Latest news with #YvonChouinard
Deccan Herald
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Why great leaders reflect before reacting
Reflecting on his old journal entry, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, reread, 'My gear is helping people destroy the places I love.' That realisation sparked Patagonia's transfer of $3 billion in equity to a climate-action trust, a decision driven by deep introspection. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently revealed her resignation stemmed not from exhaustion, as many believed, but from an inner reckoning: Am I still the leader I believe I want to be to do this job well?.I recall my conversation with then-Prince Charles at Cambridge. As a student, he shared that he struggled with boiling eggs. Laughing off this mishap, the future king disarmed hierarchy, illustrating candour in a culture that prizes learn from reflecting on experience, John Dewey reminded us a 100 years ago, but not from experience alone. Yet, in a culture where speed is perceived as strength, meaningful reflection is increasingly rare. Outrage eclipses society rewards performance and neglects authenticity, resulting in moral and emotional emptiness, despite professional success. And you may wonder, humble self-reflection aside, King Charles may be employing a British tactic used by those in power to put others at ease. So, what distinguishes introspection from performative humility? And, does that distinction matter?.True reflection involves wrestling with discomfort and questioning assumptions; it lowers anxiety and sharpens decision-making. This practice has ancient roots. The Bhagavad Gita frames Arjuna's battlefield paralysis as a crisis of moral high-profile leaders have partaken in this demanding ritual of introspection, humbling their egos by acknowledging fallibility. Aristotle termed this balance of deliberation and decisiveness phronesis. Lincoln wrote unreleased letters to temper his rage; Gandhi filled notebooks probing his motives. Churchill, a resolute leader who navigated Britain through challenging times, grappled with depression and exchanged letters with Chaplin, both voicing their inner struggles. Self-examination activates the brain's error-monitoring network, facilitating learning and not all mental churn constitutes fruitful reflection. Loud politics arises from brash folks reaching erroneous conclusions about how to act, while seemingly correct actions may come from those rigidly adhering to learned behaviours without true are not soul-searchers. They brood over the same thoughts, reinforce harmful distortions, and worsen their issues. Interactions with some people may feel draining or superficial. They may project their insecurities onto others, deflect, or double down when challenged, avoiding reflection to protect their fragile self-worth. Speaking to them can feel like you're talking to glass – superficial and lacking depth. If you point out a flaw, they may insist that it is you who is imagining things. The consequences of self-reflection – or its absence – ripple beyond the who revise their internal narratives tend to show higher civic engagement and stronger ethical behaviour. Employees who regularly reflect, a Harvard Bocconi study finds, perform in leaders is at its historic low globally. In this scenario, reflection is the most effective strategy leaders can use. According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, Lokniti-CSDS Youth, and Pew Research, about two-thirds of people around the world fear and mistrust their leaders. But Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report shows that when leaders admit mistakes and explain course corrections, trust in them rises the data reveals, a leader's willingness to interrogate themselves, not ideological purity, determines public trust. A study of 201,000 participants found that people care about how leaders make decisions, not what decisions. Those masterful storytellers who cast India's rise as inseparable from their own – tracing a path from railway platforms to the world stage – might ask themselves rarer questions: What did I misunderstand? And what, in truth, have I learned?.Without reflection, democracy becomes reactive, vulnerable to disinformation, jeopardising public safety. The 2025 Democracy Report from the University of Gothenburg warns that unchecked information flows in India are eroding democratic norms, skewing democracy norms a reaction-driven world obsessed with immediacy, the quietest act remains the most radical: listening within – and proving, through consistent and correctable action, that we have truly heard ourselves. Without disciplined self-reflection, learning stalls and relationships suffer; with it, people and institutions stay alive to do we make reflection habitual? Name the data. Begin with evidence – whether a journal entry, a quarterly metric, or a gut feeling – that something is off. Ambiguity resists accountability. Build a pause ritual. Ten-minute debriefs, weekly journaling, or asking 'what am I missing?' can interrupt runaway certainty. Act on accrued insight. Even when it's uncomfortable and the time you read this, I'll be back at Cambridge among many still trying to master, metaphorically, life's simple art of boiling an egg. Let's hope we have begun to understand: our inward gaze isn't weakness, it is the awakening of personal growth.
