Amanda Hall is an alumna of the Leadership Calgary program. She is one of six finalists competing for a million-dollar Women in Cleantech prize.

1. What are the most significant engagements in your life, and why are they meaningful?

Balance is important, and so the most significant engagements in my life are spread out between my family/friends, my company, my health and my learning. I think that spending quality time every day on all four of these is very important. They are meaningful because I know that when I invest time and energy into each one, I am rewarded with an abundance of love/support, inspiration, growth and new tools of wisdom in return. Learning and growing is a collaborative effort.

2. What resources (books/ films) have been most influential for you? In what ways?

The books and films which have impacted me the most are Mistakes Were Made but Not by Me, by Carol Tavris as I explored the concept of my own cognitive dissonance and biases, A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright as I discovered the potential for “progress” to lead to catastrophe, Damned Nations by Samantha Nutt as I marvelled at the power behind the brave actions of one small woman, and Innovation and Its Enemies as I tried to build a company and comprehend the counter-venture forces I was facing. These books (along with many others) massively contributed to my ability to examine myself and external situations and to make sense out of the world I live in.

3. What influence has your learning with Human Venture Leadership had on you?

I honestly can’t imagine where my life would have gone without my involvement in Human Venture Leadership. It has shaped the mother I am, the friend I am, the CEO I am and my complete worldview. It has changed the way I do business and the way I understand people. It has guided my decision making and fueled the fire in my belly to help change the world to be a better place for future generations. I am proud to be a Human Venture Leader and I am grateful for the patient teaching and strong guidance provided by this program.

4. What have you learned about the kind of leadership the world needs?

Today’s leaders need to be educated by history and understand their own limitations as individuals. They therefore need to collaborate, gathering collective wisdom from a broad range of people and places. They need to both seek and represent the truth at all costs. They need to stand up fearlessly to biases, racism, sexism and corporate bullies, with decision making that aligns with life. Today’s leaders have a very important roll to play in the very survival of our species.

 
5. What are your hopes for the future?  

I hope to see a rapid clean energy transition, with wisdom around the way we source materials for energy storage and transfer. I want to see the excessive abundance of education, food, medicine and clean water spread generously to all people in all countries. I hope that in the future people care more about sustaining healthy relationships and protecting the planet than accumulating “stuff” and entertaining themselves. We are a smart species – so let’s live up to the full capacity of our collective understanding, growth and abilities.