Real Clear Values
By Tom English
Real Clear ValuesSep 09, 2021
Connecting through Values with Sobiya Jawaid
Sobiya Jawaid is the first hijab-wearing, female British Muslim Kickboxer to have represented England at European level, where she won silver medal. She's also a Leadership Coach, Diversity and Belonging Consultant, Coach and Speaker. In this episode we discuss values in relation to identity and connecting with others, as well as the value of good coaches and mentors, the case for diversity and the true meaning of belonging, and how to make the most out of your uniqueness in serving others.
(Episode recorded on 21st February 2023.)
Own Your Values with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein
What does abundance mean to you? Is it found without or within? What do you really want?
Sometimes we’re presented with opportunities that look good in the moment. But when we look at them closer, we see that they will prevent us from getting what we really want in the long-term.
Creating a life you’re happy to call your own requires owning your values.
In this episode, Abundance Coach Claudia Noriega-Bernstein visits the Real Clear Values podcast to discuss the above and more.
(Episode recorded on 16th January 2023.)
Aleksandr Dugin: "Putin's Rasputin" or who? with Dr. Benjamin R. Teitelbaum
The role of Aleksandr Dugin as an advisor to Vladimir Putin and influencer in Russian society has long been shrouded in mystery. Over time, this has earned him the moniker of “Putin’s Rasputin”. But despite Dugin’s widely acknowledged influence relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his role and identity remain stubbornly difficult to pin down. Who is this agent of chaos, pulling at the fringes of western society? What does he want? And should the west be worried about its philosophical enemies like Aleksandr Dugin? Benjamin Teitelbaum visits the Real Clear Values podcast for the third time to discuss these questions and more.
Repentance for Transformation (not social control) by Tom English
Repentance isn't about external control; it's about internal change.
I was asked to give a talk at church on the topic, "Repentance is a mighty change of heart and mind", which I gave on Sunday 29th January 2023.
It isn't usual to record a talk that you give in a church meeting, but I felt prompted to do so beforehand. From the feedback I received from members of the congregation afterwards, I felt to share the recording on this podcast for others to listen to.
Repentance is something that I think about a lot, particularly as a means of personal transformation in so many different contexts, spiritual and secular. Yet, unfortunately, the word repentance has a branding problem, conjuring up all manner of images of social control and externally induced guilt and shame. (Shame can be a valuable internal stimulus for change, however, as I discuss in the talk.)
Repentance is driven by three fundamentals:
1. Identity – who you are and who you want to become;
2. Vision – where you want to go and what you want to obtain;
3. Love – there is nothing more transformational than the power of love.
For many listening who come from a non-religious background some of the terminology and concepts in the talk may seem strange, but the principle that underpins repentance is universal and isn't limited to a single denomination or belief-system. As a principle of transformation, repentance is like a key that will never rust.
I hope you gain something from listening to the talk.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments: tom@3stewardships.com.
Witches, Religion, and Values in the New World with Professor Malcolm Gaskill
Professor Malcolm Gaskill’s recently published book, The Ruin of all Witches: Life and Death in the New World, has received high praise from many quarters. It is a tragic tale of the struggles of life in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, speaking to neighbourhood rivalries, social and political power structures, early modern gender roles, and what it meant to be accused of witchcraft in the New World.
In this episode we discuss all of these themes and more, exploring how Malcolm adeptly explains the past without explaining it away and finding a simple but powerful moral to the story that can be applied in any era.
(Episode recorded on 16th November 2022.)
Losing Your Voice and Finding Your Leadership with Kevin Hancock
If you’re a CEO and you’re hoarding power then chances are that you’re limiting your organisation’s performance.
But don’t just take my word for it; take it from someone who’s done it both ways…
In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Kevin Hancock, CEO of Hancock Lumber Company, to talk about sustainable success.
Hancock Lumber was founded in 1848, so they know a thing or two about sustainability!
The foundation of their business’s sustainability doesn’t only depend on the sustainability of their supplies (i.e. trees), though that is critical, it also rests on people-oriented sustainability.
And this is where Kevin thrives in his stewardship as CEO of the company.
✅ Creating meaningful work for staff
✅ Creating a working environment in which staff are engaged and happy in their work, making it safe for them to speak up about necessary changes and improvements
✅ Empowering staff throughout the company to make their very best contributions through the dispersal of power
But before you start thinking that this is some sort of fluffy, emotional idealism, you need to pay attention to the cold, hard numbers that Hancock Lumber’s put up since Kevin started to disperse power throughout the organisation.
