A Steward of the Future: John Muir
September 2022 Leadership Inspiration
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” – John Muir
Have you ever visited a National Park?
If so, then you’ve encountered the work of John Muir, whether you knew it or not!
For this month’s leadership inspiration, we’re diving into the philosophies and accomplishments of the man known as “The Father of National Parks.” John Muir was an explorer, naturalist, conservationist, inventor, and writer. He made a significant impact on the American landscape through his love for nature and ability to galvanize diverse groups of people toward a common goal. At the age of eleven, Muir emigrated with his family from the small coastal town of Dunbar, Scotland to the mountainous farmland of Portage, Wisconsin. As a young boy, he diligently worked the fields with his father, but used any opportunity to venture into the flourishing woods nearby with his brother. It is during this time that Muir developed a loving connection to the natural world. As a young man, Muir dropped out of college to travel and explore. His writing career took off as he recounted his journeys and shared his naturalist ideologies. His passion for the land and eloquent way with words reached notable readers, including major political leaders such as President Theodore Roosevelt.
Muir used his talent to remind people of their interconnection with nature, bringing awareness to the value of land beyond its usage as a resource for human commerce. Unlike popular conservationists at the time, he believed that true preservation of nature meant having a deep understanding of its spiritual and transcendent qualities: he wrote of the wilderness as a “place for rest, inspiration, and prayers.”
Moved by his messaging and inspired by his innovation management, people in power extended a helping hand in his land stewardship efforts. Muir’s activism, along with support from well-known scholars, writers, publicists, and congressmen, directly led to the shift of consciousness about land use during the rapid industrialization of our economy.
In 1892, he co-founded the Sierra Club to continue the work of preserving our national parks and wilderness. Today, the Sierra Club has 3.8 million members and remains the United States’ oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization.Muir's activism is known worldwide, but his impact would not have been as great without the help of others. He knew he needed partnership to achieve the higher mission—while he could have tried to take on all the responsibility himself, that would have only limited the potential of his goals.
We draw inspiration from Muir’s philosophy and activism, both as a B Corporation and in our consulting business services. As a proud B Corporation, we always aim to use business as a force for good, acting with the understanding that we’re dependent upon one another, responsible for each other, and accountable to future generations. Together, alongside a like-minded ensemble of businesses, we’re working toward a brighter future and a global economic system that benefits all people—and the planet.
Similarly, our leadership training program helps leaders and entire organizations develop interconnected approaches to the workplace. Business challenges can be tackled as a healthy, connected group, ready to break down barriers to problems and innovate collective solutions. Sharing leadership helps take the pressure off individuals and can even improve productivity overall.
Ready to put rubber to the road?
Check out these articles to put your inspiration into action, starting right now:
If you’re looking for a helping hand to steward you through learning how to share leadership, power, responsibility, and meaning, learn more about our executive coaching services and leadership development training. And we encourage you to take a walk in nature this week!