A leader who is focused on creating a more sustainable future can be seen as a sustainability literate leader. They are someone who shapes visions and inspires collective action to bring it to life, adapting to changes and challenges.
There is no shortage of leadership skills, but there is a growing emphasis on the need for sustainable and future-focused leaders. Becoming an effective leader in sustainability starts with educating yourself and building awareness of sustainable measures that you can work on independently.
You can utilise many resources to improve your knowledge on sustainability, such as through using LinkedIn Learning, books and articles in the library or getting involved with the university's own initiatives. With these resources, you can learn how to apply sustainable practices in your daily life such as recycling, conserving energy and reducing waste.
Collaboration and innovation are essential in nurturing the qualities required to become a sustainability leader. Collaboration brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, enabling the exchange of knowledge and the building of positive relationships based on shared values and practices.
Through collaboration, you can deepen your understanding of sustainability, learn about best practices from others, and share your own expertise in the subject.
Innovation, on the other hand, enhances sustainability skills by encouraging you to challenge outdated practices, embrace new approaches, and stay adaptable to emerging trends and solutions.
This skill segment ties in closely with your own adaptability skills, you can learn more about adaptability here.
Sustainability focuses on the long-term development of economic, social, and environmental systems, and our involvement in these areas are extensive. It is crucial to adopt a perspective that includes sustainable practices and development to ensure a positive impact for the future.
Thinking ‘long term’ can allow us to highlight areas of priority to both ourselves and others. Ensuring that we are reminded of the future impacts of our actions can help us to make conscious choices for sustainable development.
These practices should be integrated into both your personal and professional life, fostering a mindset of responsibility and awareness of long-term impacts.
You can begin by starting small, through reducing your waste, emissions, reusing plastic bottles and recycling them too. Mindfulness is a useful tool as it contributes to subjective well-being by focusing the mind on the here and now, which produces stronger empathetic skills through achieving personal goals and values.
For becoming a leader in sustainability, you may find that you need to adapt your approaches and embrace change. You must be willing and ready to adapt your own habits to engage with sustainable practices.
You can start small, with sorting your food waste and recycling, turning off appliances that are not in use, and being mindful of your water usage.
Being an adaptable leader in sustainability is a continuous learning process that requires an open mind and the courage to step out of your comfort zone and breaking habits. Remember that each small change contributes to a larger impact!
If you wish to learn more about adaptability and how to embrace it, you can find more on its own dedicated page, please follow this link:
Avery, G. (2006). Leadership for Sustainable Futures: Achieving Success in a Competitive World. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
