From Ideas to Impact: How do you drive change? With Michael Sheldrick

How do you translate your ideas into meaningful, maximum impact?

This week on the We Are Human Leaders podcast, we speak with the incredible Michael Sheldrick, cofounder of Global Citizen and author of the upcoming From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World. With 12 million members around the world, Global Citizen has raised more than USD 40 billion to help improve lives, making Michael a leader in the field. We’re sure this conversation will empower and inspire you to translate YOUR ideas into impact, too.

From shy kid to global changemaker

Michael shares his personal journey from a shy, non-sporty kid who struggled academically to having global impact as the Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen. As Michael explains,

“I realized I wanted to contribute to bridging those inequities and extending opportunity to people around the world. And that's what led me to working in a social impact and and purpose space.”

We unpack Michael’s inspiration for writing his book as a guide to creating the change you want to manifest, and how you don’t need to found a global organization to have incredible impact.

How to create change?

During this inspiring and insight-packed episode of We are Human Leaders, we examine the common pitfalls people make. In particular, Michael shares the importance of being clear your own authentic contribution and capabilities so you can engage the right support for maximum impact. We also explore the importance of being clear both on the exact issue you are looking to solve, and the one solution you are looking to implement.

As Michael frames it,

“too often I meet people and they're very well intentioned. But when I did deep dive into the issue with them often, it's focused on the problem. How do you stop illegal deforestation? How do you remove plastic from the ocean? And it’s not actually a very clear concept in terms of the actual change you’re wanting to bring about. And in the absence of that, no matter how well intentioned you are, you are really all you're doing is raising awareness about the problem.”

During the conversation, we explore the 3 leadership archetypes needed to drive impactful change. According to Michael, while some might be able to simultaneously occupy all 3 of those archetypes, in many cases, it's about leveraging the strengths of other partners and identifying your own strengths and weaknesses.

At the same time, he is resolute on the importance of avoiding the purity test, or binary bias, sharing powerful examples of where these impulses have derailed change efforts. Michael offers a potent reminder: ”Change often requires mutual concession.”

Michael has a simple yet powerful message for you if you’re looking to ensure success and sustainability as you work towards making your bold ideas a reality: “Stay aligned to your true north.”

We could not agree more.

About Michael Sheldrick

With a career that spans the world of pop and policy, Michael Sheldrick has worked with an impressive roster of international artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Priyanka Chopra, Rihanna and Usher, as well as prominent political leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and former Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

He has co-produced some of the world's most impactful social campaigns and events, including the annual Global Citizen Festival in New York, the Guinness World Record-winning virtual concert One World: Together At Home, and the Nelson Mandela 2018 centennial celebration, Mandela 100. These initiatives have reached millions of people in over 150 countries and helped secure over $40 billion in support for local and regional organizations working to provide access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience.

A sought-after speaker and author on policy advocacy, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, Michael has shared his insights at conferences and summits worldwide. His insights have also featured in leading outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Hill, HuffPost, Nikkei and Fairfax Media, and his voice heard on major news networks such as ABC, BBC, France 24, Sky News and CNN.

He has been recognized as a finalist for the 2017 Young Commonwealth Person of the Year and serves on: the board of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global citizens; the Leadership Council of aable, a fintech company connecting compassionate investors with underserved communities; and the Advisory Board of the Nigerian Solidarity Support Fund. He is also a co-host of the Global Town Hall, a North-South, East-West meeting featuring world leaders and leading minds to connect with global citizens.

Learn more about Michael Sheldrick, and get a copy of From Idea to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World here:

Connect with Michael Sheldrick on LinkedIn and via his website.

Get your copy of From Idea to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World here.