Fast Company
07-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Corporate America soured on ‘business for good.' Here's how to reframe conscious capitalism
Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I'm Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. In the fall of 2019, as editor of Fast Company, I commissioned a package of stories on innovators working to reinvent and bolster capitalism to make it more equitable and environmentally sustainable—the theory being that a system that works for everyone is good for business and society. The print magazine featured a close-up photograph of Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard with the provocative headline: ' Capitalism is dead. Long live capitalism.' Six years later, those stories feel almost quaint, and Fast Company has published something of a rejoinder. Its summer cover story, ' How 'business for good' went bad—and what comes next,' explores the fall and future of so-called stakeholder capitalism, which posits that CEOs should lead their companies to serve not just shareholders but also employees, customers, suppliers, local communities, and the environment. (The story is behind Fast Company 's paywall. Modern CEO readers who aren't yet subscribers can access a one-day premium pass here.) Enlightened self-interest's ROI In the piece, writer James Surowiecki highlights the shifting economic and political winds that have swiftly eroded diversity, environmental, and other societal initiatives. He writes: 'This reversal has been so fast and so dramatic that even many of the youngest mission-driven companies now look like relics of a bygone era, while the environment that spawned them feels like little more than a dream.' Stakeholder capitalism isn't exactly dead, though. Proponents argue that 'business for good' needs to be underpinned by benefits to the business such as cost savings or customer acquisition. 'Most corporations are adopting ethical sourcing not because of values but because of enlightened self-interest,' says Paul Rice, founder and former CEO of Fair Trade USA, and author of Every Purchase Matters: How Fair Trade Farmers, Companies, and Consumers Are Changing the World. 'They see an opportunity either to de-risk their supply chains or tap into the growing conscious-consumer segment that is looking for sustainable products.' Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of Ellen MacArthur Foundation, similarly has argued that material security is one reason why companies should embrace the circular economy, which encourages companies and individuals to recycle, refurbish, and reuse materials. This pragmatic approach isn't a bad thing. Rice, who says he was disappointed with the Fast Company piece, argues that a new generation of businesses doesn't see a trade-off between profits and purpose—they see ethical supply chains and sustainability as strategic advantages. It is also worth noting that self-interest never goes out of style. A hyperefficient supply chain that just happens to reduce emissions is sure to withstand investor scrutiny, corporate leadership changes, and even political antagonists. How is your business adhering to conscious capitalism? Is your business committed to conscious capitalism, and if so, how are you positioning your approach to shareholders? Send your ideas to me at stephaniemehta@ and we'll highlight examples in a future newsletter.
Forbes
06-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Declaration, Institution, Constitution. Ideas From July 4th For Family Offices
Three Lessons from America's Founding That Every Family Office Should Apply On July 4th, 1776, a group of visionaries signed a declaration that sparked one of history's boldest experiments in self-governance. But while we often celebrate the rupture — the act of independence — we rarely reflect on what followed: the slow and deliberate construction of institutions. The frameworks that protected ideals over time. The systems that outlasted individuals. For family offices, this arc feels familiar. Most do not begin with a perfect plan. They start with an event: a sale, a succession, a shift. But the offices that endure move through three critical stages: declaration, institution, and constitution. This Independence Day, it is worth asking what family offices can learn from the founding playbook of the United States, and what it means to build something that lasts. 1. Declaration: Clarity of Vision, Not Just Control The Declaration of Independence was not a legal document. It was a statement of purpose. It set out a vision, values, and direction before any structure or operational plan had been finalised. It told the world what mattered, and why. Family offices benefit from the same clarity. Whether it comes in the form of a wealth purpose statement, an impact thesis, or a shared set of family values, a clear declaration helps align decisions before complexity takes over. This is not theoretical. Consider Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, who transferred ownership of the company to a trust and nonprofit. His decision was not just philanthropic. It was strategic. He publicly declared that 'Earth is now our only shareholder.' That one line reset expectations, guided operations, and embedded values structurally. For family offices, declarations do not need to be grand. But they do need to be intentional. Without a shared purpose, even the best-run structures can drift. 