In the latest HCI Webinar, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Glen Wood about what it means to be sustainable in 2025. Below is a summary of the main points from their conversation! Check out the full episode and let us know what you think!
Watch the episode here:
Quick Recap
Jonathan and Glen discussed the importance of sustainability and humanity in business leadership, with Glen sharing his personal experiences and writing a book on the topic. They emphasized the need for businesses to prioritize people, maximize resources, and adopt a longer-term orientation for long-term success. The conversation also highlighted the importance of accountability, motivation, and maintaining a healthy work environment, with Glen suggesting the use of guided reflections to evaluate operations and promote growth and sustainability.
Sustainability and Business in 2025
Jonathan and Glen discussed the importance of sustainability in 2025, with Glen emphasizing the need to make the concept more practical and understandable for businesses. Glen, the president and co-founder of Smart Vision Logistics, shared his personal experience of having a premature child and the challenges he faced in balancing work and family life. This experience led him to write a book on sustainability, aiming to help businesses thrive in 2025. The conversation ended with Jonathan expressing his interest in learning more about Glen's book.
Leadership, Sustainability, and Empathy in Business
Glen shared his personal story of being fired from a company, which led him to write a book called "Too Big to Care". The book focuses on the need for sustainability and humanity in leadership. Jonathan agreed with Glen's perspective, arguing that sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive. He shared his own experiences of being let go from a company due to a lack of empathy and understanding. Both Glen and Jonathan emphasized the importance of treating employees with dignity and respect, and the need for leaders to prioritize humanity in their decision-making.
Sustainability and Profitability in Business
Glen and Jonathan discussed the importance of sustainability and profitability in business. Glen argued that following certain principles would lead to higher profitability and sustainability, and that these principles should be apolitical. He also emphasized the need for businesses to add value to society, as part of the contract of capitalism. Jonathan agreed, stating that treating people with dignity and respect, and considering the larger system, is crucial for long-term success. They both agreed that exploiting labor, the environment, or consumers would break down trust and hinder business success.
Prioritizing People and Maximizing Resources
Glen emphasized the importance of prioritizing people, scheduling time to listen to them, and understanding their needs. He also stressed the need for maximizing resources, particularly human capital, and treating customers well for long-term sustainability and profitability. Jonathan agreed, adding that genuine listening and understanding are crucial for effective motivation and management. Both agreed that these principles are essential for success in 2025.
Foundational Principles in Business Sustainability
Jonathan and Glen discussed the importance of foundational principles in business, particularly in relation to sustainability and ESG. They noted that many companies and executives violate these principles, often due to short-sightedness and the politicization of sustainability. Glen emphasized the need for a longer-term orientation and perspective, and the importance of sustainability starting with individuals. Jonathan agreed, highlighting the differences in cultural orientations between Western and Asian countries, and the need for a more sustainable mindset in Western societies. They concluded that leaders and organizations need to set aside their egos and adopt a more sustainable approach for long-term success.
Accountability in Management and Leadership
Jonathan and Glen discussed the importance of accountability in management, highlighting the negative consequences of short-term thinking and job-hopping. Glen used the example of Abigail Johnson, the head of Fidelity, who dealt with a harassment issue by firing the perpetrator and moving her office to the affected floor to ensure the problem was resolved. They emphasized the need for true sustainable leadership and management, which involves being forthright, dealing with problems directly, and being accountable to shareholders.
Maintaining Work Environment and Motivation
Jonathan and Glen discussed the challenges of maintaining a sustainable and healthy work environment amidst daily pressures. They emphasized the importance of motivation, efficiency, and people management in achieving this goal. Glen suggested that leaders need to be excited and passionate about their work to motivate their employees. He also proposed the use of guided reflections to help managers and politicians evaluate their operations and make necessary changes for growth and sustainability. The conversation concluded with the idea that a transformation in business operations could lead to increased profitability.
Discussing Sustainability and Parental Rights
Jonathan and Glen had a productive conversation about Glen's work, his book, and his ideas on sustainability and parental rights. Glen encouraged listeners to connect with him on LinkedIn and visit his company's website, smartvisionlogistics.com. He also mentioned his website on parental rights, glenwoodparentalrights.com, and a petition on change.org. Glen's book, "Too Big to Care," is available on Amazon.
Listen to the webinar here:
