Rebroadcast • Communications to Bridge Divides

Michael Gordon Voss is publisher at Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), and in this week’s rebroadcast from Season 6, the conversation is all about trust.

See, Micheal has spent the last few decades building relationships of trust between his publications and his reading public. That experience has made him an expert in a few key areas we're eager to explore this week. What is the role of curation when it comes to using news and information in building and maintaining trust with your audience? How does the broader social sharing economy impact our ability to impact change? What is the value of a publication in an information economy that is so challenged for trust between publisher and reader right? We explore those areas and more this week.

A little about Michael: before joining SSIR, Michael was Vice President, Associate Publisher, Business Development & Marketing for Scientific American, based in New York City, where he drove commercial marketing and brand strategy, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and new product development. His career in digital and traditional media has spanned nearly two decades and a wide array of titles and companies, including Newsweek, Meredith Corporation, and George magazine.

Over the course of the show, we make reference to a few stories that make for appropriate follow-up from the pages of SSIR.

• "Change is Worth the Risk" by Mauricio Miller
• "The Four Principles of Purpose-Driven Board Leadership" by Anne Wallestad
• "The Next 10 Years of Impact Investment" by Yasemin Saltuk Lamy, Christina Leijonhufvud & Nick O'Donohoe
• "Coming Together from a Place of Strength, Not Weakness" by Carrie Fox

If you've never had the opportunity to hear from Michael directly, we're honored and thrilled to bring him to you this week. His work is the foundation for thought-provoking exploration for our growth as communicators while guiding organizations to move their missions forward. Our great thanks to Michael for joining us this week on the show.

• (00:00) - We're on a break!
• (00:42) - Sponsor: Unit Of Impact – Promo Code EARLYBIRD2024
• (01:23) - Welcome to Mission Forward
• (02:58) - Introducing Michael Gordon Voss
• (08:50) - Understanding Social Innovation
• (11:42) - Weighing in on "Expertise"
• (14:38) - Innovation Across Communities
• (21:32) - Communications Challenges
• (27:21) - Measuring Impact
• (32:17) - Finding Hope
• (36:14) - Learn More
• (37:38) - Special Interview: Unit of Impact

What is Mission Forward with Carrie Fox?

Mission Forward: An award-winning podcast for communicators on a mission.

Hosted by social impact expert and B Corp leader Carrie Fox, each episode of Mission Forward explores the power of communications. With just the right mix of practical and thought-provoking content, we take on the issues that matter to you, and that support your work as a communicator for change.

Together, we talk through topics that you’re likely experiencing right now: from how to tackle tough conversations; to how to best challenge stereotypes; to how we can build bridges across the issues that divide us. If you’re working to become a more inclusive and thoughtful communicator, there’s nothing holding you back—except you.

About Season 11

What does it mean to stand at the threshold of change? To face a door that is both closing and opening at the same time? In Season 11 of Mission Forward, Carrie Fox invites us into that liminal space—the sacred and often unsettling pause between hello and goodbye. It is here, in the transitions, where the most important work of leadership—and of life—often takes place.

This season, you’ll meet people who have walked away from stability in pursuit of something more true. You’ll hear from those who said yes before they were ready, and in doing so, discovered new strength. And you’ll learn from leaders who chose to stay rooted, practicing presence and commitment in a culture that prizes constant movement.

These are stories not just about change, but about how we communicate through it—about the clarity, courage, and care required when our words and actions mark turning points. Because goodbyes are never just endings. Hellos are never just beginnings. And the space between them? That’s where possibility lives.

Hello. Goodbye. And the Space Between.

* About the Host (https://www.missionforward.us/about-carrie)
* Listen to Past Episodes (https://www.missionforward.us/episodes)