Items tagged with

leadership

As I sit in my home office I hear the thump of a bluebird flying into my window over and over again trying to get into the fichus tree inside.  While this keep my cats entertained and off my keyboard, I shake my head thinking “crazy bird; you’re going to get hurt if you keep doing that.”   

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives; nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin

I was honored to be the lead-off speaker for Georgia Tech’s
IMPACT Series.  Sponsored by the College of Management, the IMPACT Series provides an opportunity for students alumni and the Atlanta business community to learn from successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and notable business and non-profit leaders.  

Ray Anderson

The world suffered a great loss when Ray Anderson passed away last week.  Ray was far more than the founder and Chairman of Interface, a Georgia-based carpet company.   Whi

Ray Anderson Interface.jpg

Focusing on the technical and operational aspects of sustainability will only go so far.  Companies need to apply a dual strategy where they simultaneously build organizational capacity while moving through stages of sustainable development.   This means building the muscle needed to succeed in becoming sustainable.  Organizational capacity is about enhancing leadership capabilities, acquiring and developing expertise, transforming the culture and applying organizational design practices to align the structure, processes and people practices

Ideas aren't enough; they must also produce results. Once vision and strategy are created organizations need to make sustainable development a reality – not just for a few years, but for the long term. Moving beyond incremental change toward transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a phased, holistic, integrated approach that builds mastery each step of the way.

Strategic Imperatives and GreenBusiness WORKS are continuing to welcome speakers, sponsors and subject matter experts to the upcoming Sustainability Leadership Series including the GA Department of Natural Resources Sustainability Division, Georgia Power, the EPA, AGL Resources, EnergyAce, Greenguard, Cousins Property, communications 21, Perkins + Will, Southeast Energy Alliance and more……

Have you integrated sustainability into the organization’s strategy? Do you have a culture characterized by innovation, engagement, responsibility and leadership? Sustainability is believed to be the greatest business opportunity of our time. Early adopters of sustainable development are changing the rules of the game in business, education and communities. Examples are scattered across this website and in our blogs.

Conventional Approaches to Sustainability

When organizations consider sustainability, the emphasis is often on environmental aspects and technical expertise. These initiatives could be to measure the carbon footprint, design a LEED certified building, implement energy efficient systems, green the manufacturing process, enhance technology for patient care or prepare sustainability reports.