BIG Acts

🌲 “𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.” 🌲 That was a thought a CEO shared after their WILD (Wilderness Immersion Leadership Development) Experience. Okay, I am biased, but I could not agree more with that sentiment. Time in nature is a thread that runs through our Purpose-Driven Leader Accelerator. Not only do we use wilderness challenges as a vehicle for self-reflection, we find ways to weave nature throughout the entire program. For example, during one-on-one coaching calls, we highly encourage people to do the calls while walking in a natural environment. Regardless of whether or not you or your employees take part in one of our programs, 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 and encourage people on your team to weave time in nature 🌲 into their workdays. Beyond creating the perfect environment for self-observation and reflection, 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. Countless studies have shown that time in nature is good for us. 🧠 Exposure to nature improves working memory, cognitive flexibility, and performance with concentration-based tasks 💪Time in nature boosts the immune system ⬇️Walking in forested environments reduces stress and lowers anxiety 🔬Exposure to nature helps to restore attention and focus 🎨Time in nature enhances creativity What are simple ways that you integrate time in nature into your days? Interested in chatting about how time in the wild can accelerate purpose-driven leader performance? Shoot me a DM. --- Hi! I’m Jeremy. I’m a former Founder/CEO of a B Corp turned outdoor experience facilitator + performance strategist.  I harness the power of fire and other wilderness skills to help purpose-driven companies bridge their leadership gaps with our Purpose-Driven Leader Accelerator.

Skills or shifts? Which to prioritize in your leader development?

Let's be candid. If we graded ourselves on leadership that promotes the nurturing of the Earth and all its inhabitants, what would it be? If we objectively consider the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, we’re on pace to achieve only 20% of those targets.[1] That’s a “F” in nearly any grading system. Yes, a big ole Fail. This made us at BIG Acts want to start the year exploring the challenge of leadership deeper. I’ve learned through experience and the wisdom of others like my former colleagues at Aspen Institute that a leader of change -- a leader in the corporate hierarchy, an intrapreneur, or an entrepreneur -- is swimming against the tide. For someone who seeks to make a change that may drive wider social and environmental benefits, like a regenerative systems approach, there’s even more stacked against them. Those of you who are trying to make big positive changes happen are leading against the status quo 99.998% of the time. And this is one reason we like to call those of us in this camp the Zagonist Leaders. (We zag, while the rest zig!) Because the world so desperately needs more compassion and care for all the species on this planet and an attention to future generations, we thought it would be really important to understand, in 2024, what's the “extra” required for Zagonist Leaders to create regenerative outcomes? As part of that research we spoke to some really smart people* with deep experience in leading positive business change and those who help to develop change makers. Link to our research findings is below in the comments. Curious: if you had to name one attribute, skill, or mindset that helps you lead ecologically positive change, what’s TOP on your list? [1] Sachs, J.D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., Drumm, E. (2023). Sustainable Development Report 2023, Implementing the SDG Stimulus. Paris: SDSN, Dublin: Dublin University Press, 2023. 10.25546/102924. *Adrienne Bigley Fretz Beth Keenan Blair Kellison Christopher Lyon Cullen Schwarz Diane Neville Eli Malinsky Fiona Wilson Jay Coen Gilbert Jesse Merrill John Friedman Joshua Ehrlich Keenan Covington Mark Shattan Matthew Breitfelder Matt Davis Nancy McGaw Nicholas Grey Robert Mulhall Sareena Wildberger Shari Cohen, Ph.D. Shergul Arshad Steve Winkle Steven Fretwell Suneil Kamath Tripp Baird

There's a reason we're drawn to fire as humans. How might it, and other wilderness skills, serve as robust metaphors for your purpose-based company teams and leaders?

Are you the type of leader who zigs when others zag? Are you driven to do BIG things for people, the planet, and all its beautiful species? If so, you might be a Zagonist leader. Read more to find out if this is you and learn why the approach to developing yourself may also require a zag.   #zagonistleaders #bigacts #regenerativebusiness #sustainability #leadershipdevelopment  

Two weekends ago, I was fortunate to participate in the inaugural BIG Acts WILD Leadership retreat. Experienced and thoughtful business leaders from a variety of industries and backgrounds came together to use wilderness skill building as a way to explore leadership styles, leadership aspirations, and teamwork. A big thank you to Jeremy Litchfield and Rebecca D. for organizing an impactful and wonderful event and providing the opportunity to connect through nature, share stories, meet Survivor Bob, and make some pretty awesome fires. 🔥 🔥 Sarvin Patel Lacy McMoarn CPA MAcc Elmer Moore Kate Rush Phoebe Hunt Edward Lawton Helen Wei Jim Britt

How to think differently about leader development, for yourself and others, based on research that Jeremy Litchfield and Rebecca D. of BIG Acts recently conducted on the topic of Leadership Development for Positive Impact. This is #8 in a series of posts since May 2024.   #zagonistleaders #bigacts #regenerativebusiness #sustainability #leadershipdevelopment  

Want to be a better leader? Embrace leadership as a practice of becoming. This is from research that @Jeremy Litchfield and @Rebecca Darr of BIG Acts recently conducted on the topic of Leadership Development for Positive Impact. And we’re sharing our findings in a series of posts.   #zagonistleaders #bigacts #regenerativebusiness #sustainability #leadershipdevelopment

Challenging Circumstances + Bold Vision + Imperfect Humans = need for Shared Leadership or Partnership (versus hierarchical leadership). More research findings from Jeremy Litchfield and Rebecca D. of BIG Acts recently conducted on the topic of Leadership Development for Positive Impact. We’re sharing our findings in a series of posts.    #zagonistleaders #bigacts #regenerativebusiness #sustainability #leadershipdevelopment