Moms Demand Action Founder on What It Takes to Lead Change

Whether you're a manager trying to move your organization in a new direction, an entrepreneur seeking to fix a consumer pain point, or a non-profit leader working to improve society, it can be hard to turn your and others' passion for a cause into meaningful change. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy group, shares how she channeled her anger over U.S. school shootings into an organization with more than 10 million supporters and a string of policy victories. She explains how to know when your desires, values, and skills align to tackle a challenge, how to build a coalition, and how to keep people motivated, Watts is the author of the book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age.

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Episode 1032

Moms Demand Action Founder on What It Takes to Lead Change

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A conversation with the founder of gun safety group Moms Demand Action about driving change.

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June 24, 2025

Whether you’re a manager trying to move your organization in a new direction, an entrepreneur seeking to fix a consumer pain point, or a non-profit leader working to improve society, it can be hard to turn your and others’ passion for a cause into meaningful change. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy group, shares how she channeled her anger over U.S. school shootings into an organization with more than 10 million supporters and a string of policy victories. She explains how to know when your desires, values, and skills align to tackle a challenge, how to build a coalition, and how to keep people motivated. Watts is the author of the book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age.

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Related Topics:

• Emotional intelligence

• Leading teams

• Nonprofit organizations

• Motivating people

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