"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry, it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry, it'll change."
-- John A. Simone Jr.
Sustainable Leadership-Generating Value
In this third post on the practices of Sustainable Leadership, I want to look at the process of Generating Value.
Value is generated when resources are brought together. The quality of the value created depends on the quality of the resources and the quality of the space and dynamics of the combination process. Sustainability depends on what those resources are, how their use affects the systems around them and, simply, on what value is being generated.
Generating value is a key function of leadership. The quality of the value we generate as leaders depends greatly on the quality of our practice. If we are talking about people, we want to attract the RIGHT people to help us be as effective as possible.
Who we attract depends on who we are: our presence, perceptiveness and the power of our vision and conviction.
What we can do depends on who is with us and what we, together, can create. If we are talking about creating green technological innovation we need people who not only have the knowledge, skills and experience but also share a similar sense of mission and belief in what is being created. The “green-ness” of the innovation is related to how deeply we delve into the value generating process.
Quick question: how “green” is innovation when the materials and processes to create it are damaging to the people and eco-systems involved in the creation?
It is no longer enough to be an inspirational, visionary leader. It is no longer enough to simply foster and generate creativity and innovation. It is no longer enough to be wildly profitable. It is no longer enough to simply be successful. It is no longer enough to live comfortably and provide solely for our families.
Sustainable leadership is about quality: the quality of inspiration and vision we create. The quality of creativity and innovation we foster. The quality of our success. The quality of comfort for all that we touch and embrace.
Look around you, what value are you generating and what is the quality of that value? Is it sustainable? How do you know?
Tags: green innovation, green technology, presence, sustainable leadership, value generation
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