How Do Own An Idea or a Concept? This episode looks at how great writing can influence and inspire, by owning phrases and concepts. The lens that we'll be looking at this question through is Naomi Klein's Hot Money - book 2 of Penguin's Green Ideas Series, as part of my reading challenge to do 20 books in 20 days. Naomi Klein is not everyone's cup of tea, but she's a great writer who challenges us to think differently about branding, capitalism and climate change. This episode contains a short book review but it is really a storytelling masterclass for anyone who wants to influence an audience with their words and ideas. EPISODE LINKS Naomi Klein's bio [WIKIPEDIA]Naomi's websitePenguin's Green Ideas series EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Today’s episode is about someone you might have heard of but might not always agree with. And that’s a good thing. Naomi Klein is one of the most influential and provocative writers of our time. She’s the author of multiple international bestsellers, including No Logo, The Shock Doctrine, and This Changes Everything. I met her in 2019 at the book launch of On Fire. Her books that have shaped conversations around branding, capitalism, and climate for over two decades. It's not just her activism or her politics which make her relevant - it’s her ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity, urgency, and emotional power. As I’m on day 2 of my 20 day reading challenge, Naomi’s book Hot Money (one of Penguin’s Green Ideas books). It’s is a short, sharp meditation on the intersection of climate crisis and capitalism - particularly the role of global finance in driving environmental destruction. One of her core ideas is that money - especially financial capital - moves fast, while the impacts it causes (like climate damage, inequality, or social unrest) move slowly and are often invisible until it’s too late. “Capital has always moved faster than the consequences it creates.” --- Reading the book took me down a bit of a foxhole. Did you know - “In 2015, Naomi was invited to the Vatican yes, the actual Vatican by Pope Francis to help shape the Church’s message on climate change. A secular Jewish feminist known for challenging global capitalism… advising the Pope. That’s the power of her voice. She was there because, as the Pope’s advisors said, she could say things they couldn’t. She speaks truth to power and power listens.” Hot Money is connected to her a previous book about the climate crisis On Fire. Here’s a short clip of Naomi talking about it [NAOMI CLIP] Naomi’s is provocative and disruptive. She has this extraordinary ability to zoom out, spot patterns, and connect the dots between economics, politics, culture, and climate. Her work isn’t just about protest - it’s about understanding power, narrative, and the choices we make when confronted with crisis. She writes and speaks with conviction but also with deep research, rich metaphors, and a compelling rhythm that draws you in, even when the subject matter is uncomfortable. I think Naomi is also a great writer because she follows the friction. She doesn’t write what’s trending she writes where it hurts. She connects dots others miss, because she’s a systems thinker. She doesn’t treat problems as isolated events. Her writing is a form of investigative storytelling, showing how large, complex systems impact everyday lives. And that’s the thing isn’t it… Great storytelling is about pattern recognition. If you can help people make sense of the chaos by revealing structure, context, or long-term consequences you create clarity, and with clarity comes trust. And even when she’s tackling complex, structural issues, she blends head and heart – and doesn’t lecture - using stories to humanise data and values to sharpen strategy. The lesson here for business leaders who want to inspire is that we must lead with values, not just metrics. In an age of reputational risk, rising expectations, and constant transformation, it’s vital to engage with perspectives that push us out of our echo chambers and into more meaningful dialogue. People don’t follow spreadsheets - they follow stories. -- So – to Book #2. Hot Money is a compact but powerful read. Took me about 75 minutes. Each of the three stories call you to think bigger, and leverage whatever influence you have to make a difference. 1. Hot Money: How free market fundamentalism helped overheat the planet The first story critiques how capitalism prioritises speed, short-term profit, and the free movement of capital without accounting for long-term environmental consequences. 2. In Public and Paid For: Overcoming the ideological blocks to the next economy - Naomi argues that the path to a livable future demands bold public-sector leadership and collective action. My takeaway was that we need new stories about the role of business in society. If you’re shaping ...
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