leith sharp

Leith Sharp

Sustainability Leadership for the 21st Century

Change Makers and the Green Economy

2

Conceptual and stylised representation of waves of innovationSource: TNEP (2005)

MARKET INNOVATION IN THE GREEN ECONOMY

Climate ActionGreenhouse Gas Emissions Targets (20 states)Emissions Caps for Electricity (16 states)Climate Action Plans (36 states)Active Climate Legislative Commissions and Executive Branch Advisory Groups (23 states)Regional Initiatives (32 states)GHG Reporting and Registries (41 states)

Transportation SectorVehicle GHG Emissions Standards (17 states)Mandates and Incentives Promoting Biofuels (39 states)VMT-Related Policies and IncentivesLow Carbon Fuel StandardMedium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle PoliciesPlug-in Electric Vehicles

Energy SectorPublic Benefit Funds (20 states)Renewable & Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (33 states)Net Metering Programs (52 states)Green Pricing Programs (12 states)Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (21 states)Financial Incentives for Carbon Capture & Storage (16 states)

Building SectorResidential Building Energy Codes (38 states)Commercial Building Energy Codes (37 states)Green Building Standards for State Buildings (29 states)Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs….?

STATE POLICY INSTRUMENTS IN THE GREEN ECONOMY

Green Workforce Growth

State Green Jobs as % of all Private and Public Sector

EmploymentCalifornia 3.4%

Northern California 8.1%

Oregon (Private only) 3.0%

Michigan 3.0%

Washington State 3.3%

JOBS IN THE GREEN ECONOMY

For every new job in solar, wind, green building, energy efficiency, green manufacturing/organic agriculture/green auto-mechanics etc you need……

Access to capital for both the solar business and the customer

Supportive policy instruments: rebates, GHG reduction targets

Consumer demand: A change in values through education and community engagement,

A trained workforce to supply good solar installation workers

A market providing good quality green product and services

Growth in the Green Economy Also Depends Upon Us Creating an Army of Change Agents

Workforce Development

Sustainability Education

Community Engagement

Developing quality green job/career training for students and workers, effectively informed by community and employer partnerships (balancing demand and supply )

Integrating sustainability into existing curriculum across most disciplines and in general education

Serve as regional and sector platforms for mobilizing community and employer engagement & fostering community education and action for sustainability

To enable the community college sector of Illinois to drive the green economy of the state we are fostering collaborations across our 48 colleges to advance in four strategic

areas:

Make sustainability a guiding principle for all institutional practices, providing demonstration for teaching & community engagement

Campus Sustainability

Unleashing the Power of Community Colleges

Moraine Valley

Wilbur Wright

KEY: IGEN Steering Committee Presidents IGEN Phase Staff Funded Colleges 2010-11 IGEN Green Economy/Green Jobs Centers 2010-11 IGEN $5,000 funded colleges 2010-11

IGEN Supports a Vibrant Network: Engagement 9

Unleashing the Power of Cross Institutional Collaboration

Campus Demonstration: Electric Vehicles

New Courses: Hybrid Vehicle Maintenance

High Performance LED Lights

Composting, organic & local food

Green Buildings Renewable Energy

IL Community Colleges coming together to share best practices, build network programs

Faculty Training for Greening the Curriculum

We Have a Foundation of Network Walking the Talk 10

Unleashing the Power of Cross Institutional Collaboration

Greening the Curriculum Case study in Collaboration

But first let’s get real about where we are on the journey….

VIDEO: Building the Plane while Flying It

Simple Lighting Retrofit Project

• Location: student residence (~300 students)

• Proposed savings:

• Annual savings >$20,000• Payback <3 yrs

Process…

No progress for many years because no dedicated attention, money or time

Understanding The Art of Change Management

School

Fin Mgr (capital budget)Fin Mgr (operating budget)

Facility DirectorBuilding Manager (Superintendent)

House Master

House occupants (students)REP coordinator (student)

1My Staff


Facilities staff overstretched, need dedicated assistance to find new projects


Green Campus

Loan Fund

School



House Master


2 1My staff


No money in annual maintenance budget, loan fund provided


Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


2 1

3


Facility manager was overstretched, dedicated project management TIME needed

Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff


Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School

Financial Manager (capital budget)Financial Manager (operating budget)


House Master


2 1

3

4


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

Senior finance management hesitates to give approval, needs convincing


Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


2 1

3

4

56


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

Building management must provide approval, needs convincing


Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


2 1

3

4

56


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

8

910

1112

7

House Master concerned re:AESTHETICS, needs lots of engagement & discussion


Full Process = 3 months of constant facilitation by Green Campus Staff

Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


Maintenance crew

Univ. Ops

12

3

4

5

67

8

910

1112

13

14


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

Concern regarding maintenance of new light bulbs, basic training needed


Full Process = 3 months of constant facilitation by Green Campus Staff

Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


Maintenance crew

Univ. Ops

12

3

4

5

67

8

910

1112

13

14

15

16

1718

19

20


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

Vendor PERFORMANCE inadequate, needed additional management Leg work to get final financial approval from loan fund advisory committee


