An Interview with Leif Cocks, Founder of The Orangutan Project
Leif Cocks is a passionate campaigner for orangutans and has been the President of The Orangutan Project since its formation. Leif hopes to create a world where conservation organizations are no longer needed. Through working with orangutans closely, Leif has discovered a lot about humanity. Our genetics and culture have given us the ability to destroy ourselves, therefore we need to reform our own lives before we can reform the planet. Leif shares his take on conscious leadership and how he utilizes conscious leadership in a conservation organization.
In This Episode:
- [00:30] Meet Leif Cocks. He’s a zoologist by trade and started a mission to save the orangutans. Along the way, he has discovered a lot about humanity. Leif gives his definition of conscious leadership.
- [03:00] How Leif shows up in the corporate setting and utilizes conscious leadership in a conservation organization.
- [05:55] When you meet and become close friends with an orangutan, you will see the humanity in their eyes. Orangutans are far more independent, confident, and self-assured.
- [08:00] The problems that our planet faces.
- [14:40] Reform yourself before you and try and reform the world. Take time to become active in expressing compassion in an intelligent way.
Key Takeaways:
- The organization becomes subservient to the cause. We cannot lose sight of what we are there to achieve.
- If we are happy, then we can’t help but make other people happy.
- The problem our society faces is cognitive dissonance.
- Reform yourself before you try and reform the world.
Meet Leif Cocks
The Orangutan Project was established in 1998 by founder and world-renowned orangutan expert, Leif Cocks, as a result of his almost 30-year career working with orangutans. Leif is a passionate campaigner for orangutans and has been the President of The Orangutan Project since its inception.
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The Orangutan Project
Resources:
The Orangutan Project: https://www.theorangutanproject.org/about-us/leif-cocks/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMBZGn2tMFg
Book: Finding Our Humanity: An inner journey towards understanding ourselves and our way forward
Book: Orangutans My Cousins, My Friends: A journey to understand and save the person of the forest
