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Archive for 'leadership'
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Truth and Reality
Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Business is famous for business owners squeezing every penny out of their employees, which includes; overtime, low wages, no raises, reduced or non-existent vacations and sick pay. However, the deterioration of our educational system that has resulted in a marked reduction in thinking skills suggests that the consequences of poor thinking are imminent.
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The Maturing Face of Entrepreneirship
Posted on May 3, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 It used to be you started a business because you saw a money-making opportunity. Someone had a idea, saw a market for a product or service that was needed...
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Wildness: The Lure of the Future
Posted on April 2, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 This is Spring, Easter, a time of renewal. When most people think of sustainability they think about being around for a long time. For business the life expectancy is about forty years, there are a very few businesses that have been around for 100 years of more.
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But We Won
Posted on March 28, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 We are the chosen people. We have the expertise, the drive, theexperience of having it all, surely this is proof that we have won, that we are the greatest civilization ever!
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The Two Wolves Story
Posted on March 26, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Southern New Hampshire University recently had an event, “Ethical Issues in Video Gaming” that explored the ethical issues around violence in video games. I found the session very provocative, for several reasons.
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Six steps to success as a sustainable Small Business...
Posted on March 20, 2013 by Guest Blogger Darren Hoad
 Small businesses in the creative industries are often unsung heroes of sustainability. Inspirational they may be, their challenges, especially, global ones, are immense.
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The Power of the Spiritual
Posted on March 11, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 What is the purpose of business? How does that purpose connect with the human heart and with the terrible crisis we are now facing?
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A Story of Two Leaders
Posted on March 8, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 As leaders we make our own world AND we make the world for others. What kind of world are we making?
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Getting Emotional About Business
Posted on March 1, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 What kind of business gets me really jazzed?
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Emergence: the “Feminine” in Business
Posted on February 25, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Are we looking for creativity in all of the wrong places? We are seeking resilience, but perhaps it is lying dormant, just waiting for us to allow for its emergence. How do leaders evoke emergence?
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The Call of the Wild
Posted on February 20, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Historically, nature has informed our way of thinking in many ways. As we move into cities where will our inspiration and learning come from?
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Profit or Impact: An inappropriate conflict
Posted on February 18, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Is profit a useful measure? If so then why are we so lost in trying to determine real value? Why does the focus on profit undermine meaning? Is there a way to make meaningful work sustainable without the distortion the exclusive focus on profit creates?
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What is Right and What is Wrong: Trying to be Ethical
Posted on February 10, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 How do we determine what is right and what is wrong? Ethical behavior is 'right' behavior so why is it so hard to know right from wrong?
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Ethical Smthical What Does It Matter?
Posted on February 10, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Why are ethics important? What is it about ethical behavior that seems to make a difference? What do we need to know to be consistently ethical? Does the answer help us create strong cultures?
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How to Undermine an Ethical Culture
Posted on February 4, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Is it possible to destroy a culture where people love to come to work? Just exactly how would you go about it?
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Our Theme for 2013: A Must Read!
Posted on January 25, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 Here is a short video where I lay out the theme for the year and omments on the journey to sustainability for your organization in 2013.
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Our Achilles Heel
Posted on January 18, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 I’ve been an organizational change consultant for most of my working life. The organizational development (OD) community was on fire when I first got exposed to it. The field was young and people were going from helping people work together better to learning how to make the whole organization work better. Those in the field were writing papers and books with new insights coming out weekly, it seemed.
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Discovering Regenerative Businesses
Posted on January 3, 2013 by Kathryn Alexander
 The current crop of sustainability oriented companies are reducing resource use, and that will give us time, but we need to rethink how we interact with nature to prevent a reoccurrence of the situation we now face. These companies are leading the way!
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Purpose Versus Profit
Posted on November 20, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Listen to my podcast on the issues caused when we confuse profit with purpose.
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Giving Life Versus Survival
Posted on October 30, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Disasters, like the one we are experiencing now on the East coast, bring up survival issues in a big way. Our concern about survival drives a lot of our economy, with the insurance industry being a prime example, and medicine being another.
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Authenticity – Key to Good Leadership-
Posted on September 24, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Culture is created a employees watch the actions of leaders, listen to their words, and then try to make sense of the difference. When theories are shared they become fact and people adjust their behavior accordingly.
