Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement

Wayne Visser
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Join me, Prof Wayne Visser, for inspiring conversations with leaders in the breakthrough movement to regenerate nature, society and the economy. Thriving is about going beyond sustainability to a net positive agenda of innovation and regeneration. Each episode is a dialogue with thought leaders and pioneering practitioners, capturing their perspective on the six great transitions to thriving: how to go from degradation to restoration of ecosystems, from depletion to renewal of resources, from disparity to responsibility in communities and workplaces, from disease to revitalisation of health, from disconnection to rewiring through technology, and from disruption to resilience in infrastructure and institutions. We also explore what kind of leadership are needed to create a thriving future, and how organisations can take action to integrate thriving into their strategies, products and services. This is not about false hope or blind optimism, but we actively focus on innovative solutions and positive tipping points for change. The podcast builds on the foundations of my bestselling book "Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy." I look forward to having you join the movement for thriving and welcome your suggestions for who I should feature as invited guests on the podcast. Credits: Host: Wayne Visser. Podcast music: Amil Raja

  1. 2d ago

    S3.E2: Seeing the Forest for the Trees: The Power of Systems Thinking

    Episode 2 is based on "Thriving" (Chapter 1). Core Theme: Using the science of systems thinking to create environments where all life can flourish. The Wood Wide Web: Shifting perspective from individual parts to the whole system. The author explains how trees use vast underground fungal networks to communicate threats and share nutrients, reminding us to see the "forest" of relationships rather than just the "trees" of isolated issues. Nested Systems: A look at the "Russian doll" nature of our world. The economy is nested within society, which exists within and is entirely dependent on nature—the self-regulating organism known as the Gaia Hypothesis. The Six Keys Framework: A deep dive into the scientific fundamentals required for a system to thrive: Complexity: Trillions of synapse connections in the human brain model how relationships strengthen a system. Much like the WWII Enigma code, life is a complex cipher of dynamic interactions that we must learn to navigate.Circularity: Moving beyond "bathtub thinking" to a circular economy where "waste equals food." Nature mimics this with 1.1 trillion tons of biomass that never becomes "trash" but instead fuels new life.Creativity: Celebrating the "weedy entrepreneurs" who live on the fringes of convention. Like wildflowers, they are tough, tenacious, and essential for breathing new life into outdated economic paradigms.Coherence: Examining ant colonies and the flocking phenomenon to understand how collective intelligence allows order to emerge from chaos without a central leader.Convergence: The power of "systems flips." Just as transportation flipped from carriages to cars in 13 years, the convergence of renewable energy and digital tech is currently tipping the world toward a sustainable future.Continuity: Embracing "cathedral thinking"—the Native American Iroquois philosophy of planning seven generations ahead—as an antidote to the "tyranny of short-termism" found in modern quarterly capitalism.Season 3 is an experiment. It features an AI-generated dialogue that deep dives into each chapter of the book, Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy. Let me know what you think!

  2. Jul 15

    S3.E1: Surviving the Global Riptide: - From Panic to Purpose

    Season 3 is an experiment. It features an AI-generated dialogue that deep dives into each chapter of the book, Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy. Let me know what you think! Episode 1 is based on "Hope" (The Prologue). Core Theme: Moving from panic to purpose in the face of global crisis. The Sodwana Bay Metaphor: The author shares his personal story of nearly drowning in a South African riptide. He explains that it wasn't the current that was most dangerous, but the potential to lose hope and panic. This serves as a powerful metaphor for our current global challenges like climate change and inequality. Regeneration vs. Degeneration: A look at the two competing forces of life. While entropy leads toward disorder and decay (degeneration), life is inherently regenerative, creating synergy and order out of randomness. The Paradox of Progress: A reflection on the 30 years since the 1987 Brundtland Report, "Our Common Future." While we have seen spectacular progress in lifting millions out of poverty, we are simultaneously "speeding toward a cliff" regarding biodiversity loss and climate change. Hope as an Action Verb: Hope is not "blind optimism" or a "happily ever after" prescription. It is a radical choice to work at the "root" (the Latin radicalis) of systems to effect change. The "Possibilist" Attitude: Adopting the spirit of Hans Rosling and Viktor Frankl—choosing to be positive because we have a hand in creating the future.

