No, the Climate Isn't in Crisis
J.P. Montalvan • October 24, 2022
“We cannot continue to pollute the atmosphere, poison the ocean and exhaust the land. There isn’t any more available.”
Stephen Hawking
Physicist & Author
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Our climate is changing. It’s everchanging. It’s changed over the history of the Earth, with warmer and colder periods. That’s not anything you don’t already know and it’s not anything people disagree on.
On the other hand, people disagree on why. I’ve heard my friends on both sides of this disagreement. Some talk about the greenhouse gases and data from human activity. Others talk about an Earth that has periods of climate change, regardless of what we humans do.
What if we looked at the Earth in a different way? What if we focused on thinking of the Earth as our homes and what we could do to make our home cleaner and keep it clean? Would any of us disagree that a home filled with cigarette smoke, trash that accumulates, an HVAC system that never gets upgraded, and dirtier water that comes out of the taps isn’t healthy or sustainable? What if we focused less on what we don’t agree on and more on what we do agree on — like gradually making our Earth home a better place.
The real crisis isn’t the climate. The real crisis is that we don’t agree on our “why” for our world
— we don't agree on the vision
for our planet. Can we agree that having one vision of a better, cleaner world is a good thing?
When I coach on what finding our “why” really means, I share what I call the W.H.Y. acronym, with “W” being “what” we really want.
That’s where our crisis is. Our leaders are more focused on the “what” being winning a debate. Our leaders are focused on the “what” being an answer that is right one for gaining or keeping power. Our leaders are more focused on the “what” being what divides us rather than what unites us, because that division keeps them in power.
What if we refocused the climate question on something we all want — gradually cleaner neighborhoods, cleaner cities, and a cleaner world?
To do that, we need to solve our leadership crisis. But what can we do to change our focus to agreeing on our “what” -- our vision?
While seemingly cliche, we can start to shift our focus by consistently dedicating ourselves to growth mindset.
Click here for a “Quick Take” from a recent Leadership Circle training where I shared that a growth mindset is one of the key practices of leadership, what it really means and what it really looks like.
Sometimes it's easier to recognize what a growth mindset doesn’t
look like. While I’m a very curious person, if you’re anything like me, sometimes I find myself judging others, rather than getting curious and finding common ground. In the “Quick Take” video above I share how I recently caught myself judging something.
The next time you start to judge someone, consider coming from a different mindset. What are they really trying to say? What can I learn from what they are saying? How can I shift my “what” to include them in the conversation, keep the conversation going, and really lead by finding common ground?
If we solve our leadership crisis, we'll solve our climate crisis, and so many other crises we're all facing.
Here’s to that leadership journey.
Gad was 10 years old when he saw people going door to door, hauling out his neighbors, shooting them and burning down their homes.
Stephen was 7 years old when he was separated from his family, only to find out later that most of his family was murdered.
As a leadership coach, I get to work with a diverse range of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs – quite a few real estate agents, fitness professionals, mortgage lenders, government contractors and others. Come April, it's like clockwork – we all start realizing how easy it is to lose sight of our yearly goals by the end of the first quarter. Life gets busy, we get caught up in the whirlwind of reactivity, and suddenly, those big dreams we had at the start of the year feel miles away.
As most of you know, tragedy struck on what would have otherwise been an ordinary night earlier this week in the heart of Baltimore. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, an iconic structure that spanned the Patapsco River, became the focal point of a devastating disaster that has shaken Baltimore and the region to its core. As I think about the events of that night, there’s a lot to unpack, from preparedness and the “why” behind a crisis to quick thinking and the human capacity for heroism in the face of adversity.
Happy Hump Day!
I don’t usually reach out to you on Wednesdays, and I wanted to share that Wednesday isn't just any ol' day – it's the linchpin of your week. Why?
As I’m sharing with my Leadership Circle this quarter, Wednesday isn't just the midpoint of the typical work week calendar. It's a golden opportunity for us to hit pause, reassess, and realign ourselves with what really matters – our weekly priorities.
Edwin was born in the small town of Steubenville, Ohio. His education started in Miss Randle’s kindergarten and was followed by Henry Orr’s seminary around the block. At 10, he entered George Buchanan’s nearby Latin school where he was called “an imperious and self-reliant young man.”
Edwin’s lifelong struggle with asthma might have contributed to his temper, but so could have the early death of his father and the deaths of his brother and two children.
And on the eve of achieving his life’s dream — nomination to the Supreme Court — Edwin Stanton’s chronic asthma caused his death in 1869.
As I sit here late at night in my parent’s family room, a few hours away from our home, thinking about you, it dawns on me that we’re often wrapped up with how leadership impacts us in the work world. But the reality is that it permeates every part of our lives – and especially our relationships with family and friends.
This weekend, the conversations with my parents are covering a myriad of topics, from advice on navigating parenthood with our newborn daughter to discussing strategies for managing their health.
Recently, Veronica and I took a trip to the beautiful Virginia countryside around Flint Hill, Virginia. As we took in the breathtaking, winter scenery of rolling hills, horses, cattle and more, we decided to stop for lunch at the inviting Dark Horse Irish Pub. Little did we know that our dining experience would include both delicious food and the unexpected wisdom of a heartfelt connection.
Upon entering the cozy pub, we were greeted incredibly warmly. Our waiter was a young man who attended to us graciously through our meal, and when he had to leave was replaced by an older waiter. The older waiter had a twinkle in his eye, as they say, and he immediately struck a chord with us. As our main meal switched to delicious desserts, he engaged us in some lively conversation and took a genuine interest in our newborn daughter in the stroller by our table. His genuine care and enthusiasm was really something.
In the challenging world of Hollywood, with a sea of scripts and opportunities, Reese knew what she wanted. Despite some early success and the offers of darker and more intense roles, she was drawn towards “optimistic” storylines that inspired and uplifted. She wanted to make a meaningful impact on her audience, especially girls and young women.
“I got a role in this movie called Freeway playing this really angry, aggressive, violent young woman who believed wholeheartedly in the truth,” Reese shared. “I had such satisfaction afterward, and I thought, that's what I want to do.”
Closing the Gap: Kareem’s Legacy and Your “Big 3” to Success
In the fast-paced world we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily tasks and lose sight of our priorities. If you’re anything like me, it happens when we think about the gaps between where we are and where we want to go, in business or in our personal lives.
Kareem dedicates much of his time now to empowering marginalized communities, reflected in his book "Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White." He was asked once about his ability to prioritize amidst the glitz of a storied career.
Getting picked last isn't great. Brock would know…
As February rolls in, it's time for a reality check on our goals. How often have you lost sight of your aspirations by now, slipping from proactive to reactive mode? I know I have in the past. How do we stay focused in the chaos of a competitive, hyperconnected world? That's a heck of a ball game.
And when we lose sight of our goals – our big goals – we are picking ourselves last.