“What if we believe that what really makes us thrive as human beings, what makes us human beings, is our civility, and that we commit to it from a level of fierceness. That in the face of bullying, in the face of an error in the world system now, where people are rewarded for being nasty to each other and trying to take each other down, we stand fierce in our civility.” Joe Weston
Join me and my guest, Joe Weston, for an important conversation about what it means to be fiercely civil and why it’s so important and necessary in today’s world.
Our conversation spans from how meditation, martial arts, Taoist practices, and diverse traditions have informed and shaped the work Joe does with individuals, corporations, governments, and NGOs to how his teachings of respectful confrontation and fierce civility give us tools to transcend our biological, cultural, and tribal impulses of survival that lead to separation. Joe leads us to a discovery of strategies for releasing the gridlock caused by extreme polarization, thus enabling us to shift effectively to bridging and alliance-building, and find new solutions even in the most unlikely places and in times of turmoil.
Joe founded the Fierce Civility Project in 2020 to create a vehicle for those looking to take their innovative, passionate visions and ideas for a better, more equitable and sustainable world, and turn them into practical action.
Joe Weston Biography
Joe Weston is an author, speaker, facilitator, and advocate for peace, whose work is rooted in resilience, compassion, and fierce accountability. With more than 30 years of international experience in conflict prevention, leadership development, stress management, and communication, Joe is the founder of The Weston Network and The Fierce Civility Project, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to healing divides and revitalizing civic engagement.
His clients span the globe and include organizations such as NASA, the World Bank, Oxfam, The United Nations, the National Cancer Institute, and Mitsubishi Motors. Joe’s teachings are informed by his lifelong commitment to service and transformation,
including his past work with veterans, inmates, and individuals in high-stakes leadership roles. He previously served as an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s Program of Conflict Resolution and continues to offer trainings worldwide.
His most recent book, Fierce Civility: Transforming Our Global Culture from Polarization to Lasting Peace, was published in English and Italian and has become an Amazon bestseller in 14 categories. He is currently expanding his work across Europe, including recent events and workshops in Italy such as the University of Pisa’s Masters in Scalability and collaborations with leadership networks, NGOs, and corporate leaders.
Now living between the U.S. and Europe, Joe continues to travel widely as a speaker and guide for those committed to creating a world rooted in courage, connection, and fierce compassion.
Links
https://joeweston.com/
A Cure for Chronic Niceness | Joe Weston | TEDxYoungstown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EmbwYM8qus
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-weston-a6327931/
https://www.instagram.com/fiercecivility/
https://www.facebook.com/joewestonauthor
https://www.youtube.com/@westonnetwork217
https://joeweston.com/weston-network/
Buy the book:
https://joeweston.com/books/
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Podcast Producer: Andrew Niklas Curtis
Production Intern: Jasmine Kim
Recorded via Zoom, Post-production: Lorenzo Maiani, FaMinore Studio
