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Videos

Dive in and enjoy some of our favourite talks from the Meaning back catalogue

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  • 2019 Talks
  • Purpose
  • Progressive economics
  • Future of work
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21:21 Rachel Lilley

Rachel Lilley

Mindful Blinkers & Biases

Rachel offered us an insight into the realities of human biases and decision-making. She called on us to consider the potential for mindfulness to create shared understanding and compassion in work, and in society. And she warned us to be wary of easy remedies that maintain a toxic status quo.

20:43 Agamemnon Otero

Agamemnon Otero

Repowering community

Community energy pioneer Agamemnon shows us how the best kind of change happens not when it is imposed upon us by powerful corporations or tech entrepreneurs – but when we all feel we have a stake in the innovations and projects that truly improve our cities and our world.

11:47 Brett Hennig

Brett Hennig

The End of Politicians

Brett explains how the practice of sortition – once favoured by the ancient Greeks and now demanded by the Extinction Rebellion movement – could revive the practice of government, by asking ordinary people, randomly selected, to make decisions on behalf of society.

24:26 Nilofer Merchant

Nilofer Merchant

Onlyness in action

Nilofer Merchant is a champion for the untapped potential lying wasted in organisations around the world. She believes passionately in the power each and every one of us has to help solve the challenges of our time. And she brought her own unique gifts to Meaning 2019 as our guide and host for a day of inspiration and discovery.

1:21 Anand Giridharadas

Anand Giridharadas

in conversation with Aditya Chakrabortty

In his book ‘Winners Take All’ Anand Giridharadas vilifies the billionaire philanthropists who set themselves up as champions of humanity while propping up the broken system that put them at its top. We invited him to Brighton for a special Meaning Spotlight event.

20:40 Jennifer Brandel

Jennifer Brandel

People powered journalism

In an ever-changing world, journalism as we know it is struggling to survive. At Meaning, entrepreneur and journalist Jennifer Brandel made a compelling case for a new approach to media creativity using an innovative model for audience-first journalism.

14:22 Erinch Sahan

Erinch Sahan

Fundamentally Fair

As chief executive of the World Fair Trade Organisation, Erinch brought to Meaning 2019 his passion and advocacy for fair trade – not just as a certification for products but as a way of operating collaboratively in business that supports communities, enables sustainability and creates prosperity.

22:45 Clare Farrell

Clare Farrell

Extinction Rebellion: ACT NOW!

Clare is an activist and campaigner devoting her creativity, her energy, and occasionally her personal liberty, to fight climate collapse. As a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion she is at the strategic heart of a mass movement of people using non-violent direct action in the firm belief that these are a proven way to create rapid change.

13:34 Miatta Fahnbulleh

Miatta Fahnbulleh

The Green New Deal

As chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, Miatta leads an organisation that is at the cutting edge of thinking on progressive economics and social policy. At Meaning she helped us understand how a Green New Deal can work in practice to create a more equitable and sustainable economy for all.

28:09 Armin Steuernagel

Armin Steuernagel

Rethinking Ownership

Armin is an investor on a mission: a mission to help companies protect themselves from the clutches of vulture capital. At Meaning he introduced us to the concept of steward ownership as a way to nurture a business’s growth without risking the integrity of its founding purpose.

21:57 Paul Mason

Paul Mason

A Clear Bright Future

Paul Mason returned to Meaning 2019 to help us explore what it means to be human in an age of algorithms and markets. He offered us a vision of ourselves as more than puppets, customers or cogs in a machine. An optimistic call to arms for the restoration of our collective humanity.

32:53 Maff Potts

Maff Potts

The Power of Friends & Purpose

Maff Potts believes the key to a happier and healthier society is friendship. That’s why he founded the Association of Camerados. And he came to Meaning to tell the very personal story and invite us all to become Camerados too.

19:49 Sarah McKinley

Sarah McKinley

Community Wealth Building

Sarah McKinley is part of the pioneering team that helped design ‘The Cleveland Model’ – a simple but radically transformative way for co-operative businesses to operate in partnership with public institutions as part of a healthy, resilient localised economy.