There’s a very stark before and after here – it’s staggering!
Why the change in approach?
In 2010, Kevin lost his voice and was forced to change his approach; which is when the magic started to happen.
Tune in to learn more about Kevin’s story, his approach and his enviable results.
Mussolini and His Fascist Italy with Professor Richard Bosworth
But what led to Mussolini’s rise to power?
What was Italian Fascism like and how did it compare to Adolf Hitler’s Nazism?
What drove Mussolini the man?
And what led to Mussolini’s demise?
In this episode, which was recorded in advance of a forthcoming Italian election in which the far-right are expected to do well, Professor Richard Bosworth of Oxford University addresses these questions and more.
This episode also arrives near the centenary of the Fascists’ march on Rome, which took place on 28th October 1922.
(Episode recorded on 26th August 2022.)
America’s Undoing in the Vietnam War with Dr. Tom Tunstall Allcock
Why did America, whose riches and military might dwarfed those of North Vietnam, fail to win the Vietnam War with its allies in the south?
In this episode, Dr. Tom Tunstall Allcock from University of Manchester gives some answers to that question, as well as exploring the war more broadly from an American perspective.
We discuss the pitfalls of the failure of American leadership to properly understand the values of its enemy in the war, its lack of clear purpose and goals through military intervention, its loss of moral authority through backfiring military operations, and unprecedented press coverage of the war which illustrated the horrors of war like never before.
The Vietnam War had a seismic impact on America, undermining trust in American leadership at home and abroad, bringing about unprecedented social unrest, contributing to the demise of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s power and presidency, and costing the lives of tens of thousands of American soldiers.
Whilst it was a staggeringly expensive tragedy, the Vietnam War offers a wealth of learning opportunities for leaders in almost any context.
(Episode recorded on 7th June 2022.)
Vietnam and the Vietnam War with Dr. Sean Fear
Think you know all about the Vietnam War?
This interview with Dr. Sean Fear from the University of Leeds may make you think again.
Sean has researched Vietnamese-language archival materials, memoirs, and print media extensively, enabling him to present valuable perspectives that are often absent in western documentaries and movies about the war.
In this episode, we start by discussing the beginning of the Vietnam War (from the Vietnamese perspective) before getting into the South Vietnamese state's failure to win legitimacy in the eyes of its constituents, and the role that that played in the denouement of the war.
This episode is longer than usual to ensure that the nuances and complexities discussed can be properly represented.
Sean’s voice is authentic and insightful on this topic, challenging (western) conventional wisdom about the war, highlighting its intractable complexities, and giving valuable insight to western audiences.
(Episode recorded on 1st June 2022.)
Meaningless Modernity and the Appeal of Nationalism with Dr. Benjamin R. Teitelbaum
Growing up in Denver, Colorado, Benjamin Teitelbaum had a yearning to connect with deeper ancestral roots.
This yearning led Teitelbaum to explore his Swedish heritage and Swedish patriotism.
As he experienced it, however, celebrations of Swedish patriotism were largely confined to groups of Swedish nationalists, including the far-right, as mainstream Swedish society had jettisoned patriotism in favour of multiculturalism.
This led Teitelbaum into a complex and nuanced relationship with Swedish nationalism, and more particularly with those who call themselves Swedish nationalists, as an academic researcher.
This episode digs into some of the key issues facing the liberal west today, including the prominence of money, materialism and rationality as western values, the existential malaise faced by many young people growing up without a sense of roots or a connection to place, the ubiquity and dangers of cancel culture, and more.
Having already appeared on the Real Clear Values podcast to talk about the values that unite disparate nationalist thinkers such as Steve Bannon and Alexandr Dugin, in this episode Benjamin Teitelbaum gives further insight into his own values journey.
Tune in to learn more about some of the biggest values-related challenges facing western liberal societies today.
(Episode recorded on 29th April 2022.)
The Relevance of Rhetoric with David Erland Isaksen
“That’s just rhetoric” is a common phrase used to dismiss the seriousness of what someone (usually an untrusted leader) has said.
But rhetoric is much more than “just rhetoric”.