Full Process = 3 months of constant facilitation by change managers

Vendor

Sales RepTechnician

School



House Master


Maintenance crew

Univ. Ops

12

3

4

5

67

8

910

1112

13

14

15

16

1718

19

20


Green Campus

Loan FundMy staff

TECHNOLOGY + ATTENTION + FUNDING + TIME + COMMUNICATION/NEGOTIATION, + APPROVALS + AESTHETICS + POLITICS + TRAINING + PROJECT MANAGEMENT


Turnaround Leadership for Sustainabilityin Higher Education

Geoff ScottGeoff ScottLeith SharpLeith Sharp

Daniella TilburyDaniella TilburyElizabeth DeaneElizabeth Deane

Leaders of Education for Sustainability in HE - analogies describing their world

Most common analogies• Cat herder• Tight rope walker/juggler of multiple perspectives and agendas• Swimming upstream, against the tide (at times with one paddle)• Waving a flag from the back of a crowd

Senior leaders• Carer, a parent, or a guardian• Gardener• Captain of a large ship • A translator, intellectual broker• Quilter• Orchestra conductor/director a choir• Teacher, coach, guide of a diverse group

Leaders of Education for Sustainability in HE – their world cont’d

Local leaders•Jumping into deep water, learning to surf, white water rafting

•Leading a dynamic start up company; kindling fires

•Being Tonto with the Lone Ranger at a bank-robbers’ convention

•A bird that sings but no-one listens; dancing by myself; a lone voice in a sea of consumerism

•Trying to interest people who like junk food in a healthy diet

•Learning Spanish but finding myself in China;

•Being a competitor on American idol

•Being Stephen Bradbury winning gold at the Winter Olympics

•Sisyphus, pushing a wheelbarrow of frogs down a steep hill

•Pinning jelly to the wall; drawing treacle from a well

And the winner is…..

• Really wanting to make a trifle, and being told that making a trifle is a priority, but no-one will provide money for the trifle bowl, the recipe keeps being changed and no-one tells me, and I know some people think they don't like jelly, and my arm has been tied behind my back, and I've been blindfolded

CORE INSIGHTS

Most people believe that humans are innately averse to change.

This is not true.

A more accurate assessment is that people have an aversion to instability

and risk and they assume that change equals instability and risk.

We Need to Make Change Easier

People are actually invigorated by change when it occurs with adequate stability and

low risk.

Common Causes of the Risk and Instability Accompanying Change in Our Organizations

1. Too much dependence on organizational rationality, top down leadership & linear management processes

2. A lack of understanding of how our organizations actually work

3. A lack of trust based relationships

4. Low levels of accounting for our rich social underworld

5. An inability of most individuals to cope with the tension of holding a vision in the face of the day to day inertia

6. A lack of learning by doing (not enough piloting of new practices) and continuous learning

7. An inability to manage interdependence (specialization/silos)

8. A lack of change management expertise

Earth Systems

Ecosystems and SpeciesExtinction &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

Systems Leadership: The Change Agent Works Across Multiple Systems To Reduce Risk/Instability and to Facilitate Stable Change

Earth Systems Infrastructure Systems










toxicity

Energy supply & distribution

Material supply & disposal

Food Supply

Water supply & disposal

Building construction

Building operations

Transportation

Landscaping

IT


Earth Systems Infrastructure Systems Organizational Systems










toxicity



Food Supply



Building operations

Transportation

Landscaping

IT

INTERNAL:Leadership

CultureFinance & Accounting

Management StructuresPolicy Instruments

Information SystemsProcurement systems

Decision Making ProcessesHuman resources

Planning Processes

EXTERNAL:Community

Government/ RegulatoryMarket/Employers

UtilitiesHigher Ed. Associations

Media


Earth Systems Infrastructure Systems Organizational Systems Individual System










toxicity



Food Supply



Building operations

Transportation

Landscaping

IT

INTERNAL:Leadership





Planning Processes

EXTERNAL:Community



Media

Personal capabilities

Interpersonal capabilities

Status

Relationships/Alliances

Values/Attitudes

Life Experience

Social Connections

Spirituality/Meaning

Family/Culture/

Community

Education/Occupation

Skills/Abilities

Change Leadership: Reduce Risk/Instability and to Facilitate Stable Change in the three key layers of organizational life…..on the journey towards sustainability

Earth Systems

Organizational Systems





temperatures and currents, sea life depletion





toxicity

We need a process of stable transformation towards a Sustainable Relationship with the Earth’s Life Support

Systems

Vision, Mission Image and Values Management Structure: Chain of Command Decision Making Processes Governance Mechanisms Strategy and Goals Finance and Accounting Systems/Processes Policies, Regulations, Protocols Accountability and Incentive Mechanisms Information Systems Communication Systems Organizational Culture Human Resources: Capacities, Performance & Promotions Politics, Alliances Organizational mood/atmosphere

What Are We Needing to Change In Our Organizations?