16:26 Bibi Bleekemolen

Bibi Bleekemolen

Fairphone

Not willing to accept the wasteful, unsustainable, unfair state of the consumer electronics industry, Fairphone decided to do things differently. Co-founder Bibi Bleekemolen shared their story at Meaning 2018.

18:25 Andrew Simms

Andrew Simms

Rapid transitions

Andrew is an author and campaigner with the powerful ability to not only communicate the scale of the challenges we face, but to embolden us to take the actions needed to urgently tackle climate breakdown.

20:31 Poppy Jaman

Poppy Jaman

Mental Health First Aid England

In a world where our working culture often takes a toll on the mental health of entrepreneurs and employees alike, Poppy Jaman shares the concept of mental health first aid, and what we can all do to take better care of each other.

21:07 Amy Whitaker

Amy Whitaker

Inventing Point B

Bridging the divide between the worlds of art and business, Amy asks us to think differently. She challenges us to approach big challenges with the mindset and methodology of artists, embracing the creativity the emerges from uncertainty.

56:47 Neil Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey

Skills for a human future at work

Neil is one of the founders of modern improvisational theatre, best known as co-creator of the Comedy Store Players. At Meaning 2018 Neil hosted an interactive session, using his brains, wit and charm to help us explore some tools and approaches for effective collaboration at work.

19:27 Aditya Chakrabortty

Aditya Chakrabortty

The alternatives

Aditya is a renowned journalist with a deep understanding of the world, its problems and the innovations taking place with the potential to improve lives. At Meaning 2018 he asked us consider how to fix a broken society and shared some alternatives.

15:21 Dan McQuillan

Dan McQuillan

Losing your voice

Dan’s deep understanding of science and technology is coupled with his acute awareness of humanity and society. At Meaning 2018 he asked us to consider the relationship between AI and our mental health.

35:00 Atif Choudhury

Atif Choudhury

Zaytoun

Atif is an entrepreneur who believes business and politics can, and should, mix. Using commerce as a tool to spread justice and fairness, Zaytoun is enabling isolated farmers in the occupied Palestinian territories to find an international market for their produce.

32:23 Marjolein Lips-Wiersma

Marjolein Lips-Wiersma

The struggle for meaning

Marjolein’s passion is understanding how academic research translates into practice, so that collectively people can create paid and unpaid meaningful work. At Meaning 2018 she helped us to see the difference between meaning and purpose.

20:52 Helen Taylor

Helen Taylor

Forest Green Rovers FC

Helen Taylor is ambassador for the world’s greenest football club. Working within an established and traditional culture, Helen shows what happens when organisations can find the bravery to take a stand for what they believe.

19:35 Lani Morris

Lani Morris

The Map of Meaning

Lani Morris has spent her life and career helping people find the ability to take control of their lives. At Meaning 2018 she was guide in the use of The Map of Meaning as an important tool to aid our quest for meaning.

3:53 Meaning

Meaning

Inside the conference

Discover how it feels to be part of this very special gathering of thinkers and do-ers. Hear from the people who come together to make Meaning what it is.

8:25 Mark Stevenson

Mark Stevenson

Opening remarks

Mark brought his energetic approach to the whole of Meaning 2017 as our guest director and host. In his opening talk he sets out his hopes for a day full of conviction, optimism, purpose and connection.

6:08 Zoë Svendsen

Zoë Svendsen

WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE MAY BE

Theatre-maker Zoë Svendsen invites us to participate in a work in progress – exploring how future systems will enable us to live and work through climate change.

26:50 Kate Raworth

Kate Raworth

Doughnut Economics

Kate argues that we must find smarter ways to do business. Her ‘Doughnut Economics’ offers a way to think differently about our planet, our people and our priorities.

26:40 Kate Beecroft

Kate Beecroft

Doing business in community

Kate Beecroft shows us how the dream of a collaborative workplace can be empowered by some innovative thinking and practical tools for smart decision-making.

17:41 Kyra Maya Phillips

Kyra Maya Phillips

The Misfit Economy

Boldest business innovators aren’t just found in corporate boardrooms or funky tech start-ups, but in street markets, prisons and refugee camps. Welcome to The Misfit Economy.