As David Erland Isaksen, Associate Professor of Communication at USN School of Business, talks about in this episode of the Real Clear Values podcast, the art of rhetoric played an integral role in the foundations of democracy.
Suffice it to say that its reputation has fallen a long way since it was known as the Queen of the Humanities.
Far from serving the purposes of manipulation and demagoguery, however, Isaksen illustrates how a sound understanding of rhetoric, and strong rhetorical skills, can help individuals to guard against the deceitful manipulations of demagogues.
What’s more is that strong rhetorical skills are essential in communicating our values clearly and persuasively to others.
Tune in to learn more about why the art of rhetoric is so relevant to what’s happening in the world today (think: Zelensky versus Putin's Russia) and how you can develop your own rhetorical skills.
(Episode recorded on 22nd March 2022.)
Learning to Embrace Your Uniqueness with Zoë Cross
Zoë Cross is a Coach and TEDx Speaker who works to empower professionals with a unique appearance to claim their confidence and create the career or business of their dreams.
Zoë was born with moebius syndrome – congenital facial paralysis – and has a powerful story to tell.
Throughout her journey, Zoë has developed deep resilience, overcome resentment, learned to be guided by the still small voice of conscience within, as well as a strong sense of honour, and, perhaps more than anything, learned to embrace her uniqueness.
Tune in to learn more about how to embrace your uniqueness and then use it to serve others.
Keep in touch with Zoë through the following platforms:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe.cross3
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/zoe-anthea-cross
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoe.cross3
Join Zoë's Facebook group: Claim your self-esteem and confidence with your host Zoë Cross https://www.facebook.com/groups/317717242175055/?ref=share
Check out Zoë's TEDx Talk, Overcome rejection – by smiling with your heart: https://youtu.be/eWJ9X9gPiUk
(Episode recorded on 01/03/22.)
The Dangerous, Bloody, Anti-Liberal Nietzsche with Dr. Martin Ruehl
No serious consideration of values can ignore the ideas and philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, whose writing in the late nineteenth century had a seismic impact on the twentieth century, and continues its enduring influence today.
Dr. Martin Ruehl of Cambridge University grew up with the influence of Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, finding himself bewitched by a copy of the war edition of the book (kriegsausgabe) that was taken into WWI by his grandfather and then into WWII by his father.
But Ruehl didn’t recognise the version of Nietzsche that was presented to him in academia and has since made it his mission to bring the bloody, dangerous, anti-liberal Nietzsche back into consciousness.
Tune in for a masterclass on the philosophy and significance of Friedrich Nietzsche.
(Episode recorded on 16th February 2022.)
Turning Pain into Purpose, Growth and Contribution with Ore Ogungbayi
“If you are tired of being a doormat, get off the floor.”
Ore Ogungbayi is one of the best trainers I’ve ever learned from.
She also has one of the most extraordinary and empowering stories I’ve ever heard.
Being kidnapped as a child could have crushed Ore, made her resentful and suffocated her aspirations.
Instead, through her shift in mindset and application of timeless principles, she used her trials and challenges as fuel to learn, grow and contribute for the benefit of others.
I loved this conversation with Ore – what she has overcome and *how* she’s overcome is so relevant to the challenges that many of us face in our lives today.
My favourite piece of wisdom from the episode: "People need love more than culture."
Tune in, take note, and enjoy!
What Ore has to share is gold.
(Episode recorded on 16th February 2022.)
China's Values in the Twentieth Century and Beyond with Professor Rana Mitter
Why did it open its doors to the west for trade?
How has its relationship changed with the rest of the world in recent decades?
Will there be a decoupling between China and the west?
What are China’s values? And how do those values compete with each other?
These are some of the issues that I recently discussed with Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at Oxford University.
Rana is one of the most respected voices on modern Chinese history and politics in the west.
If you have any interest in China’s past, present and future then this episode is a must-listen. (Episode recorded on 5th January 2022.)
Healing and Self-Sovereignty through Chinese Medicine with Tim Sullivan
I recently had a lot of fun, and intellectual stimulation, talking with Tim Sullivan who is an experienced Chinese Medicine practitioner based in Totnes, Devon, UK.
We dig into several aspects of health and healing, including the role of meditation, the significance of expectations as a cause of despair, types of healing and healers from a Chinese perspective, how to get on your path to find purpose in your life, and the power of choice and change in the healing process.