Key Influences Shaping the Work of the EfS Leader

Influences shaping your workPlease rate the level of impact that each of the following has on shaping the focus of your work. Rank1. Government policy changes 122. Changes in external sources of funding 155. Changing expectations and influence of business and industry 1210. Maintaining a specific institutional image and mission 811. Having a clear picture of the institution’s strategic direction 212. Changing levels of funding from within my institution for EfS activities

1013. Having to deal with incentives which work against collaboration within or between the faculties/different sections of my institution 414. Depth of engagement of senior leaders with EfS 117. Managing diverse and complex institutional sub-cultures 1119. Unresponsive administrative processes 1420. Increased student interest in EfS 321. Changing profile and expectations of students 523. Managing multiple pressures for continuous change 925. Balancing work and family life 626. Having to deal with different conceptions of what EfS means 7VIDEO

Leaders of EfS in HE - key satisfactions & challenges

Recurring satisfactions

• Working with a great team• Helping shape strategy• Implementing projects• Seeing systems run smoothly &

productively• Senior staff support• Having autonomy & trust• Being recognised for work well done• Positive student response

Recurring challenges

• Silos and territorialism• Resource levels that do not match

expectations/demands• Marginalised in governance

• HR & staffing issues• Unclear direction/priorities• Staff/Leaders hard to engage• Inefficient processes, systems &

meetings• Contribution not noticed• Constant ad hoc demands• EfS: unclear concept and proving

demand for EfS

Leaders of EfS in HE - one thing my institution could do

Organizational Attributes for Driving EfS into Core BusinessExecutive leadership commitment and capability developmentMission and VisionStrategic planning processes, and accountability cycles (metrics, measurement, reporting)General funding and dedicated sustainability change management function Governance and decision makingAdvance capacity buildingRoles and responsibilities Incentives Progressive integration and reform across existing systems and processesCommunications and publicity Link to national and international programs and exchange networks

Bargh, J. A. and Chartrand, T.L. (1999) The unbearable automaticity of being. American Psycologist, 54 (7) 462-479

The Unconscious Life of People

5% of what the individual does is

consciously processed

Our organizations are limited in their capacity for rationality but they do still have patterns, incentives and habits that can be understood. However, often these are unconscious to the organization and its

members. Trying to change an organization is how you get to know how it really works.

The Unconscious Life of Our Organizations

Organic LandscapingAnd Ground Managements Urban Agriculture, Organic

Community Gardening Projects

Green Laboratory Management

Waste Reuse

Waste Reduction and Recycling

Green HospitalitiesGreen Building Management

Green Finance & accounting: Life Cycle Costing

Green Purchasing Practices

THE BEST WAY FORWARD: The Pilot Process Allows for the Organizational and Social Factors (often hidden) to Be

Resolved

50+ LEED Certified or Registered Projects, Mostly LEED Gold

Rate of Growth re: Number of Green Building Projects on Harvard Campus

Extensive Change Management Process Used to Foster Organizational Conditions Necessary for Wide Scale Engagement, Innovation, Learning,

Leadership and Commitment

Ready, Fire, Aim: Green Buildings at Harvard

Engage Executive Leaders to Formalize Commitment

Streamlining and Reforming processes

Engage & Develop Capacities

Address Finance & Accounting Issues

Change Attitudes

Pilot Projects & Expand

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011

5 12 163 4 50+ 23

5 12 163 4 50+ 23 80+

Green Campus Loan Fund:

$12 million interest-free capital for conservation projects

Existing Buildings New Construction

Full capital cost covered

5 year payback maximum

Simple payback used

Cost delta funded


Lifecycle costing used

$14.5+ million lent since 2001

180+ projects

27+% average return on investment

Relative Performance of Harvard’s Loan Fund

Programs

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7

Resource Conservation Inventive Program

1993-1997

26 2 4 3 0

Green Campus Loan Fund2002 onwards

7 10 13 16 59 28 25

There are a Large Range of Cost Effective, Environmentally Preferred Products Available

Bin Liners – recycled content 40% saving

Refrigerators – energy efficient Up to 20% savings on front cost plus enormous operating cost savings

Dish Washers – water and energy efficient

No up front cost, save $20 per year on electricity, $3-7 per year in reduced water and sewage costs per machine

