What if the world's biggest problems required leading across sectors you don't control?

In this episode of Humanity at Scale, host Bruce Temkin welcomes Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, about leading without authority in a divided world. They explore servant leadership, managing systemic tensions instead of chasing quick fixes, and aligning government, markets, and civil society around shared purpose. Reckford shares why clarity is kindness, how faith-driven values scale globally, and why the most powerful leaders focus on being useful rather than powerful.

Here are some of the topics that Bruce and Jonathan explore:

How to Lead Through Influence Over Authority
The "Problems vs. Tensions" Framework
Why Clear Communication is Actually an Act of Kindness
The Potluck Supper Model for Inclusive Leadership.
How Purpose Becomes Your Foundation in a Storm
The Multi-Sector Bridge-Builder's Role

Jonathan Reckford is CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, a global Christian housing organisation that has helped more than 59 million people build, rehabilitate or preserve their homes. Since 2005, he has expanded Habitat’s reach across all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 countries, growing annual impact from 125,000 to nearly 13.4 million people. A UNC Morehead Scholar and Stanford MBA, he previously held leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Marriott, Disney, and Best Buy, and is the author of Our Better Angels.

Episode Resources:

Jonathan Reckford on LinkedIn
Habitat for Humanity International Website
Bruce Temkin on LinkedIn
Humanity at Scale on Apple Podcasts
Humanity at Scale on Spotify
Humanity at Scale on YouTube

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