As Tim's teacher and mentor, Daoist Priest Jeffrey Yuen, puts it:
“The same person that gets the disease can’t be the same person that cures the disease.”
You have to change your mind to change the disease.
Anyone can be enlightened at any moment.
I hope that you find some enlightenment in this episode for your own journey.
Tim teaches and mentors those interested in learning Classical Chinese Medicine.
For more information on Tim's practice, visit www.incarnations.info.
To contact Tim, you can email him directly: tim@incarnations.info. (Episode recorded on 4th January 2022.)
Facing Up To Drug Abuse and Addiction with Dr. Mark Gold
According to the CDC, a record 100,000 people in the US died from overdoses in 12 months of the pandemic. Opioids played a big part in those deaths, as did despair.
These deaths have lowered American life expectancy and are indicative of serious social issues in the country.
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Mark Gold, a world renowned expert on drugs of abuse, about the changing trends in drug abuse and drug-related deaths over time.
We also get into what’s driving increases in drug addiction and deaths of despair, how to avoid falling into addiction’s enslavement and how to help loved ones who have.
If you have any interest in the opioid crisis and the epidemic of deaths of despair then this episode is a must.
(Episode recorded on 15th November 2021.)
Addiction and the Pandemic with Dr Nicole Avena
Addictive behaviours have increased across the board since the beginning of the pandemic.
The unintended consequences of lockdowns have had a significantly negative impact on those already struggling with addictions, and many more have fallen into addiction’s clutches.
In this episode, Dr Nicole Avena, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, talks to me about addiction in the context of covid-19.
We cover everything from defining addiction (in a practical way), the factors that lead people into addictive behaviours, how to overcome addiction, how to guard against it in the first place, and how to support loved ones who are struggling within its grasp.
(Episode recorded on 27th September 2021.)
Escaping the Hedonism Trap, Tom English, TEDx MCPHS
What's the problem with pursuing pleasure as an end in itself?
That's the question that I set about answering in my TEDx Talk, Escaping the Hedonism Trap, at TEDxMCPHS in 2020.
The story of how I sleepwalked my way into the hedonism trap, and escaped, has resonated with many who have heard it.
The world is simply too full of distractions, temptations and challenges, and our brains too malleable, to leave the governance of our lives to chance.
If what you hear in the talk resonates with you and you'd like more information on how to escape the ennui, or even misery, of the slavish pursuit of pleasure then drop me a line: tom@3stewardships.com.
Here's to creating a life of purpose, meaning and fulfilment in pursuing your unique version of sustainable success.
(This is a wee bonus episode between seasons 2 & 3...)
The Fall and Future of Afghanistan with Massoud Hossaini
As a photojournalist, Massoud Hossaini became the first Afghan to win the Pulitzer Prize for a photo he took in the immediate aftermath of a brutal terrorist attack in Kabul in 2011.
The story behind the photo and the sense of responsibility Massoud felt in telling Afghanistan’s story from an Afghan perspective is both heartrending and inspiring.
In this episode, Massoud talks about the perils of photojournalism in Afghanistan, why Afghanistan’s sudden fall into the hands of the Taliban was both preventable and unsurprising, and what the future might look like for him and the country he loves.
This is an insider’s take on both the fall and future of Afghanistan.
(Episode recorded on 30/10/21.)
The Value of Faith and Religion with Brian Grim
What’s the value of faith and religion in relation to the workplace and wider society?
That question was at the heart of my conversation with Brian Grim, President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF).
RFBF is dedicated to educating the global business community, policymakers, non-government organisations and consumers about the positive power that faith — and religious freedom for all (including those with no religious faith) — has on business and the economy.
In this episode, Brian and I discussed the importance of people bringing their whole souls to work, the value of religion, the role of religion in shaping society's values, the rise of religious nationalism and much more.If you're interested in the intersection of religion and society then this episode is for you.
(Episode recorded on 25th October 2021.)
Connection, Purpose and Leadership with Joe Kwon
Joe Kwon is an expert in connecting with other people.
He’s the author of Unlock Your Executive Presence, host of the Executive Presence Morsels podcast and a privacy attorney.
Suffice it to say that he has many strings to his bow.
In this episode we talk about how to connect with your purpose, how to connect with others on your path, connection with place and connection in the context of leadership.
If you’d like to learn how to make better connections then this episode is must.
(Recorded on 27th August 2021.)