Ceiling Tile – recycled content Save $0.36-$2.75/square foot

Zero VOC Paints $1.76 savings per gallon

Recycled content paper towels, bath tissues and hard roll towels

No price increase

Lighting - Labor savings and operating savings of 3-5% of electric bill

Labor savings and operating savings of 3-5% of electric bill

Non Vinyl Flooring Stratica prices 10% savings on vinyl composite tile

Initially it was about Convincing People of the Business Case

No. of Projects by Type

Loan Amounts by Type

Savings by Category

Simple Payback by Project Category

BEHAVIOR 8 $ 955,435.00 $ 959,203.33 1.00INSULATION 3 $ 92,336.00 $ 84,292.73 1.10

PROCESSLOAD 1 $ 53,460.00 $ 40,245.56 1.33KITCHEN 13 $ 781,963.02 $ 258,051.90 3.03

CONTROLS 5 $ 285,559.00 $ 121,042.00 2.36HVAC 33 $ 2,683,834.97 $ 843,341.21 3.18LGHT 76 $ 5,590,789.96 $1,428,911.35 3.91

TRANS 2 $ 9,868.00 $ 4,885.00 2.02

COGEN 2 $ 464,221.60 $ 74,870.00 6.20IRRIGATION 2 $ 252,150.32 $ 54,888.00 4.59RECYCLING 1 $ 38,000.00 $ 8,000.00 4.75

GSHP 2 $ 1,000,000.00 $ 72,641.00 13.77PV 3 $ 334,590.68 $ 13,322.71 25.11

SOFT 2 $ - $ - 0.00METERING 2 $ 67,432.00 $ - 0.00

FEASIBILITY 1 $ 29,000.00 $ - 0.00PLUMBING 1 $ 203,571.26 $ 12,529.00 2.00

WHOLE BUILDING 2 $ 1,636,587.00 $ 184,840.85 3.00

Total 159 $ 14,478,798.81 $4,161,064.64 3.5

Harvard’s Green Campus Initiative

A Business Model to Fund Green Collar JobsHarvard’s Green Campus Initiative

Green Campus Loan Fund Performance

Earth Systems Infrastructure Systems Organizational Systems Individual System










toxicity



Food Supply



Building operations

Transportation

Landscaping

IT

INTERNAL:Leadership





Planning Processes

EXTERNAL:Community



Media

Personal capabilities

Interpersonal capabilities

Status

Relationships/Alliances

Values/Attitudes

Life Experience

Social Connections

Spirituality/Meaning

Family/Culture/

Community

Education/Occupation

Skills/Abilities

Change Leadership: Reduce Risk/Instability and to Facilitate Stable Change in the three key layers of organizational life…..on the journey towards sustainability

Top 20 Individual Attributes for Driving EfS into Core BusinessHaving energy, passion and enthusiasm for learning and teaching (4.69) 1Being willing to give credit to others (4.67) 2Empathizing and working productively with staff/faculty from a wide range of backgrounds (4.62) 3Listening to different points of view before coming to a decision (4.48) 5Being transparent and honest in dealings with others (4.62) 3Being true to ones values and ethics (4.52) 4Thinking creatively and laterally (4.52) 4Understanding my personal strengths and limitations (4.46) 6Admitting to and learning from my errors (4.43) 7Making sense of and learning from experience (4.37) 8

Persevering when things are not working out as anticipated (4.37) 8Remaining calm when under pressure or when things take an unexpected turn (4.34) 10Being able to organize my work and manage time effectively(4.36) 9Identifying from a mass of information the core issue or opportunity (4.32) 11Establishing a clear, justified and achievable direction in my area/s of responsibility (4.29) 13Knowing there is never a fixed set of steps for solving workplace problems (4.28) 14Understanding how universities operate (4.30) 12Influencing people’s behavior and decisions in effective ways (4.29) 13Being able to make effective presentations to a range of different groups (4.28) 14Contributing positively to team based programs (4.27) 15

EfS leaders in Higher Education - top 20/46 capabilities in rank order

EfS leaders in Higher Education - top 12/38 capabilities for effective performance in rank order (n= 121)

1st: Having energy, passion and enthusiasm for L&T

(P – commitment)2nd : being willing to give credit to others

(IP – empathising)3rd: Empathising & working productively with diversity

(IP – empathising)4th: Being transparent and honest in dealings with others

(IP – empathising)5th: Being true to one’s values and ethics

(P - decisiveness) 6th : Thinking laterally and creatively

(C - strategy)

7th: Listening to different points of

view before coming to a decision

(IP - empathising)

8th : Understanding my personal

strengths & limitations

(P – self-awareness)

9th : Learning from errors


10th : Persevering when things are

not turning out as expected

(P – commitment)

11th : Learning from experience

(C - responsiveness)

12th Time management skills

(S/K)

“Although a job is often regarded as a purely economic transaction, in which people exchange their labor for financial compensation, the brain experiences the workplace first and foremost as a social system”.

