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Marshall Ganz is a senior lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and one of the leading thinkers on leadership as collective action.

He began his career as a grassroots organizer during the civil rights era, working with Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and later with the United Farm Workers, where he helped build organizing capacity among farmworkers. That field experience became the foundation for his lifelong focus on leadership, organizing, and social movements.

Ganz later transitioned into academia, where he developed frameworks that bridge practice and theory. He is best known for his work on public narrative, organizing strategy, and leadership development through action. His teaching and research emphasize how leaders mobilize others by linking values to action, building relationships, and creating structures that enable collective effort.

He also played a key role in organizing the grassroots structure of the Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign, demonstrating how his principles could scale in a national political context.

His work continues to influence leaders across sectors, including politics, nonprofits, and increasingly, corporate environments.

A Couple of Quotes From This Episode

• “It’s not enough to have virtuous people. We have to have virtuous institutions.”
• “Leadership is about accepting responsibility for enabling others to achieve shared purpose under conditions of uncertainty.”

Resources

• Book: People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal by Ganz
• Book: Dopamine Nation by Lembke

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Attend The Global Conference in Toronto, October 28-31.

About Scott J. Allen

• Website
• Weekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for Leaders

My Approach to Hosting

• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

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