  3. 12/07/2023

    45. A Systems View of Life, with Fritjof Capra

    My guest this week is Fritjof Capra, living systems theorist and bestselling author of The Systems View of Life. He discusses how: Systems thinking represents a shift from a mechanistic to an organic or network worldviewComplexity theory brought a breakthrough in our understanding of living systemsLiving systems are self-organising networks with processes of creativity and regenerationSocial systems are enabled by communities of practice, informal communication and cultureChange agency happens by aligning with and reinforcing feedback loops through movementsKey links The Capra Course (website) The Systems View of Life (book) The Environmentalist (poem) Thriving (book) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

  4. 11/09/2023

    44. Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution, with Sarah Langford

    My guest this week is Sarah Langford, author of Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution. She discusses how: The UK’s policy of “public money for public good” is helping farmers to reclaim their role as stewards of the landWe can learn lessons for transforming the food sector from farmers struggling with the transition to regenerative agricultureReforming the agricultural system needs to simultaneously tackle public health, biodiversity loss and food securityLivestock farming (and the diets that supports this) needs to change, but cellular agriculture and precision fermentation have challengesIt is a myth that there is a trade-off between food production (yields) and nature conservation in regenerative farmingKey links Sarah Langford (LinkedIn) Sarah Langford (website) Rooted (book) Radical Activist (poem) Thriving (book) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

  5. 10/26/2023

    43. The Purpose of Capital and the Nature of Value, with Jed Emerson

    My guest this week is Jed Emerson, Chief Impact Officer, AlTi Tiedemann Global and author of The Purpose of Capital. He discusses how: Impact investing, social return on investment, venture philanthropy, and blended value are related, reinforcing concepts and practicesESG investing is not a new idea or practice, going back at least to the Mennonite shareholder activism in relation to the Dutch East India CompanyThe ethical investment movement has evolved from screened socially responsible investments and best in class approaches to ESG integration and impact investingESG investment has reached a critical mass, but the business risk-based approach (single materiality) resulted in perceptions of greenwashingStakeholder capitalism represents a shift in societal norms and expectations of business, but face significant resistance from incumbent vested interestsKey links Jed Emerson (LinkedIn) Blended Value (website) AlTi Tiedemann Global (website) The Purpose of Capital (book) Mutualism (book) Thriving (book) I Like to Move It (poem) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

  6. 10/04/2023

    42. Women Creating Social Impact for a Better World, with Robbin Jorgensen

    My guest this week is Robbin Jorgensen, Founder and CEO of Women Igniting Change. She discusses how: “Listening tours” in Rwanda reveal inspiring women with resilience, innovation and creativityWe need to work with men and change societal norms to create the opportunities for womenChanging behaviours in companies is a systemic change that takes time and commitmentImposter syndrome is common among women and can be countered by solidary groupsMen may need to “pipe down” sometimes to ensure that women’s voices are heardKey links: Robbin Jorgensen (LinkedIn) Women Igniting Change (website) Left to Tell (book) Rwandan Women Rising (book) Thriving (book) Women of Africa (poem) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

  7. 09/22/2023

    41. Doughnut Economics for Business, with Erinch Sahan

    My guest this week is Erinch Sahan, Business & Enterprise Lead at Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL). In this episode, he discusses how:  Incentives in business are working against planetary boundaries and social foundationsGrowth as a core driver of business is incompatible with doughnut economicsWe need to make the deep design of business regenerative and distributiveRedesign must be at the level of purpose, networks, governance, ownership and financeNew models of business (beyond B-Corps) and financial markets are emerging Key links Erinch Sahan (LinkedIn) Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) (website) Doughnut Economics (book) A Swirling Story (poem) Thriving (book) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

  8. 08/24/2023

    40. For the Love of Soil, with Nicole Masters

    My guest this week is Nicole Masters, Director of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil. In this episode, she discusses how:  Farmers feel connected to the land, yet are destroying the living soil“Feeding the world” is a distribution problem, not a production problemRegenerative agriculture is a philosophy or paradigm, not a set of techniquesThe science of soil health and the movement of regeneration is still youngOur inner and outer landscape need to be more connectedKey links: Nicole Masters (LinkedIn) Integrity Soils (website) For the Love of Soil (book) We Have Earth (poem) Thriving (book) Wayne Visser (website) Wayne Visser (LinkedIn)

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Join me, Prof Wayne Visser, for inspiring conversations with leaders in the breakthrough movement to regenerate nature, society and the economy. Thriving is about going beyond sustainability to a net positive agenda of innovation and regeneration. Each episode is a dialogue with thought leaders and pioneering practitioners, capturing their perspective on the six great transitions to thriving: how to go from degradation to restoration of ecosystems, from depletion to renewal of resources, from disparity to responsibility in communities and workplaces, from disease to revitalisation of health, from disconnection to rewiring through technology, and from disruption to resilience in infrastructure and institutions. We also explore what kind of leadership are needed to create a thriving future, and how organisations can take action to integrate thriving into their strategies, products and services. This is not about false hope or blind optimism, but we actively focus on innovative solutions and positive tipping points for change. The podcast builds on the foundations of my bestselling book "Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy." I look forward to having you join the movement for thriving and welcome your suggestions for who I should feature as invited guests on the podcast. Credits: Host: Wayne Visser. Podcast music: Amil Raja

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