250: Tom Eddington, Climate change: The root cause of COVID

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 250, an episode with one of Silicon Valley’s most renowned business advisors and coaches, Tom Eddington.

“There's always a challenge, and there's always an opportunity.” - Tom Eddington

In this episode with Tom, we discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a multitude of issues today – not only for individuals but also for most organizations. One of the biggest problems that every organization has faced because of COVID is retaining employees. Over the last couple of years, we've seen the mass resignation, and it's been a challenge across all industries to attract and retain talent. 

Organizations adapted to a virtual workforce, and people have spent the last two years working remotely; the idea of moving back to a physical location has required a lot of reconsideration. Some companies exhibited higher productivity rates with a reduced workforce during that time. They delivered more financial results but took a tremendous toll as leadership teams are extremely stressed and exhausted. The long-term effects of COVID continue, impacting individuals and organizations.

COVID has delivered a message to the world – a warning sign. COVID is a knock-on effect of climate change, as opposed to being an epidemic. Climate change is by far the biggest issue we face. As we destroy the ecosystem, we lose biodiversity. This results in bacterial infections and viral infections, which become pandemics such as COVID. We are seeing the impact of climate change, and we are at the most critical decade in human history where we need to do something fundamentally different. 

“Business talks about how we become climate-conscious from today, but I've never heard a business leader talk about what we are going to do about what's already out there.” - Michael

Tom Eddington works with some of the most influential CEOs and non-profit leaders, advising them on everything from global mergers and organizational change to conscious leadership and work/life integration. He understands the pressures business leaders face. Having spent the last three decades as a consultant, educator, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor, he has dedicated his life to studying and teaching board, leadership, and organization effectiveness – focusing on how they grow, achieve, and sustain effectiveness while remaining stewards for their stakeholders.

Tom has lived, worked, and studied on six continents, working with leaders across all industry sectors and organization stages of development. His work as a student, mentor, coach, and advisor focuses on conscious leadership. His motto: Take care of matters within yourself to make the most possible impact in the outside world. Tom has sought out opportunities to teach and work in the private, public, academic, and non-profit sectors working with industry leaders and most-admired organizations, including HP, W.L. Gore, MBNA Corporation, Royal Dutch/Shell, and Taproot Foundation. He assists organizations in fostering leadership on all levels.

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