A Powerhouse for Sustainable Growth."
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A must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and motivation to address global issues head-on.
A truly exceptional book.
Igor Filart
Senior Manager
ASICS Technology
Australia
A captivating, page-turning book. I learned more from reading this book than I did from completing an entire sustainability business strategy course at Harvard Business School.
That course at Harvard was awesome. This book is better. Everybody should read this.”
Matt Deasy
Business Sustainability Consultant
BCorp Leader
Portugal
An outstanding achievement. A truly transformational impact approach.
It has changed how I feel about the subject forever.
Mark Logan
Former COO Skyscanner
Chief Entrepreneurship Officer Scottish Government
UK
Geniuses like Mozart, Einstein, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Da Vinci share one common trait that sets them apart from their peers. And it’s not their talent or a high IQ.
What if you could apply this secret to create a 200-400% higher impact return, outgrow your competitors, improve brand value, productivity and resilience? And at the same time to genuinely transform our world for the better?
LEAD LIKE A GENIUS will take you on an inspirational journey past genius examples from around the globe. Initiatives that tackle climate change, the marine plastic crisis, pollution, poverty, inequality and social exclusion exceptionally well.
The book reveals why these achieve far better results than most. It provides thought-leading insights on avoiding common sustainability pitfalls and how to tackle our global issues for a far better return.
The step-by-step guide is based on award-winning research nominated by the Social Innovation Research Director at Cambridge University. While simple to apply, it underpins our world’s most successful impact strategies.
Once you have read LEAD LIKE A GENIUS you will see the genius behind genuinely effective sustainable leadership. You will have a powerful tool to guide you in achieving the best outcomes that boost business growth; and the best outcomes that truly transform our world.
About the author
Melanie van de Velde, PhD, MBA, MSc
The nine-year-old Melanie van de Velde was asked what problem she would like to solve when she grew up. She answered that she wanted to help people who were living in poverty. At the time, she had yet to see severe deprivation first-hand, but in the years since, she’s travelled extensively and the suffering she’s witnessed has only strengthened her ambition in childhood.
Dr Van de Velde was awarded the Adam Smith Prize for PhD Excellence. Nominated for the prize by the Research Director at the Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge University, her thesis was the source of many insights in her book LEAD LIKE A GENIUS: How to outgrow the competition and transform our world. The book was commended as "A Powerhouse for Sustainable Growth" by FORBES Books.
Her other academic achievements include an MBA with Distinction from the University of Glasgow in the UK, and an MSc in Industrial Engineering at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. Dr Van de Velde has managed Asia Pacific markets at a multi-billion-dollar tech company. She’s worked in senior management at IT start-ups. And she has run a fashion business to empower young women in a Nairobi slum.
With Big Tree Global, she supports organisations with tools and insights to genuinely transform our world and boost business growth at the same time.
I've read a ton of books on this topic and this is by far my favourite!
Matt Deasy
Business Sustainability Consultant
Portugal
Finally, a tool to help identify effective impact initiatives. The imperative to make a positive impact and deliver profits may seem paradoxical, but it is possible. Melanie has solved this with her simple, easy-to-adopt methodology to help businesses create powerful social and environmental impact strategies.
Mark Fallows
Founder Fabrica Collective & The Impossible Network
US
Amazing insights, this is the need of the hour.
Inir Pinhiero
Founder Grassroutes
India
Melanie van de Velde has inspired me with her evidence based work how to balance people, planet and profit. I love the key insight not to forget the GOOD profit drivers!
Robert van der Laan
PwC Corporate Responsibility Leader EMEA
The Netherlands
What I like the most is the IMPACT Wheel. Because with the IMPACT Wheel it all comes together.
It is a great tool to see what you can do in your business.
Gert Eilander
CEO Multiweld
Impact Chair Entrepreneurship Organisation
Europe
Dr van de Velde’s doctoral thesis is outstanding and a worthy winner of the Adam Smith Prize for PhD Excellence.
Dr Haugh
Director Social Innovation Research Centre
Cambridge University
UK
Reading the book is like having a cosy cup of tea with Mel as she shares her insights and expertise, gleaned from years of working on the front line of social and sustainable business and her academic research.
Thom Kenrick
Head of Social Strategy and Impact
NatWest Group
UK
This book is an absolute must read for everyone who wants to make their purpose count. To make the necessary step of 'doing good' to actually changing the world for the better.
Sandra Ballij
CEO Ctalents
The Netherlands
A timely and thought-provoking book packed with insightful examples that is relevant to all business people.
Sarah Deas
Trustee
Wellbeing Economy Alliance
Scotland
Melanie’s MPACT Wheel simplifies this immensely complex topic that we want to tackle together.
It really helped to structure our thinking and which areas of the wheel we want to focus on.
Jules Prick
Co-Founder Koos Service Design
The Netherlands
Van de Velde's key insights for successful impact strategies offer a concrete roadmap to break away from extrapolating the present and choosing wisely for a more vibrant and justice world.”
Eduardo Balarezo
Adjunct Professor
Founder Lonesome George & Co
United States
Melanie's IMPACT Wheel is a great tool we will be using for all projects in the future. I also love the case studies from around the world to trigger further ideas of what we can do here.
Daniela Jimenez Chavez
Head of Sustainability Menorca Inversiones
Peru
A Powerhouse in Sustainable Growth. So much so that I had to have Mel on my Forbes Books podcast to share her secrets.
David Radlo
Forbes Books
United States