Source: Managing with the Brain in Mind. By David Rock

The Workplace is a Social System

Negative Social Experiences are Powerful and Painful

…….people who feel betrayed or unrecognized at work — for example, when they are reprimanded, given an assignment that seems unworthy, or told to take a pay cut — experience it as a neural impulse, as powerful and painful as a blow to the head.

Source: Managing with the Brain in Mind. By David Rock

Five particular qualities enable employees and executives alike to minimize the threat response and instead enable the reward response. These five social qualities are:

1. Status 2. Certainty 3. Autonomy 4. Relatedness 5. Fairness6. Creativity and co-creation

Sustaining Engagement

Source: Managing with the Brain in Mind. By David Rock with additions

Five particular qualities enable employees and executives alike to minimize the threat response and instead enable the reward response. These five social qualities are:

1. Status 2. Certainty 3. Autonomy 4. Relatedness 5. Fairness6. Creativity

1. We must adopt a personal style of interacting with others that will preserve or bolster the status of others and that is collaborative.

2. We must address the need for certainty

3. We must create decision-making processes and design our strategies and programs in ways that allow for autonomy, fairness and co-creation.

Produced by Leith Sharp

Sustaining Engagement

TRUST

AuthorityTransaction

Three Types of Relationship

Models in Organizations

Reference: Professor Karen Stephenson, http://www.netform.com

To Reduce Risk and Instability: Build relationships and trust because this is the

Fuel of Transformation

1. Status 2.Certainty 3.Autonomy 4.Relatedness 5.Fairness6.Creativity

Green Skillet Competition: 500 staff. The winning kitchen reduced electricity use by 23%

Residential Green Living Programs: 9000+ Harvard residents. 13+% electricity reduction, 30+% recycling increase. Over $300,000 p.a savings

Lab User Engagement: Fume hood competitions have generated over $400,000 in annual energy savings

Peer to Peer Training Programs: Staff training each other to save energy through better building management

Peer to Peer Programs

Annual Online Pledge: Thousands of people sign up to specific behavioral change commitments and to acknowledge what they are already doing. Seeing that thousands of others care, makes it easier for individuals to take action.

Integrated Design Case Study: Weld Hill Ventilation Rates

Switch from 10 down to 6 Air Changes an Hour saves $130,000 first

cost, $22,000 annually.

Convening the Right Conversations with the Right People

Green Office Certification Program

Each office took charge of its own pathway forward using a shared roadmap with clear checkpoints, support resources, rewards and recognition

User Owned Staged Certification Programs

Use Social Norms

TIPS

• Visible to the community

• Personal, community-oriented

• Encourage positive behavior

• We want to be seen “doing the right thing”

• Strong social pressures to conform

• We are “hard-wired” to imitate social norms

Community Based Social Marketing - Tools of Behavior Change

Event Panelists

Chris Gordon Chief Operating Officer, Allston Development Group

Jay Phillips Director of Physical Resources, Faculty of Arts and Sciences,

Andrew O'Brien Chief Operating Officer, Harvard Business School

Rick Mills Associate Dean for Planning & Facilities, Harvard Medical School

Danny Beaudoin Manager of Operations, Energy and Utilities, School of Public Health

QUESTIONS – 5 minutes

Jim Gray Associate Vice President, Harvard Real Estate Services

Ted Mayer Executive Director, Harvard Dining Services

Tom Vautin Associate Vice President, Facilities & Environmental Services,

University Operations Services

Leith Sharp Director, Harvard Green Campus Initiative

QUESTIONS – 5 minutes

PANEL EVENT:

Principles in Practice

Forums to Raise the Status of Leaders that are Engaged in Sustainability

Green Campus Loan Fund:

$12 million interest-free capital for conservation projectsExisting Buildings New Construction

Full capital cost covered


Simple payback used

Cost delta funded


Lifecycle costing used

$15+ million lent since 2001

180+ projects

27+% average return on investment

Governance Structures that Engage Stakeholders in Decision-Making

CONFIDENCE & CAPACITY•Evidence•Confidence•Business base for green projects

AUTHORITY•Legitimacy•Priority•Mood/culture•Goals

MANAGEMENT/INTEGRATION•Reforming organizational process/systems•Green building standards•Green purchasing contracts•Green training programs

Middle Management

Top Level Leadership

Grass RootsStudents, teachers, building managers, custodial staff, kitchen staff etc

The Tradition Linear Top Down Leadership Model Is Limited in Its Capacity to Produce Ongoing Transformation, Largely

Because it Fails to Accommodate the Social Needs of People

Leith Sharp 2011

CONFIDENCE & CAPACITY•Evidence•Confidence•Business base re:green projects

AUTHORITY•Legitimacy•Priority•Mood/culture•Goals

Middle Management

Top Level Leadership

Grass RootsStudents, teachers, building managers, custodial staff, kitchen staff etc

Effective Sustainability Governance Mechanisms Need to Be Designed to Leverage the Leadership System: Bottom up,

Horizontal AND Top Down

Change Management

MANAGEMENT/INTEGRATION•Reforming organizational process/systems•Green building standards•Green purchasing contracts•Green training programs

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ

http://web.mit.edu/press/2010/collective-intel.html

“When it comes to intelligence, the whole can indeed be greater than the sum of its parts. A new study co-authored by MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, and Union College researchers documents the existence of collective intelligence among groups of people who cooperate well, showing that such intelligence extends beyond the cognitive abilities of the groups’ individual members….