12:23 Jurriën Mentink

Jurriën Mentink

Intergenerational living

Jurriën lives at Humanitas – a community young people contribute their time and attention for the benefit of their old neighbours and companions.

42:14 Margaret Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley

Islands of sanity

Margaret Wheatley – an authority on systems thinking – shares her vision of the kind of leadership we need in order to survive these turbulent times.

25:41 Vickie Hawkins

Vickie Hawkins

Neutrality, impartiality & independence

Thriving in conditions of extreme disruption and uncertainty, Médecins Sans Frontières is truly remarkable. Vickie Hawkins shares with us an insight into MSF’s role in the world.

35:12 Vinay Gupta

Vinay Gupta

The Internet of Agreements

Vinay is one of the world’s leading thinkers on global systems risk. He shares his thinking on the blockchain and its potential to radically alter world bureaucracy for the better.

33:30 Carl Jarvis

Carl Jarvis

Challenging the norm

Carl brings powerful lessons from the education sector, based on a deep understanding of how teams learn and work.

36:21 Ynzo van Zanten

Ynzo van Zanten

Chocolate with purpose

Ynzo tells the remarkable story of Tony’s Chocolonely, founded to radically change the way we think about chocolate and the people whose labour brings it to our shelves.

26:58 Mark Stevenson

Mark Stevenson

The 8 principles of successful optimists

Mark is the visionary evangelist for the future who brought his energetic approach to the whole of Meaning 2017. In this his closing talk he guides us through the 8 principles of successful optimists.

16:05 Paul Mason

Paul Mason

PostCapitalism

Paul addresses the ideas set out in his book ‘PostCapitalism – a guide to our future’. He argues that our economic system needs radically rethinking in this information age.

13:16 Jo Berry

Jo Berry

The disarming power of empathy

Jo shares her deep and powerful insight into the true nature of empathy – and her meetings with Patrick Magee – the man whose actions killed her father.

20:31 Juliet Davenport

Juliet Davenport

How to run an innovative business that does good

Juliet’s business Good Energy is subverting the conventional giants of the energy sector. She describes her journey from physicist to activist entrepreneur.

13:46 Oliver Maxwell

Oliver Maxwell

Pleasure, partnerships and productivity

Oliver explains why he set up a beekeeping venture on the rooftops of Copenhagen, creating value, purpose, jobs – and delicious honey.

21:24 Felix Weth

Felix Weth

Platform cooperativism

Felix is founder of platform co-op Fairmondo: a connected marketplace where technology, power and profit belong to its users, not to the big online monopolies.

09:59 James Johnston

James Johnston

Democratising energy

James explains his disruptive, democratic approach to energy. As founder of Open Utility, he shows how technology brings transparency and opportunity to the industry.

16:11 Frances Coppola

Frances Coppola

The future of work and why we need a basic income

Frances takes a deeper look at the concept of basic universal income, arguing that we must reinvent the very idea of work if we are to allow everyone to fulfil their potential.

20:08 Hilary Jones

Hilary Jones

Ethical is the new normal

Hilary Jones lifts the lid on cosmetics company Lush, showing us how a firm ethical vision has shaped the development, practices and policies of this growing brand.

18:50 Paul Green Jr

Paul Green Jr

Organisations as social technology

Paul provides a unique insight into self-management at US tomato-processing company Morning Star, where colleagues work together without the need for hierarchy.

19:41 Dave Birch

Dave Birch

The blockchain and ambient accountability

Dave Birch examines the role of blockchain in building the future of business. Can we rethink the mechanisms and conventions of the global economy?

12.48 Clare Patey

Clare Patey

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

Artist and curator Clare Patey uses participative artworks to show how the transformative power of empathy enriches our society, shifts mindsets and affects global issues.

11:46 Paul Mason

Paul Mason

What will you do?

Summing up after the rousing talks and bold ideas of Meaning 2016, Paul asks what we – what you – will do to make a difference in our ever-changing world.

1:01:34 2016 panel discussion

2016 panel discussion

21st century leadership

Chaired by Paul Mason, a panel drawn from politics, business and social affairs discusses the idea of leadership, and what it means in the 21st century.