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What can Your Culture Learn from Slime Molds?
Posted on July 23, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 I did a podcast today on self-organization. There are a few companies whose leadership is not afraid of the employees they hire and they actually encourage their employees to think for themselves and for the company.
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Mortgages & Foreclosures – Oh My!
Posted on July 18, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 This whole mortgage topic has seemed to be forgotten by the press but the legacy from 2008 roars on. Because the intent/purpose of the systems we’ve created are all about money we have missed the real issues and been blind to obvious solutions.
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Role of Money on Public Policy
Posted on July 9, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 John Robert’s ruling on the Healthcare issue opens up the ability of states to resist federal requirements that they spend money on: disabled children’s education, poor peoples health (Medicaid), and other programs designed to ensure a healthy, educated population. Robert’s ruling raised the specter of federal forcing states to do things that they wish not to do.
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Truth
Posted on July 4, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Truth – we say we want it, but do we really? Is truth one thing or is it multi-facetted? Do I hold the key or do you? I think these myths blind us – that and our egos – fearing that we are wrong.
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A Big Leap for Business
Posted on July 3, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Occasionally I hear people ask if we can buy our way into sustainability. That is a bit of an oxymoron, don’t you think? We can use commerce and stuff to begin the shift, to educate ourselves about how to produce stuff with no waste, and we can choose to use our money to move that process along.
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Right Relationship – The Grease That Makes Things Work
Posted on June 16, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 I recently had a great experience working with a small company that does research & development for the government. They were having trouble keeping track of government property – a big no, no.
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The Purpose of Vision
Posted on June 4, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 I stumbled upon a blog by Steven Gans where he Quotes Isaac Asimov as saying, “What is really amazing and frustrating is mankind’s? habit of refusing to see the obvious and inevitable...
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The Magic of Limits
Posted on June 3, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Most people resist limits. I believe that it is our resistance to limits that makes us feel justified in trashing the planet. We don’t like no stinkin’ limits!
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Authenticity – Being Real
Posted on May 26, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Is it strange that I should write a business blog on authenticity? Why should even seem like an oxymoron? I think one reason why we are so far from being sustainable is because we have allowed ourselves to tolerate our own in-authenticity.
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Is Your Culture One of Promise or Catastrophe?
Posted on May 16, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 We think of natural selection as the mechanism of Darwin’s theory of evolution, but it is at work in our organizations as well. It starts with hiring, when hiring mangers or the Human Resources department looks for ‘fit.’ In trying to find someone who will ‘fit’ in with the culture or with their perspective manager
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What’s the Purpose of Business?
Posted on May 13, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 I have asked this question in most of the classes I’ve taught for the past 15 years. The most common answers have been jobs and profit. Jane Jacobs, however in her research around values, explored how business arose and saw it differently.
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Sustainability and Social Benefit Companies
Posted on March 23, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 How do entrepreneurs see sustainability and social benefit? What kinds of companies are being created in these areas?
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A Species of Inconsistencies – Why do We Not Act on What We Know?
Posted on March 21, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 I’m starting to see some dissatisfaction with how well we are dealing with this climate thing. Since the Kyoto Protocol emissions have gone up 40%. It seems we are not only not paying attention we are ignoring what we actually know. Why do we do this?
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Real Leadership
Posted on March 19, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
The path of self-discovery can be painful and surprising, yet there is nothing like having your eyes opened! Real leadership is hard to come by, a rare and unusual gem.
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Laws and Ethics
Posted on January 20, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
Is the "Rule of Law" enough? What happens when laws are immoral? Immigration as a case study.
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Can Beauty Save Us?
Posted on January 18, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 What are we sacrificing for the love of oil?
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Remembering
Posted on January 15, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Dr. Martian Luther King, in his talk on the Network of Mutuality, speaks most eloquently on the need for peace. His sentiments apply equally well to our treatment of the Earth.
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CAN we meet our needs and those of the future?
Posted on January 8, 2012 by Kathryn Alexander
 Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of stewardship, the responsible management of resource use.
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Now it IS Happy New Year!
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
 What is the ONE thing, that done this new year will grant all of your wishes?
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What is Democracy? Voting?
Posted on August 17, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
 When I think of Democracy or try to define Democracy or being Democratic, my mind goes to shared participation (participative democracy), to a chance for all concerned to have a say. I want to make that distinction because I often hear democracy defined as voting and the democratic system as one that makes decisions by voting.