They discovered that groups featuring the right kind of internal dynamics perform well on a wide range of assignments, a finding with potential applications for businesses & other organizations.”

The Social Challenge of The Sustainability Journey: Group Intelligence Will Matter As Much As Individual Intelligence

http://web.mit.edu/press/2010/collective-intel.html

Three key factors that enhance group intelligence:

1. Groups whose members had higher levels of "social sensitivity" were more collectively intelligent. “Social sensitivity has to do with how well group members perceive each other's emotions,” says Christopher Chabris, a co-author and assistant professor of psychology at Union College in New York. 2. In groups where one person dominated, the group was less collectively intelligent than in groups where the conversational turns were more evenly distributed," adds Woolley.

3. And teams containing more women demonstrated greater social sensitivity and in turn greater collective intelligence compared to teams containing fewer women.

The Social Challenge of The Sustainability Journey: Group Intelligence Will Matter As Much As Individual Intelligence

Leading Organizational Change Through Time

Awakening

Pioneering

Transformation

Change Management Progression for Organizations

Produced by Leith Sharp in collaboration with Julie Newman

Defining Awakening

Awakening phase puts sustainability on the agenda for the organization.


=

=

awakening

•This stage is about sustainability being moved onto the organization’s agenda but with a low level of understanding as to what it actually means or requires from the institution

•There are a small number of early champions pushing forward often in a voluntary capacity (not part of their real job)

•Some little victories help to break through the initial inertia with some early project and program successes and the numbers of people vocalizing support grows

•It might eventually produce enough commitment to fund a sustainability professional to help organize and coordinate efforts and possible some top level commitment.

Attributes of Awakening


=

=

awakening

Transitioning Awakening

The organization is ready to move into the PIONEERING phase when a threshold of top level commitment, dedicated sustainability staff, little victories and engaged champions has been reached


awakening

Defining Pioneering

The Pioneering phase is when the institution is experiencing an acceleration of pilot projects and new initiatives . The institution is now working at the frontier, exploring how much change it can institute and how quickly. The work involves integrating sustainability into the small and large arena’s of organizational life. It is largely about improving procedures within the existing organizational framework.


awakening

attributes of

Pioneering•Proliferation of projects and programs across the organization

•Significant expansion of active engagement across the organization

•Development of new capacities, attitudinal shifts and confidence.

•The above three factors makes it possible to drive new formal commitments, goals, policies and standards which in turn accelerate engagement across the institution

•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


awakening

Transitioning

PioneeringAt a certain point the organization begins to reach a plateau whereby the capacity of the existing organizational systems and structures to integrate new practices is tapped out. Pressing for 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.


=

=

awakening

Defining Transformation

An institution is in the Transformation stage of the cycle when sustainability

has become a central organizing principle that is leading to deep

organizational reforms.

The Pioneering stage was focused on integrating sustainability into the existing

power structures, decision making processes, culture and organizational systems.

Transformation involves reforming these structures, processes, culture and systems in order to better enable sustainability to be achieved.


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

Human Resources Recruitment and promotional processes value emotional intelligence and other personal/interpersonal capabilities

Sustainability Viewed as Requiring a Change Management Function

Change management (sustainability) staff linked directly with senior leadership team to guide organization-wide connectivity

attributes of Transformation

Produced by Leith Sharp

The Importance of Vision, Insight and Collaboration

Turnaround Leadership for Sustainabilityin Higher Education

Geoff ScottGeoff ScottLeith SharpLeith Sharp

Daniella TilburyDaniella TilburyElizabeth DeaneElizabeth Deane

Why undertake this project?

• A turnaround moment for higher education world-wide

• ‘Good ideas with no ideas on how to implement them are wasted ideas’

• Change doesn’t happen but must be led – and deftly

About the project

Focus• The world of the EfS leader in HE• Key leadership capabilities & strategies• Key satisfactions, challenges, effectiveness indicators• Best approaches to leadership selection and development

Four phases• Identification of experienced EfS leaders• Survey• Participant feedback on the results• Report and action on recommendations

Leaders of Education for Sustainability in HE - analogies describing their world

Most common analogies• Cat herder• Tight rope walker/juggler of multiple perspectives and agendas• Swimming upstream, against the tide (at times with one paddle)• Waving a flag from the back of a crowd