25:10 Marcus Coates

Marcus Coates

Unconscious reasoning

Marcus creates performance art that evokes shamanism and animal spirits. He invites us to recognise the power of our subconscious mind to solve problems.

22:18 Julia Rebholz

Julia Rebholz

A purposeful journey

Julia believes the energy industry needs to innovate. She argues that we should support the entrepreneurs bold enough to think differently about sustainability.

24:36 Jos de Blok

Jos de Blok

Organisation without management

Jos is founder of Dutch healthcare organisation Buurtzorg, where autonomous teams of nurses work free from the constraints of management structure.

21:02 James Vaccaro

James Vaccaro

Re-imagining banking

James Vacarro of Triodos Bank helps us look at the world’s challenges from the perspective of sustainable banking. How do we invest for good?

24:06 Jaideep Prabhu

Jaideep Prabhu

Frugal Innovation

Jaideep gives us a refreshing view of innovation, demonstrating how working with fewer resources can lead to smarter results. Welcome to ‘Jugaad’ innovation.

23:39 Jackie Lynton

Jackie Lynton

Harnessing community

Jackie tells us about the dramatic change that can be created when motivated people are empowered and motivated to work together as a real community.

19:29 Annette Mees

Annette Mees

The Almanac Of The Future

Annette tells us about the Almanac of the Future – bringing together young and old people to map our own futures independently of governments of brands.

41:42 2015 panel discussion

2015 panel discussion

Where does power belong in the organisations of the future?

Who holds the power in the companies and organisations that seek to be part of a better world? Our panel of experts and business leaders takes a look.

1:13:33 Joel and Michelle Levey

Joel and Michelle Levey

Experiencing mind-fitness workshop

Joel and Michelle Levey run an experiential workshop to help us more deeply understand how the practice of mindfulness helps us cope with our complex, challenging world.

12:10 Sun Tui

Sun Tui

Horse powered learning

Sun Tui sheds light on her life-changing work, and what we as humans can learn from horses about communication, respect and leadership.

19:17 Stefania Druga

Stefania Druga

Making change

Stefania shows us how the innovation and collaboration engendered by maker culture is enabling grass-roots problem-solving in developing countries.

33:29 Neil Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey

Improvising business

Neil explains how ‘improv’ has grown from its educational roots into a powerful form of comedy that is now being used in business to foster trust and collaboration.

24:42 Miriam Turner

Miriam Turner

Co-innovation for sustainability

Miriam Turner helps us see how businesses can adopt the principles of the circular economy – extending the lifespan of raw materials through designed reuse.

26:00 Joel and Michelle Levey

Joel and Michelle Levey

Resilience through complexity

Joel and Michelle invite us to embrace the complexity of our world and use mindfulness to promote leadership, change resilience and collective intelligence.

16:37 Lauri Feinsod

Lauri Feinsod

At lifening speed

Lauri tells the remarkable personal story of how she found herself needing to press life’s reset button. For her, success and consciousness go hand in hand.

22:58 Ben Dyson

Ben Dyson

Positive Money

Ben explains why he founded Positive Money, a campaign for a banking system that works for society. He challenges us to imagine a truly sustainable system.

11:44 Alexander Kjerulf

Alexander Kjerulf

How to be a workplace rebel

World-renowned happiness-at-work expert Alexander calls for a movement of workplace rebels willing to embrace their principles and stand up for what is right.

08:56 Iain Chambers

Iain Chambers

The story of Exeter Street Hall

Two years after appealing for help, Iain tells us how a community with drive and vision has come together to create something very special in Brighton.

23:18 Mark Stevenson

Mark Stevenson

An optimist on tour

Mark examines how emerging technologies will disrupt and transform the future of geo-politics, industries, organisations, careers, and life as we know it.

25:01 Dr Sue Black

Dr Sue Black

Technology for change

Sue Black knows that access to technology needs to be fair and equitable. So her ‘TechMums’ project takes up the challenge of equipping everyone with the skills they need.

