Defining
Awakening
Awakening phase puts
sustainability on the agenda for
the organization.
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
Awakening
a
=
wAttributes of
a
k
e • Moved onto the organization’s agenda with a low
n
i of understanding as to what it actually means or
n requires from the institution
g
=
level
Little victories break through initial inertia and the
numbers of people vocalizing support grows
•
A sustainability professional is funded to help organize
and coordinate efforts
•
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
Awakening
a
wTransitioning
a
k
e
n
i The organization is ready to move into the
n
PIONEERING phase when a threshold of…
g
=
=
- top level commitment
- dedicated sustainability staff
- engaged champions has been reached
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
Characteristics of Sustainable Institutions
Transforming
Pioneering
Transitioning
Transitioning
Awakening
Time
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
a
w
a
k
e
n
i
n
g
Defining Pioneering
The Pioneering phase is when the institution is
experiencing:
• an acceleration of pilot projects and new initiatives
•exploring how much change it can institute and how quickly
•integrating sustainability into the small and large arena’s of
organizational life
•improving existing procedures
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
attributes of Pioneering
a
w
a
•Proliferation
of projects and programs across the organization
k
e
•Significant
expansion of active engagement across the
n
i
organization
n
g
•Development
of new capacities, attitudinal shifts and confidence.
•The sustainability staff/champions are spending more time
coordinating and supporting the leadership of others than
advocating and cajoling.
•The sustainability related governance structure of the institution
is further developed to formalize leadership and engagement in
sustainability decision-making
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
Characteristics of Sustainable Institutions
Transforming
Transitioning
Pioneering
Transitioning
Awakening
Time
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
Pioneering
a Transitioning
w
a
k
e At a certain point the organization begins to reach a plateau
n whereby the capacity of the existing organizational systems and
i structures to integrate new practices is tapped out. Pressing for
n
g additional progress begins to reveal deeper institutional limitations,
barriers and resistance.
At the same time a variety of new conditions have emerged that
enable deeper processes of transformation to be ignited.
At this stage we must positioning the organization to move into the
TRANSFORMATION phase – by gaining enough formal power,
leveraging leadership, fostering understanding of necessity for
reform, building capacities to support the reform.
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
a
wDefining
=
a
k
e institution is in the Transformation stage of the cycle when sustainability
An
n
has
i become a central organizing principle that is leading to deep
n
organizational
reforms.
g
=
Transformation
The Pioneering stage was focused on integrating sustainability into the existing
power structures, decision making processes and organizational systems.
Transformation involves reforming these structures, processes and systems in
order to better enable sustainability to be achieved.
Produced by Leith Sharp and Julie Newman
attributes of Transformation
Organizational
Systems
Attributes of an Organization in Transformation
Leadership
Deep & visible sustainability commitment, values/preserves trust,
drives collaboration as well as individual performance, leverages
influence & authority from bottom-up, horizontal, top-down
Governance
Distributed ownership and engagement, drives continuous
improvement, enables systemic reform
Management Structures Cross-departmental permeability, interdisciplinary collaboration,
bottom-up and horizontal interactivity
Finance and Accounting
Financial drivers for innovation and systems efficiency, rewards
performance, drives collaboration
Capacity Building
Empowered workforce that is engaged in life long learning, broad
engagement in implementation cycles for continuous testing and
learning
Knowledge
Effective prioritization, gathering and dissemination of knowledge
Sustainability Viewed as Change management team embedded with senior report and
Requiring a Change
organization-wide connectivity with the capacity to undertake all
Management Function
core change management functions for sustainability Produced by Leith Sharp
Transformation
is about context
An organizational context to empower the full potential of
people as change agents…………
Stable experiences
of innovation and success
Context of institutional commitment and management support
Peer to peer interactions
Rewards, incentives and recognition
Removal of barriers and disincentives
Proper inclusion in decision-making processes
Ongoing training and opportunities to learn
Access to expertise
I am fully engaged in working
on my part of the solution in
every way possible!
Produced by Leith Sharp
Transformation
results from an accumulation of the
right conditions and allows for deeper change to occur.
A finance and accounting context that would energize green
economic growth…..
Provide champions with timely access to funds for good paybacks
Allow for savings to be captured and reinvested
Share savings with the people making it possible
Provide seed funds for pilot projects
Consider the costs over the life of the project not just first cost
Savings exist within whole systems not just the parts
Produced by Leith Sharp
Knowledge
Interpersonal
Solutions Based
Strategic
Produced by Julie Newman
Systems Leadership: The Change Agent Works Across Multiple System Levels To
Reduce Risk/Instability and to Facilitation Stable Multi-System Evolution
Earth Systems
Infrastructure Systems Organizational Systems
Ecosystems and Species
Extinction &toxicity
Climate systems
Disturbance
Atmospheric systems
Ozone depletion, pollution
Oceanic systems
Disturbance to sea levels,
temperatures, currents, sea life
Geological and Soil systems
Desertification, land pollution,
mineral & resource depletion,
depletion of soil quality, toxicity
Hydrological systems
Water pollution & scarcity
Nutrient systems
Disturbance of nutrient flows,
toxicity
Individual System
Personality
Energy supply &
distribution
Material supply & disposal
Food Supply
Water supply & disposal
Building construction
Building operations
Transportation
Landscaping
IT
INTERNAL:
Leadership
Culture
Finance & Accounting
Management Structures
Policy Instruments
Information Systems
Procurement systems
Decision Making Processes
Human resources
Planning Processes
EXTERNAL:
Community
Government/ Regulatory
Market/Employers
Utilities
Higher Ed. Associations
Media
Status
Relationships/Alliances
Values/Attitudes
Life Experience
Social Connections
Spirituality/Meaning
Family/Culture/
Community
Education/Occupation
Skills/Abilities
Produced by Leith Sharp