Senior leaders• Carer, a parent, or a guardian• Gardener• Captain of a large ship • A translator, intellectual broker• Quilter• Orchestra conductor/director a choir• Teacher, coach, guide of a diverse group

Leaders of Education for Sustainability in HE – their world cont’d

Local leaders•Jumping into deep water, learning to surf, white water rafting

•Leading a dynamic start up company; kindling fires

•Being Tonto with the Lone Ranger at a bank-robbers’ convention

•A bird that sings but no-one listens; dancing by myself; a lone voice in a sea of consumerism

•Trying to interest people who like junk food in a healthy diet

•Learning Spanish but finding myself in China;

•Being a competitor on American idol

•Being Stephen Bradbury winning gold at the Winter Olympics

•Sisyphus, pushing a wheelbarrow of frogs down a steep hill

•Pinning jelly to the wall; drawing treacle from a well

And the winner is…..

• Really wanting to make a trifle, and being told that making a trifle is a priority, but no-one will provide money for the trifle bowl, the recipe keeps being changed and no-one tells me, and I know some people think they don't like jelly, and my arm has been tied behind my back, and I've been blindfolded

Leaders of EfS in HE - what has most surprised me

Positive

• Strong student interest• How many staff are ready

to engage• The fun and satisfaction• Seeing systems run

smoothly & productively• Falling in with a great

international network

Negative

• Difficulty in getting cross-disciplinary courses going

• Difficult staff• Unresponsive, ‘silo’

structure, resourcing & processes

• How much bureaucracy is necessary

Key Influences Shaping the Work of the EfS Leader

Influences shaping your workPlease rate the level of impact that each of the following has on shaping the focus of your work. Rank1. Government policy changes 122. Changes in external sources of funding 155. Changing expectations and influence of business and industry 1210. Maintaining a specific institutional image and mission 811. Having a clear picture of the institution’s strategic direction 212. Changing levels of funding from within my institution for EfS activities

1013. Having to deal with incentives which work against collaboration within or between the faculties/different sections of my institution 414. Depth of engagement of senior leaders with EfS 117. Managing diverse and complex institutional sub-cultures 1119. Unresponsive administrative processes 1420. Increased student interest in EfS 321. Changing profile and expectations of students 523. Managing multiple pressures for continuous change 925. Balancing work and family life 626. Having to deal with different conceptions of what EfS means 7

Leaders of EfS in HE - key satisfactions & challenges

Recurring satisfactions

• Working with a great team• Helping shape strategy• Implementing projects• Seeing systems run smoothly &

productively• Senior staff support• Having autonomy & trust• Being recognised for work well done• Positive student response

Recurring challenges

• Silos and territorialism• Resource levels that do not match

expectations/demands• Marginalised in governance

• HR & staffing issues• Unclear direction/priorities• Staff/Leaders hard to engage• Inefficient processes, systems &

meetings• Contribution not noticed• Constant ad hoc demands• EfS: unclear concept and proving

demand for EfS

Leaders of EfS in HE - one thing my institution could do

Organizational Attributes for Driving EfS into Core BusinessExecutive leadership commitment and capability developmentMission and VisionStrategic planning processes, and accountability cycles (metrics, measurement, reporting)General funding and dedicated sustainability change management function Governance and decision makingAdvance capacity buildingRoles and responsibilities Incentives Progressive integration and reform across existing systems and processesCommunications and publicity Link to national and international programs and exchange networks

Leadership capability & competence

• Capability vs competence

• Our capability is most tested when things go wrong or the unexpected happens

• Dimensions of capability1. Personal

2. Interpersonal

3. Cognitive

4. Role specific competencies

5. Generic competencies

• Capability studies over the past 15 years

Leadership Capability Framework

PersonalCapabilities

InterpersonalCapabilities

CognitiveCapabilities

Role-specificCompetencies

GenericCompetencies

Capability

Competency

Leadership Capability Scales

Personal• Self-awareness• Decisiveness• Commitment

Interpersonal• Influencing• Empathising

Cognitive• Diagnosis• Strategy• Flexibility &

Responsiveness

Competencies• Management• University operations• EfS• Self-organisation

Top 20 Individual Attributes for Driving EfS into Core BusinessHaving energy, passion and enthusiasm for learning and teaching (4.69) 1Being willing to give credit to others (4.67) 2Empathizing and working productively with staff/faculty from a wide range of backgrounds (4.62) 3Listening to different points of view before coming to a decision (4.48) 5Being transparent and honest in dealings with others (4.62) 3Being true to ones values and ethics (4.52) 4Thinking creatively and laterally (4.52) 4Understanding my personal strengths and limitations (4.46) 6Admitting to and learning from my errors (4.43) 7Making sense of and learning from experience (4.37) 8

