevin Kelly
"What if launching and leading an xceptional business was simpler than you've ever imagined? Not easier. Not less time consuming. Not less gut wrenching. But, simpler. Guess what: It is. What if I told you many successful entrepreneurs didn't start with a compelling vision or indeed a workable business plan? Guess what: That's true. What if it was possible to dominate a market without any previous background in it? Well: It is. Xceptional execution is about taking a relatively simple idea from brainstorm to breakout hit."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Inspiration Made Simple
By Porchlight
"Inspiration is the most used and abused word in our daily existence. Whether it is business, politics, sports, or any other endeavor of life, inspiration is considered to be the panacea or silver bullet which can transform personal lives and propel organizations to unbelievable heights. No wonder, everyone (individuals and organizations alike) is constantly seeking this transformational wonder and are expending an enormous amount of money and time in this search. It has come to such frenzy that a large number of experts have surfaced as inspirational gurus and are having a brisk commercial business by offering their expertise to inspire individuals and organizations. However, despite this obsession to master the art of inspiration, most individuals and organizations do not achieve their desired goals and keep on guessing what went wrong."
Categories: changethis
The original idea behind ChangeThis came from Seth Godin, and was built in the summer of 2004 by Amit Gupta, Catherine Hickey, Noah Weiss, Phoebe Espiritu, and Michelle Sriwongtong. In the summer of 2005, ChangeThis was turned over to 800-CEO-READ. In addition to selling and writing about books, they kept ChangeThis up and running as a standalone website for 14 years. In 2019, 800-CEO-READ became Porchlight, and we pulled ChangeThis together with the rest of our editorial content under the website you see now. We remain committed to the high-design quality and independent spirit of the original team that brought ChangeThis into the world.