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Sustainable Economy - Oxymoron?
Posted on August 4, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
After the debacle this week is thinking about a sustainable economy an oxymoron? We have a situation where institutions are rewarded for not adding value, where financial illiteracy runs the nation and belief trumps fact.
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Ecologically Sustainable - Is It Really Urgent?
Posted on July 12, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
I'm passionate about sustainability for many reasons. First and foremost I LOVE the planet = nature is a source of life to me. Secondly I've more than excited about what rethinking business can do for business while doing good things for nature. Third, I like change. I really do! I see change as a creative edge that brings forth new possibilities and since I'm a variety junkie, change rocks!
For all of the reasons listed above I've had my antennae up around the issue of climate change for some time. Talk about depressing! Really looking at this and knowing what's coming is enough to drive anyone to drink.
I don't talk much about climate change, and that's why. I'm not about putting my head in the sand, but you can only take so much, you know? That being said, today I DO want to sound the alarm! View this video and get ready to recommit to the fight!
She's Alive...Beautiful...Finite..Hurting...and Worth Dying for!
The planet IS worth saving! My home IS worth saving! People I love and care for have died in this fight and many more will die before it's over, but this fight IS worth it! We have to remember, though that it is not just about fighting! This change IS about possibilities! It IS about a new way to live in harmony and have the time and sensitivity to enjoy nature and her bounty!
Harmony...Walter J. Stahel wrote a paper called the "Five Pillars of Sustainability" in the early 90s. He saw sustainability in this way:
- Pillar of nature conservation
- Pillar of limited toxicity
These form the domain of environmental protection
3. Pillar of Resource Productivity
These three form the basis of a sustainable economy
4. Pillar of Social Ecology
5. Pillar of Cultural Ecology
The last two, however is really what is meant by the People piece of the triple bottom line. Without peace we will continue to devastate the natural world and our own history and legacy as well. War is destructive - it destroys everything in its path. It is not sustainable. It never was, but now we destroy on such a scale and with such thoroughness that damage is immense and it must be stopped.
We will only stop our squabbling when we learn to respect others and allow others to make decisions about their own future, with or without our input. We must evoke the inherent dignity and worth of every person, valuing their contributions and being willing to learn from them when we differ. This includes repairing the rift between genders. Ethical Impact L3C supports the Satyana Institute for just that reason. Until we respect and honor the feminine we will not be able to respect and honor nature.
The stopping of war speaks to the fifth pillar - culture; ethics and values. We are an amazing species - so willing to destroy that which we love. We rationalize it in all kinds of ways, but I have marvel at how often and how thoroughly we do that. Our rape of nature and women is testimony to that. Our destruction of the buildings and monuments that form our human legacy on this planet rationalized by war is testament to that. That 20% of Colorado children do not know where their next meal is coming from is testament to that. I could go on. We pay CEO's enormous sums and fuss about raising teachers salaries. We do NOT honor what we say we love.
Sign up for the Meet the Reality Project on September 14 at 8 pm MST (check for other times in other areas) as Al Gore makes the case, one more time, for urgency.
Sign up for the Webinar, Our Values Our Choices if you want to explore Pillar number five. 
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July 4th Independence - is YOUR Company a Democracy?
Posted on July 2, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
Posted by Kathryn Alexander on Sat, July 2, 2011 @ 03:16 PM
I often talk about how leading a green business is different from leading any other type. The very act of becoming sustainable make a whole new list of requirements on leaders, if the initiative is to be successful. If you want to go deeper than the triple bottom line, then you need to rethink your company from the bottom up. No leader does this alone, you need the entire company to weigh in and contribute, and that's where democracy comes in.
I want to make a distinction here. Normally when we talk about democracy we are really talking about voting. I'm not because voting is a dicey way to make decisions. If there is not a clear and very large majority, then the vote is divisive and that is both dangerous and counter productive. The second reason is that the 'winning' vote makes all of the other viewpoints irrelevant which take good information out of the systems and makes that aspect of truth unavailable for any further use. This is not good either and leads to weak decisions. No, when I talk about democracy I'm talking about involvement, contribution, communication, collaboration and shared meaning. These are at the heart of democracy, but we were unsophisticated when the idea was first proposed, so our application of those ideals was a good start, but is not now adequate to the needs of a huge, educated (?) and technologically smart population.