Persevering when things are not working out as anticipated (4.37) 8Remaining calm when under pressure or when things take an unexpected turn (4.34) 10Being able to organize my work and manage time effectively(4.36) 9Identifying from a mass of information the core issue or opportunity (4.32) 11Establishing a clear, justified and achievable direction in my area/s of responsibility (4.29) 13Knowing there is never a fixed set of steps for solving workplace problems (4.28) 14Understanding how universities operate (4.30) 12Influencing people’s behavior and decisions in effective ways (4.29) 13Being able to make effective presentations to a range of different groups (4.28) 14Contributing positively to team based programs (4.27) 15

EfS leaders in Higher Education - top 20/46 capabilities in rank order

EfS leaders in Higher Education - top 12/38 capabilities for effective performance in rank order (n= 121)

1st: Having energy, passion and enthusiasm for L&T

(P – commitment)2nd : being willing to give credit to others

(IP – empathising)3rd: Empathising & working productively with diversity

(IP – empathising)4th: Being transparent and honest in dealings with others

(IP – empathising)5th: Being true to one’s values and ethics

(P - decisiveness) 6th : Thinking laterally and creatively

(C - strategy)

7th: Listening to different points of

view before coming to a decision

(IP - empathising)

8th : Understanding my personal

strengths & limitations


9th : Learning from errors


10th : Persevering when things are

not turning out as expected

(P – commitment)

11th : Learning from experience

(C - responsiveness)

12th Time management skills

(S/K)

Criteria EfS Leaders use to judge their effectiveness(in rank order top 8/25)

• 1st: Achieving high levels of student engagement, support & commitment

• 2nd: Establishing a collegial and collaborative working environment • 3rd: Successful implementation of new initiatives in EfS • 4th: Achieving high levels of staff/faculty engagement, support and

commitment • 5th: Producing significant improvements in learning and teaching

quality in the area of EfS • 6th: Building the EfS reputation of my organisation • 7th: Bringing EfS policies & practices successfully into action • 8th: Achieving effective alignment of planning, budget and resources

with EfS initiatives

All these criteria attracted high rankings as a priority for staff development

Most productive forms of support for EfS leadership development

• Learning by doing and reflecting using a proven capability framework

• Being part of an EfS Network/peer support/community of practice/ad hoc conversations with ‘fellow travellers’

• Using national and international conferences/visits/meetings to build one’s networks

• Having just in time & just for me access to solutions• Having an experienced mentor• Senior leadership support & encouragement• Having room to lead and learn• Valid and reliable selection & promotion criteria and

processes

What is happening with selection and advancement...

What level of assistance have you received to develop each capability (skill/knowledge)?

Personal Capabilities

Interpersonal Capabilities

Intellectual Capabilities

Skills and Knowledge

To what extend has your leadership development to date focused on personal capabilities like those listed above? 3.58 3.49 3.38 3.32To what extent have leadership selection or promotion processes in which you have been involved focused on personal capabilities like those listed above? 2.65 2.62 2.68 2.72

Summary lessons from the leadership research so far

Strong commonality of experience amongst EfS leaders.

We need both individuals with the right capabilities AND organizations with the right systems and processes.

The need for senior leadership engagement in addressing both.

The findings speak to the need for a change capable institution with change capable individuals – something that would help with many other challenges other than EfS


• Strong commonality of experience amongst EfS leaders. • The findings speak to the need for a change capable institution with

change capable individuals (feedback on this data indicates that this would help with many other challenges other than EfS)

• We need both individuals with the right capabilities AND organizations with the right systems and processes.

• The need for senior leadership engagement in addressing both.• We need selection, promotion and profession development to align

with the right capabilities for a change capable organization• What’s unique to the EfS leadership challenge: urgency, stakes,

boundary crossing nature, whole institution impact, complexity

Institutional• Reform staff selection, promotion,

review & support

• Ready – fire – aim; learn by doing

• Steered engagement

• Consensus around the data/pilot not the table

• From why don’t you to ‘why don’t we’ culture

• Undertake a stock-take and build on what is already there

• Track & reward successful performance on agreed indicators

• Set up senior leadership team for institution wide integration

• Change is learning

Individual• Formally value/integrate personal,

interpersonal & cognitive capabilities

• Acknowledgement and support individuals to sustain their enthusiasm.

• Individuals need to be secure in their job and supported to elevate others

• Encouraged and rewarded individuals and teams for collaboration

• Senior leaders to model various individual attributes

• Formal opportunities to reflect upon experience

• Incentives for interdisciplinary and cross-departmental partnerships


Implications for you & your institution

Further reading

• Fullan, M (2011): Change leader: learning to do what matters most, Jossey Bass, San Francisco

• Fullan, M & Scott, G (2009): Turnaround Leadership for higher education, Jossey Bass, San Francisco

• Scott, G (2008): University student engagement & satisfaction, commissioned report to the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education

• Scott, G, Coates, H & Anderson, M (2008): Learning leaders in times of change, Office for L&T, Australian Government

leith sharp

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