【HBR】Moms Demand Action Founder on What It Takes to Lead Change

https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/06/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.

• entrepreneur

  • She decided to become an entrepreneur after years of working for large corporations.
  • The young entrepreneur is passionate about bringing innovative ideas to market.
  • Businessperson : A businessperson looks for opportunities to expand their operations internationally.
  • Founder : The founder of the company played a crucial role in its initial growth and success.
  • Tycoon : The media tycoon owns several television stations and newspapers. （这位媒体大亨拥有几家电视台和报纸。）

• advocacy

  • Her advocacy for environmental protection has inspired many people to take action.
  • The campaign is aimed at the promotion of gender equality in the workplace.（此活动旨在促进工作场所中的性别平等）
  • Championship : He is known for his championship of minority rights.（他因拥护少数群体权利而闻名。）

• Coalition

  • The political parties formed a coalition to contest the election. （各政党组成了一个联盟来参加选举）
  • The international community supported the formation of a broad coalition to address climate change.
  • The local businesses have created a coalition to promote economic development in the region.
  • Alliance : The two countries entered into an alliance for mutual defense.（这两个国家结成了同盟进行相互防御）
  • Partnership : They established a partnership to work on renewable energy projects.
  • Federation : The sports clubs decided to form a federation to better coordinate their activities.
  • League : He joined a local football league.
  • Union : The teachers formed a union to protect their rights.

• align

  • When designing a webpage, it’s important to have all elements align properly.（在设计网页时，确保所有元素都对齐是非常重要的。）
  • line up : Please line up and enter the auditorium in order. （请排队并按顺序进入礼堂。 ）
  • arrange : We need to arrange the furniture to better utilize the space. （我们需要安排一下家具的位置，以便更好地利用空间。 ）
  • coordinate : Team members must closely coordinate to complete the project.（为了完成项目，团队成员必须紧密协作。 ）

• coordinate

  • We need to better coordinate our work.
  • Synchronize : All devices need to synchronize to ensure data consistency.（所有设备都需要同步以确保数据的一致性。 ）
  • Harmonize : We should strive to harmonize the new policy with existing regulations.（我们应该努力使新政策与现有法规相协调。 ）
  • Collaborate : Team members must closely collaborate to complete the project.（为了完成项目，团队成员必须紧密合作。 ）

• tackle

  • We need to tackle this problem as soon as possible.（我们需要尽快着手解决这个问题。）
  • The player successfully tackled an opponent during the game.（那个球员在比赛中成功地将对方球员扑倒了。）
  • Address : We need to find ways to address this issue. （我们需要找到方法来解决这个问题。）
  • Handle : She is good at handling emergencies. （她很擅长处理紧急情况。）
  • Confront : We must bravely confront the challenges.（我们必须勇敢地面对挑战。）

• motivated

  • In order to keep the team motivated, the manager decided to implement a reward system.（为了保持团队的积极性，经理决定实施奖励制度。）
  • Driven : He is a driven person who is always striving for higher achievements.
  • Inspired : Inspired by yesterday’s speaker, she now feels full of hope for her future.
  • Ambitious : His ambitious nature has led him to achieve great success in his career.