The Virtues of Pursuing Power with Monika Stezewska-Kruk
It’s fair to say that Monika Stezewska-Kruk knows a thing or two about power.
As a Power Coach on Stanford’s LEAD program, she’s been taught and mentored by renowned Stanford academic Jeffrey Pfeffer.
In this episode, we discuss the taboos of power, the virtues of pursuing it, and how to effectively obtain and retain it.
As Monika explains, power is necessary in order to get things done, but it doesn’t have to be a dirty word.
(Episode record on 5th August 2021.)
The World that FDR Fought to Create with David Woolner
The last 100 days of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s life were as intense as they were significant in paving the way towards international cooperation in the wake of WWII.
As FDR’s body gave up on him, he fought to the end to create a world in which something as atrocious as WWII could never happen again.
David Woolner, Professor of History at Marist College, is an expert on FDR’s life and presidency; he authored The Last 100 Days: FDR at War and at Peace and advised Ken Burns on his PBS documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.
In this episode of the Real Clear Values podcast, Woolner talks about how the world we’re living in today reflects FDR’s vision and values, warning that we should think very carefully before seeking to undo the work that he did to build lasting international cooperation and peace.
(Episode recorded on 2nd August 2021.)
The Value of Care in Sales with Mareo McCracken
“Professionally, every mistake I have ever made can be boiled down to two main reasons: I didn’t know enough or I didn’t care enough.”
Mareo McCracken’s brand new book, Really Care for Them, is a tour de force.
Although it was primarily written for sales people, it’s really for any professional who has to sell ideas to another person in the course of their work.
In this episode of the Real Clear Values Podcast, Mareo challenges conventional sales wisdom and shares real wisdom on one of the most fundamental principles at the heart of consistent sales success: care.
(Episode recorded on 17th August 2021.)
Public Speaking Zero to Hero with Simon Day
The story of Simon Day’s public speaking transformation is inspirational.
He went from quitting his job for fear of speaking with other people to becoming a UK & Ireland public speaking champion through Toastmasters International.
In this episode of the Real Clear Values podcast, Simon talks about the principles that empowered him on his transformation journey, those who supported him along the way, and how he created a life of purpose and meaning through aligning his work with his values.
We also discuss how to overcome resentment through using negative feedback as fuel to move forward, the difference between material wealth and real wealth, and how Simon coaches speakers with different styles.
Contact Simon for public speaking coaching at speakwithsimon.co.uk.
(Episode recorded on 19th July 2021.)
The Populist Right’s War for Eternity with Benjamin Teitelbaum
As thinkers on the populist right like Steve Bannon (U.S.), Aleksandr Dugin (Russia) and Olavo de Carvalho (Brazil) rose to prominence across the globe, Benjamin Teitelbaum, Professor of Musicology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, picked out an obscure philosophical thread that united them: Traditionalism.
Traditionalism isn’t about traditional family values or doing things in an old fashioned way; it relates to a belief in the existence of primordial, universal truths and a perennial wisdom that lies at the heart of all major world religions, drawing heavily from eastern influences.
As a result of his timely (and relentless) exploration of the Traditionalist connections between Bannon, Dugin and Carvalho, Teitelbaum wrote ‘War for Eternity’, which, as one reviewer put it, “reads like a Dan Brown novel”.
This episode of the Real Clear Values Podcast is certainly no less interesting.
We talk about building trust with members of far-right groups in Sweden, meta-politics and the influence of music on cultural ‘common sense’, Steve Bannon’s spiritual journey, the future of politics in the west and much more in between.
(Episode recorded on 9th July 2021.)
Corporate Governance and the Black Box of Corporate Culture with Shiva Rajgopal
Corporate culture is the largest asset that is *not* on a company’s balance sheet.
But it’s also a black box.
Only those who work at a company really know what’s going on there – what management is really like and who has the biggest impact in making the company tick.
Shiva Rajgopal is Kester and Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing at Columbia Business School, but when I spoke with him on the Real Clear Values Podcast about corporate governance and corporate culture it was less about numbers and more about people!
If you have any interest in corporate governance or corporate culture then this episode is a must-listen.
(Episode record on 6th July 2021.)
Dangerous Nietzsche and the Return of the Far-Right with Ronald Beiner
Ronnie Beiner, Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, was alarmed when one of his grad students became enamoured with the work of Russian neofascist Aleksandr Dugin.