There are so many changes, both big and small, that need to happen to enable a company to achieve sustainability and carbon neutrality that leaders need to develop new skill sets and then infuse them into the organization itself. Involvement and contribution have been issues for leadership for centuries. Now we need to get a handle on them and learn how to ensure that every employee and stakeholder takes part. No longer can this be a dream or on the wish list this kind of deep interactivity has to become commonplace.
One of the wonderful aspects of sustainability is that it comes imbued with shared meaning. A commitment from the top that is accompanied by resources and personal involvement creates a very clear vision that is easily grasped and immediately important to all concerned. The education to bring this about is fairly easy and is the bright beginning spot to achieving all of the others.
The rub comes with collaboration. Since both questions and answers about how to achieve true sustainability cross boundaries the ability to collaborate becomes key. An organization is a true system, so solutions are non-linear and require a dedication to find root cause to achieve success. Here is where thinking differently is extremely important, so systems thinking and ecological thinking come into play, and here is where the organization has to begin to do work differently. Here is where democracy, and a stated commitment to democracy, comes to the forefront. Democracy provides a framework for testing the how of work to encourage people to rethink autocratic and top-down approaches to problem solving. Democracy is not about voting on every decision. It is about learning how to work in such a way that everyone participates and contributes to all relevant decisions. This is an exciting way to work and the results can be spectacular!
Check out our Webinars - Sustainable Leadership Addresses these Issues!
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Would an Ethical Business have Sustainable Values?
Posted on February 25, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
Posted by Kathryn Alexander on Fri, Feb 25, 2011 @ 07:47 PM
Are sustainable values inherent in an ethical business? I became incensed when reading a recent article in AARP (yes I AM old enough). Titled "The Time Bomb In Your Nest Egg." The article is about how small investors - mostly seniors - are being duped by structured products. In case you don't know what 'structured products' are, they an investment whole yield depends on the performance of underlying financial instruments such as stocks, stock indexes and unsecured bonds - in essence the very same kind of stuff that caused the 2008 collapse.
Is regulation the answer to greed and hubris?
Many of these 'structured products' are offered by Lehman Brothers who don't seem to be suffering much, even though bankrupt. Lehman claims to have followed all regulatory requirements, well-established sales practices and client dis-closer guidelines, and I'll bet they did.
When making money is seen as a good, it is easy to rationalize behavior.
What's wrong with this picture? First is a confusion of ethical with legal. Second is how much do Lehman's and other such firms now about the products they are selling? If they don't know how dangerous these produc
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Sustainable Intelligence - Lessons from Egypt and Wikileaks
Posted on February 9, 2011 by Kathryn Alexander
Posted by Kathryn Alexander on Wed, Feb 09, 2011 @ 11:56 AM
That aspect of Sustainable Intelligence that depends upon systems thinking has major lessons for all of us. Key to the strength and success of both major news stories is the importance of both the flow and the availability of information.
 belgraviadispatch.com
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Sustainable Leadership
Posted on August 27, 2010 by Kathryn Alexander
Posted by Kathryn Alexander on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 @ 07:17 PM
We are moving into a new time that requires new leadership skills. In my last Enlightened Business radio show I talked about Feminine Leadership, what it is, why it's different and how it compliments masculine leadership. The quest to mimic nature by business has one key piece that is very different from any other shift in business practices that have happened in the past 15-20 years.
Sustainable leadership uses Sustainable Intelligence to address pressing business issues with planet in mind, using natures values, laws and processes to bring resilience and innovation to the organization.
The ?Prime Directive of nature is that she always creates the conditions that support life! Always! This is what business must also do and to be effective at that you must care. This is heart work. It's not soft and it's not optional. We need to care about the planet and all the life that is on it. We need to care about each other and ourselves. If we do not want to have our species disappear, then we also need to care about Life.
At its core sustainability is all about relationships; i  nternal to the company and external to the company. Understanding those relationships and being able to respond to the subtle nuances in each of them is something that women are particularly good at. Men need to learn this too and not just abdicate this strength to women, but the model remains feminine.
Sustainable leaders are not afraid of being 'soft' or of having emotions. Their skills include Emotional Intelligence and their abilit
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