26:13 Dave Birch

Dave Birch

The future of money

A thought-leader in financial technology, Dave gives us an entertaining tour of money: what is does, how we use it and how it is evolving in our ever-changing world.

30:53 Mikel Lezamiz

Mikel Lezamiz

Cooperative working

How do employee-owned businesses manage to grow and thrive in a troubled economy? Mikel tells us the story of MONDRAGON, its people and its success.

26:40 Anne-Marie Huby

Anne-Marie Huby

Reinventing charitable giving

As founder ofJustGiving, Anne-Marie Huby tells us how innovation can disrupt all kinds of services, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and charities alike.

25:14 Rick Falkvinge

Rick Falkvinge

How to start a revolution

Founder of the Swedish Pirate Party, Rick Falkvinge inspires us with a story of how firm conviction, strong networks and a little technology can change the world.

32:37 Lee Bryant

Lee Bryant

21st century business and leadership

Lee’s command of business, technology and international relations has given him a vision of how we should work and lead. He shares it with us.

22:41 Mary Alice Arthur

Mary Alice Arthur

The power of stories

Mary Alice shares with us her belief in the power of stories to build connections, share meaning and understand each other’s purpose.

22:55 James Watt

James Watt

A different kind of business

Punk brewer James tells the story of how he co-founded BrewDog, who – with a big vision and a load of passion – overturned an entire industry to become Scotland’s biggest brewer.

26:27 Umair Haque

Umair Haque

The future of capitalism

Rogue economist Umair Haque suggests to us that capitalism is broken. It is no longer fit for purpose. So where do we go from here?

24:41 Honor Harger

Honor Harger

Seeing in the dark

Artist Honor Harger takes us on a creative journey where technology, infrastructure and human beings are combined to create a vision of the future.

31:54 Stowe Boyd

Stowe Boyd

Imagining the post-normal business

Stowe is one of the big thinkers in the world of innovative business. His research and insights helps us see how the near-future of business could actually look.

23:36 Caroline Lucas

Caroline Lucas

When is enough enough?

As the UK’s only Green Party MP, Caroline fights for better ways to live and work, arguing that our traditional ideas of economic growth have become a distraction.

22:19 David Hieatt

David Hieatt

Purpose in action

David Hieatt believes in quality. With a single-minded focus, he has built companies, manufactured products, created employment and rebuilt the livelihood and well-being of a town.

28:18 Indy Johar

Indy Johar

The future of capitalism

Beginning what has become a strong future-focussed theme among Meaning speakers, Indy asks us to imagine what the future of life and work may hold.

25:41 Karen Pine

Karen Pine

Do Something Different

Karen Pine shares with us her work on how we achieve significant personal growth not by changing what we think, but what we do. Hear the stories of the people she’s helped.

29:56 Alex Kjerulf

Alex Kjerulf

Happiness at work

Meaning’s first brush with renowned happiness evangelist Alex Kjerulf. What does happiness at work really look like and feel like? How can you be happier?

28:13 Pam Warhurst

Pam Warhurst

The power of small actions

Pam Warhurst likes to shake things up. She tells her story of seized opportunities, healthy communities and working quickly with great impact.

24:28 Margaret Elliot

Margaret Elliot

Mutuality Forever

Margaret Elliot believes we should do the right thing by one another – not just in our daily actions, but in the way we create, own and run businesses.

28:29 Vinay Gupta

Vinay Gupta

Plausible Utopias

What does the future hold? Will it be brutal and volatile, or intelligent and full of goodness? Vinay considers all the possibilities as he opens our minds to uncertainty.

17:01 Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez

A collaborative future

Does email hold us back? Can we find smarter processes that improve our communication, enable our work and keep us happier and healthier? Meet the man who gave up email.

03:42 Iain Chambers

Iain Chambers

Finding meaning in unexpected places

Brighton community leader Iain Chambers took a stand at Meaning 2012, feeling the goodwill in the room giving him inspiration on his quest to save a community venue.

18:25 Andrew Simms

Andrew Simms

Rapid transitions

Andrew is a journalist and author with the powerful ability to not only communicate the scale of the challenges we face, but to embolden us to take the actions needed to create a more positive future.

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