Rising ICON #37: Jonathan Banks
What name do you prefer to be called?
Jonathan
What are your pronouns?
He/Him/His
Where did you grow up?
Shakopee, MN (0-13). Minneapolis, MN (13 - Current)
What city are you currently based in?
Minneapolis, MN
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hi, my name is Jonathan Banks. I’m a father of two and live in southwest Minneapolis with my family. We live an active lifestyle and are very involved in our community. My company, NCXT, helps organizations engage people, drive change, and create Our Best World®.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
Adventure fuels all facets of my life, and I practice loving everyone I meet along the way.
Who do you help?
I love helping everyone, especially the disenfranchised and marginalized. That’s why I work with CEOs, CHROs, and CTOs in Government, Technology, and Library organizations to engage people, drive change, and create Our Best World.
What are you building now?
I am building Action, Impact, and Measurement System Cohorts comprised of CEOs, CHROs, and CTOs in Government, Technology, and Library organizations.
What were you building ten years ago today?
Ten years ago today, I was building customer experience competency at the Federal Reserve System.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
I’ll be building and globally distributing habit formation programming that is effective in addressing the critical issues of the time, formulated from human-centered research and past program data.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Everyone should know that 70% of change programs fail, and there is no data that shows certain types of change programs are consistently effective. That is why developing behaviors and habits is the most important method to support change
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
There’s no shortage of data, research, or analysis in our world. Actually, we are quite overwhelmed by the intellectual pursuit of understanding problems. For example, when you go back and look at ideas popular during the United States civil rights era (1950 - 1970), you’ll find that remedies prescribed for racial inequities are much the same as they are today. So, why does racial inequity persist? Lack of action. What people do is more important than what they think. It takes a change of behavior to improve individual and institutional approaches to racial equity. Those behaviors are then woven into the fabric of families, communities, and institutions, enhanced through practice.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I’m fortunate to have many mentors and mentor others too. My mentor and friend Dan Nietz encouraged me to connect with my soul during my midlife adventure, and I feel like the path has never been more clear. Thanks, Dan!
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
I’m proud that NCXT was recognized as one of the leading DEI companies of 2023 by Business Management Review.
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
Forbes
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Mallence Bart-Williams, because she’s been on a very courageous journey and could ask questions from her experience that would illuminate much of my next ten years.
Pharrell Williams, because he’s a person who integrates a plethora of differing influences into his work and life, and could ask some great questions based on his trials and errors.
Mark Cuban, because he asks really tough, creative questions that simultaneously bring clarity to the respondent and satisfy his curiosity.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
The Small Task of Creating Our Best World.
What award would mean the most to win?
We are impacting people all around the world, so recognition from the UN, EU, WHO, or World Bank would say something about us achieving our mission.
What makes zero sense to you?
Nothing. Everything makes zero+1 sense to me because I’m humble enough to understand that everything happens for a reason, which I may not understand fully, ever.
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Success. We call many accomplishments successes, even when absent of any positive measure or advancement. Getting things done doesn’t matter unless the things you get done matter.
What game are you changing?
We are changing the game of management consulting and the practices of strategic planning and organizational change.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
I want to invite more people to join the Action, Impact, and Measurement System. AIMS is a facilitated, data-driven, tech-enabled, systematic approach to habit formation and organizational change. Say goodbye to conventional learning and development. Say hello to AIMS.
Where can we follow you online?
Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/jonathanwbanks
X: jonathanwbanks
Insta: jonathanwbanks
ncxt.co
ourbestworld.com
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
Practicing love. It’s universal inspiration, motivation, and sustentation.
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Jonathan, for sharing your story!
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“What people do is more important than what they think. It takes a change of behavior to improve individual and institutional approaches to racial equity. ”
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