Individuals and organizations from all sectors of society are looking for tools and perspectives on how to become more sustainable. Many well-intentioned sustainability initiatives lack the systemic perspective to avoid undesirable side effects and intentionally create the synergy necessary for lasting positive change. This presentation will introduce systems thinking as a way of seeing the “big moving picture” that involves both analytical and creative thinking to understand and design actions as part of a global ecology of solutions. Systems thinking is a leadership competency for bridging the gap between the current realities in organizations and communities and the vision of sustainable world.

Changing to a sustainable enterprise is more complex and challenging than traditional organizational change efforts. The results of such efforts will only be as effective as the collective and directed understanding and action of its members. This program will explore the human elements of change: how does one introduce change toward sustainability into an organization? What are the fundamental steps for a successful change effort? How is critical mass developed for a sustainability initiative and how is it maintained over time? Practical strategies and approaches for leading and managing change will be presented and illustrated with current examples of companies moving toward sustainable business practices.

The transition to sustainability cannot be made in a vacuum. At a minimum you need the support of key leaders inside and outside of your organization or community. Even this may not be enough to free the resources and commitment needed. Finding, understanding, and cultivating the stakeholders who will benefit from, criticize, or bless your efforts is a key strategy is every sustainability plan. This fast-paced, hands-on workshop will give you the tools engage stakeholders successfully. You’ll create a stakeholder map, learn to see issues from stakeholder’s perspectives, and discover what works (and doesn’t!) in building stakeholder relationships.