Mission Forward with Carrie Fox

Two builders walk into a podcast studio… no, seriously. This isn’t the start of a joke, but the beginning of a deeply fascinating exploration into the very architecture of social change. We’re talking about the kind of change that doesn’t just rearrange the furniture, but rebuilds the house from the foundation up. And that, my friends, is a far more intricate and precarious undertaking. This week...

It's election season. The air crackles – a strange cocktail of anticipation and apprehension. We’re drowning in pronouncements, predictions, and the ever-present din of commentary. But what if the key to navigating this volatile landscape isn’t about shouting louder but listening deeper? On this episode of Mission Forward, we explore that very question with Jennifer Brandel, a process innovator an...

In a world grappling with declining trust in institutions, businesses face increasing pressure to become agents of societal change. This episode of Mission Forward explores this evolving dynamic with Sarah Schwimmer, co-lead executive at B Lab Global, the non-profit behind the B Corp movement. Host Carrie Fox cedes the interviewing chair to her colleague, Bridget Pooley, Mission Partners' chief op...

As Election Day looms, anxieties run high. How can we navigate the uncertainty and potential chaos surrounding this pivotal moment for American democracy? Carrie Fox, CEO of Mission Partners, sits down with Joe Goldman, president of Democracy Fund, and Crystal Hayling, Democracy Fund board member, to explore these critical questions. Drawing on their recent paper, "On Black Swans, Gray Rhinos and...

The Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action sent shockwaves through institutions across America, leaving many wondering about the future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Is DEI dead? Or is it simply evolving? On this episode of Mission Forward, Carrie Fox dives into this complex landscape with communications experts Nimra Haroon and Faith MacIver. Nimra, a cultural str...

In a world increasingly fractured, whispers of civil unrest grow louder. Dr. John Paul Lederach, a veteran peacebuilder with decades of experience in global conflict zones, offers a stark yet hopeful message: the antidote to escalating tensions lies not in grand pronouncements but in the quiet power of human connection. This week on Mission Forward, Lederach shares insights from his new book, Pock...

Last week, I joined dozens of university leaders as they honed skills to navigate political conflict on campus. It was a preventative measure, really, to support their soon-to-return students through the remainder of this election season, and to help one another maintain open and peaceful dialogue across contested issues. We learned a very powerful lesson. This short-form episode is part of the Fi...

In a world drowning in information, where every click and scroll can lead us further down a rabbit hole of misinformation, what is our cultural and intellectual lifeline? This week on Mission Forward, Carrie Fox swims the turbulent waters of local news with Michael D. Bolden . He serves as the Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer at the American Press Institute, and he's not here to ta...

This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Jim Link, Chief Human Resources Officer for SHRM, to discuss the growing issue of workplace incivility and how to foster a culture of respect and inclusion. Link shares startling statistics from SHRM's research, revealing that two-thirds of employees have witnessed acts of incivility in the workplace within the last six months, with 50% experiencing it in the l...

Nicole Lynn Lewis is the founder and CEO of Generation Hope and an incredible leader in the fight against poverty and the stigma surrounding it. Her specific area of focus? Teen mothers. You see, Nicole is a former teen mother herself, rocked by this sudden life change that upended her life at a young age. But she was able to rebound, to put herself through college with a three-month-old daughter...

What does it mean to orient your life around your mission? We talk about mission all the time around these parts, but when was the last time you stopped, took a deep breath, and embarked on the discernment journey around not just what you do in the world but what you want to leave behind when you're gone from it? This week, kicking off the eighth season of the Mission Forward podcast, Carrie sits...

This episode is brought to you by Edgility Consulting . This episode is sponsored by Edgility Consulting. How can leaders of social impact organizations build equitable pipelines of leadership to sustain their missions? That is our central question this week as Carrie Fox sits down with Christina Greenberg, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of diversity-focused talent management firm Edgility Consul...

We're revisiting one of our favorites this week as Reverend Ronnie Galvin discusses the importance of community and how it is not a physical place but a set of practices. He shares his journey through social change and community building, and highlights the role of community in fostering justice, equity, and sustainability. Community, says our guest this week, is not a place . It's a practice .  ...

It's natural to bend toward hopelessness in heightened moments of stress and uncertainty. In those moments, I invite you to seek solid grounding in the things that you know for sure.  This short-form episode is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights directly to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll sub...

Polarization. It’s all around us. Humans are feeling less connected to their neighbors and more attached to their screens and data. Political affiliations have created new divides, and even as workplaces become more diverse, many report feeling lonelier than ever. We at Mission Forward believe there's another way. This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Mission Partners' Chief Operating Officer Bridg...

Whether you lead an organization, a team, a project, or a phone call, your behavior sets the tone. Practice showing resilience, staying calm under pressure, and demonstrating care for others, even in challenging times, as those leadership skills can inspire others to do the same. But if you lament your current-day leadership, ask yourself: Who is the leader you really need right now?  This short-f...

This week on Mission Forward, Carrie Fox sits down with Dana Snyder, a digital strategist for nonprofits and the CEO and founder of Positive Equation . Snyder, who has supported organizations like Movember, Dress for Success, and American Idol, shares her insights on how nonprofits can effectively reach new audiences in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Consider, for example, the importance of...

“Only the soul that ventilates the world with tenderness has any chance of changing the world.” Those are the words of Father Greg Boyle, a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. If you’re not familiar with Father Boyle or his remarkable collection of books , watch this 11-minute video of him addressing the...

According to SHRM research, there are over 67 million acts of incivility happening at work every day. Our guest this week argues that the fabric of how we treat each other is starting to unravel - with serious consequences for employee mental health, productivity and company culture. But there’s hope: change can start with each of us, one interaction at a time. Tina Beaty is Chief Brand and Market...

In a world where incivility seems to be on the rise, both in our personal lives and in the workplace, how can we, as individuals, make a difference? Emily Dickens, Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs, and Corporate Secretary for SHRM, believes the answer lies in practicing civility—one conversation at a time. This week on Mission Forward, Carrie Fox delves into the power of civility with Di...

This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Jim Link, Chief Human Resources Officer for SHRM, to discuss the growing issue of workplace incivility and how to foster a culture of respect and inclusion. Link shares startling statistics from SHRM's research, revealing that two-thirds of employees have witnessed acts of incivility in the workplace within the last six months, with 50% experiencing it in the l...

After Super Tuesday polls closed as expected for a U.S. presidential election cycle dominated by a set of expected frontrunners. However, it's not particularly what's in the headlines this morning, as what is absent from them: the increasingly sharp polarization among U.S residents and the effect it is beginning to have in our workplaces. This week’s episode comes from the Finding The Words column...

This episode is brought to you by Edgility Consulting . This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Allison Wyatt, co-founder of Edgility Consulting, to discuss the persistent wage gaps that plague our society and the bold steps required to build intentional equity in the workplace. Wyatt, whose childhood straddling two vastly different economic realities inspired her passion for social justice, shares h...

In a nation increasingly riven by polarization and mistrust, the spirit of "civitas"—the collective body coming together for good—can feel like a distant dream. But amidst this bleak landscape, rays of hope shine through in the form of organizations like Welcoming America. This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Rachel Perić, Executive Director of Welcoming America, to discuss their new report, "The...

Taking action seems more complicated than in years past. As we dive into 2024, leaders are facing greater threats and barriers to change, particularly to advancing social change: from policies and lawsuits that threaten DEI practices, technological innovations that threaten workforces, political elections that threaten democracy, and extreme weather that threaten our existence. Where, then, to beg...