Beiner had assumed that far-right ideology had been consigned to the dustbin of history following WWII, but further research after his student's revelation taught him otherwise.
He went on to write a book to elucidate the philosophical foundations of far-right ideology, Dangerous Minds: Nietzsche, Heidegger and the Return of the Far-Right.
Straight after the book was published, Beiner was confronted on twitter with a link to a 5,000-word rebuttal by a neofascist intellectual who explicitly identified him as Jewish to his followers.
In this episode, we discuss some of the ideas and values that threaten democracy today.
(Episode recorded on 2nd July 2021.)
Nietzsche vs. Christianity with James Faulconer
Is there any value in paying attention to your biggest critics?
That question was on my mind when I invited James (Jim) Faulconer to speak with me about his decades-long experience in teaching the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche at a church-sponsored university.
Jim is a senior research fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship and is the former Richard L. Evans Professor of Philosophy at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA.
In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of Nietzsche's criticisms of Christianity and democracy, what can be learned from those criticisms and what it was like to teach Nietzsche's work at BYU.
This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the longstanding challenge that Friedrich Nietzsche presented to Christians and Christianity.
(Episode recorded on 11th June 2021.)
The Value of Good Corporate Governance with Nell Minow
This is one of the fundamental questions that falls within the purview of corporate governance.
And when it comes to corporate governance, Nell Minow has literally written the book. In fact, she’s written several books.
Nell has been described in the Financial Times as the “doyenne of the US corporate governance movement”.
BusinessWeek has called her the “queen of good corporate governance”.
She co-authored the book Power and Accountability with Robert A. Monks, which was hailed as essential reading for anyone interested in corporate governance by legendary management thinker Peter Drucker.
Here’s what we cover in an action-packed episode:
Why we’re living in the best of times and the worst of times
Why we have to work beyond national borders to protect our air and water
The Delaware problem and the externalising of responsibility
The bright future of millennials’ broader look at business and accountability
Why MeToo and Black Lives Matter demonstrate that the S in ESG doesn’t just mean Social, it also means ‘surprise’
Why ESG should fill the gap in GAAP
Defining corporate governance at a fundamental level
The issue of board member independence
CEO pay and the need for variability over certainty
How to measure board efficacy
The problem of acquisitions that don’t add value
The biggest threats to business sustainability
How to put company values into practice
The threat that corporate corruption poses to capitalism
What it takes to be an effective board member
Tips for getting a seat on a board
Movies that best teach about corporate governance (Nell is also a movie reviewer at moviemom.com)
If you’re interested in any aspect of corporate governance then this episode is a must.
(Episode recorded on 21st May 2021.)
Values in the workplace, part II
In this episode, Tom talks about the significance of values as a start-up co-founder and as a board member.
Values in the workplace, part I
In this episode, Tom discusses the definition of values and the centrality of values to the world of work as experienced in the early stages of his career.
The Birth of 3 Stewardships
In this episode, Tom reflects on finding stability in the day-job, discovering deeper purpose, further spiritual development and the birth of 3 Stewardships.
A False Start, Trouble with the Boss, and a Spiritual Renaissance
In this episode, Tom talks about a year of significant growth and learning, which included a false start, a difficult boss and a spiritual renaissance.
Marriage, Failed Start-Up, Faith Crisis
In this episode, Tom talks about getting married, adapting to married life, moving on from a failed start-up and a faith crisis.
Entering and Escaping the Hedonism Trap
In this episode, Tom talks about his entry into and escape from the hedonism trap. This is a more personal version of the story than was told in Tom's TEDx Talk (Escaping the Hedonism Trap).
Return from Madagascar
In this episode, Tom has returned from Madagascar. But the place he's returned to is very different from the place he left.
Stories from Madagascar, part IV
In this final episode from Madagascar, Tom reflects on his leadership experiences on the island and the core lessons learned from his experience as a missionary.
Stories from Madagascar, part III
In this episode, Tom reflects on how what we want isn't always what we need and vice-versa...
Stories from Madagascar, part II
In this episode, Tom talks about life in Madagascar, experiencing life as a racial minority and forming an unexpected brotherhood.
Stories from Madagascar, part I
In this episode, Tom talks about getting to Madagascar and how he adapted to a radically different environment.
Getting to Madagascar
Episode 1 covers Tom's life before leaving for a mission with the LDS Church in Madagascar at age 19.