2. Institution: From Passion Project to Professional Platform The founders did not stop at a declaration. They built institutions. They delegated power, designed systems of accountability, and laid the groundwork for governance that would survive disagreement, transition, and time. Many family offices begin as informal setups: a trusted advisor, a family CFO, perhaps a loose network of investment partners. It works, until it doesn't. As the family grows, and as ambitions widen, informality becomes fragility. Institution-building is the second phase of independence. It is when the office shifts from people to processes, from instinct to systems. This includes data infrastructure, clear reporting protocols, legal clarity on roles, and governance that holds even when key individuals exit. Even the most prominent entities evolve. The Gates Foundation, for instance, has undergone significant restructuring in recent years to simplify decision-making and prepare for a future beyond the direct involvement of its founders. Its aim was not expansion, but clarity. That shift highlights the importance of institutional design, even for organisations already at scale. For families in earlier stages, this phase is less about growth and more about resilience. It is the point where the family office moves from something built for today to something built for continuity. 3. Constitution: Codifying Trust and Continuity The U.S. Constitution was drafted to protect against drift. It set boundaries, rights, and responsibilities. It offered a framework that could adapt, while still holding a central intent. Family constitutions serve a similar purpose. They are designed to clarify decision rights, succession mechanisms, and shared values across generations. At their best, they reduce ambiguity and foster alignment. Yet intention does not always lead to implementation. According to recent reporting from Crain Currency, there is a growing trend of families drafting constitutions, but not using them. They spend months defining roles, only to let those frameworks gather dust. Without rituals or review cycles, even the most thoughtful documents lose relevance. A strong family constitution is not about locking in the past. It is about creating a durable foundation for dialogue, especially across generations. It works best when treated as a living document, regularly reviewed, openly debated, and tied to decisions that actually matter. To illustrate this, in Singapore, several multi-generational families now host structured 'family council' retreats every 18 to 24 months. These are not just about reviewing investment performance or updating documents — they serve as governance rituals. The aim is to revisit shared principles and ensure that younger voices feel heard and represented. These gatherings turn legacy planning into a living process, not just a legal one. What This Looks Like in Practice Each of these phases — declaration, institution, constitution — could be deep dives in their own right. Entire books and advisory frameworks have been built around each. But even without going to that depth, there are critical signposts that help families know whether they are heading in the right direction. Consider these as simple starting points: The goal is not perfection. It is momentum in the right direction. The Freedom to Build, Intentionally Even for those outside the United States, Independence Day offers a useful metaphor. Around the world, families are relocating their offices to jurisdictions like Singapore or Dubai. This is not just about tax. It is about autonomy, control, and the freedom to build within a system that supports long-term stewardship. True independence, whether for a nation or a family office, does not come from rejecting structure. It comes from designing it. With clarity, with care, and with continuity in mind. Wealth may be inherited, but stewardship is earned.
National Geographic
18-03-2025
- Business
- National Geographic
Yvon Chouinard on why he gave away Patagonia to save the planet
Yvon Chouinard laughs when he tries to remember the oldest piece of gear he owns. Perhaps it's a piton he forged in the late 1950s, after he taught himself blacksmithing and started Chouinard Equipment, Ltd.? Or maybe it's one of the rugged rugby shirts his next company, Patagonia, made for climbing? Possibly the 'fleece' jacket prototype Patagonia built using toilet-seat-cover fabric, which has since become an outdoors icon? 'Almost everything I have is old,' says Chouinard, 86, grinning. 'I use everything until it completely falls apart.' The Patagonia founder glances around the office of his Wyoming ranch—a pinewood house with a view of the Tetons that he and his friends built in 1976—then raises his hands to show that the sleeves of his faded plaid shirt are all in tatters. 'My whole life has been pretty simple, really. I'm not a consumer.' This may sound surprising, even hypocritical, from the founder of a company with consistent annual sales of a billion dollars. But Chouinard has long insisted he did not start Patagonia to turn a profit. 'I have a living,' he told the New Yorker in 1977, 'and that's all I want out of it.' Nearly half a century later, in September 2022, he backed up that claim, stunning the business world by announcing he was giving away the three-billion-dollar company, with 2 percent of its shares going to a trust where profits could be used for social good and the other 98 percent to a newly created nonprofit, the Holdfast Collective, which uses the funds to advocate for environmental causes. 'Earth,' Chouinard wrote on Patagonia's website, 'is now our only shareholder.'
