In Defense of the Policy Entrepreneur: Creating Positive Impact in a Disrupted and Polarized World

Accelerate your real-world, social impact by driving systemic policy changes

As Co-Founder of Global Citizen--an international education and advocacy organization with the mission to end extreme poverty worldwide--Michael Sheldrick has worked with governments, businesses, foundations, the artist community, and everyday citizens to distribute over ＄40 billion around the world over the past decade. Now, in From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, he delivers an inspiring and insightful discussion on how to implement social impact by driving policy change.

This book reveals key characteristics of successful policy entrepreneurs - visionaries bridging the gap between promises and real-world outcomes. They are practical implementers who put impact first, resisting the urge to pursue the instant dopamine boost that comes from simply winning arguments at all costs. They are connectors and networkers who build diverse coalitions and broker win-win solutions to address our current implementation crisis.

An indispensable guide for individual changemakers, philanthropists, corporate social responsibility (CSR) practitioners, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) professionals, policymakers, corporate foundations, and higher education students, From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, features:

• An overview of pressing challenges to avoid, including an obsession with winning arguments at the expense of results, demands for unwavering tribal loyalty, and a counterproductive aversion to negotiation.
• An eight-step playbook offering tools to master policy entrepreneurship, foster cooperation, build bridges, and drive policy implementation beyond stagnation, conflict, and polarization.
• Diverse policy entrepreneurs and examples spanning historical movements like the Transatlantic Slave Trade and FDR’s New Deal to contemporary battles for climate justice, coal community transitions, and grassroots gender equality efforts.

At its core, this uplifting book instills hope that change is achievable despite our divisions. It showcases how individuals at all levels pursue systemic policy change through united voices, cooperation, and solidarity. Sheldrick equips readers with the tools to craft impactful narratives that can inspire countless more success stories, reinforcing the idea that we are not prisoners of fate and that actual change begins with us.

MICHAEL SHELDRICK is a policy entrepreneur and a driving force behind the advocacy efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization’s campaigns to mobilize support from governments, businesses, and foundations. These initiatives have reached millions of people in over 150 countries and secured over ＄40 billion in support for local and regional organizations working to provide access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience. A sought-after speaker and author on policy advocacy, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, Michael has shared his insights at conferences and summits worldwide. His insights have been featured in leading outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Hill, Nikkei and Fairfax Media, and his voice heard on major news networks such as ABC, BBC, CNN, France 34, and Sky News.