Episode 145 - David Baldwin | Business as a Force for Good: Building a Business Based Upon Values, Purpose and Why

Is your culture values based and are those values in action every day? Do you believe in the idea of business being a force for good? Are you looking for ways to build a truly people first organization and culture?

Our special guest David Baldwin answers these and other questions about people first leadership, values based leadership and what it means to build a business to be used as a force for good.

David Baldwin plays lead guitar for Baldwin&, the advertising agency he founded in Raleigh, NC. Baldwin& was named Small Agency of the Year twice in its first five years by Ad Age and the 4A’s, and David is one of the most awarded copywriters and creative directors working in the advertising business today.

The former Chairman of the One Club in NYC, David was also an executive producer for the Emmy winning film, Art & Copy, and an associate producer for the Emmy and Peabody Award winning film “The Loving Story”.

David also co-founded the Ponysaurus Brewing Co. in Durham, NC, and is the author of the Amazon Best Seller, The Belief Economy, How to Give a Damn, Stop Selling, and Create Buy-in.

Last year, in the wake of the George Floyd tragedy, David co-founded Take Your Seat, a company dedicated to get more Black representation into boardrooms.

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Show Notes

Episode highlights…

When it comes to DEI, no one cares what you have to say – they want to see what you’re doing
Creating board opportunities for black leaders (Take Your Seat)
If you want to support change for people of difference, ask them how you can help and listen
A power phrase for DEI conversations – “I might be helping wrong, and I would like you to help me figure out how to not help wrong”
Leadership means meeting every moment with an open heart
The critical importance of getting clear on the purpose and why for your business and then make decisions based upon that why
What it means to use business as a force for good and why it matters
Companies with a meaningful culture, values lead, and based on purpose outperform the market significantly
Growing a business by focusing on your people, not growth
A unique definition of work life balance (presence)
Leaders listen with an open heart and seek to understand their impact
Leaders let go of the need to be right
If you build a strong culture, the culture will filter out the wrong people
A different approach to performance improvement plans
What’s the people first always solution? (putting your values in action)
A value’s not a value until it costs you in the marketplace
Leadership lessons from the movie Twelve Angry Men (ask questions and listen)