A1 Barber

(c) Marcus Barber 2005 - [email protected]

Sustainability – Why Bother?

Committing Universities to Sustainable Development

Graz, Austria, April 2005


Why Should We bother? We are responsible for guiding those

lacking an appropriate understanding to do the right thing

Substantial opportunities to increase: research income; appeal to students; international & national reputation for faculty and the institution

An improved collective outcome for all stakeholders and to stand up for those without a voice or adequate resources


Ideas Pieces One means of getting the idea going

‘Opinion Piece’ research styled paper

Enable extensive dissemination of concept and encourages discussion


Getting Attention Deliberately Provocative

Take a position but do not draw a definitive conclusion

Alert multiple stakeholders and give them a part to play

Stand back and watch what evolves


The nub of the problem?

Teenagers and Academics have one thing in common – they are both too smart to

be told anything!

How do you engage with people who believe they already know enough? How do you get them to understand, embrace and support your views and intentions?


Whose responsibility?

Sustainability affects everyone yet some believe that only ‘certain people’ have the capability to represent opinion

The masses hold sway – talk to them at a level that matches their capabilities


Who Wins, Who Loses?

If you cannot answer this question you will have a much tougher time

There is a BIG difference between ‘interested’ and ‘committed’


Interested or Committed?“Dear Marcus

My advice is that it would be inappropriate to contact Council members in any way!

The only contact must be through Executive Group.

Regards…”


Interested or Committed?“…this is a matter for (*) to decide given

the benefits to the university and available budget…”

BUT

This response was from the person who ultimately controlled funding availability


What does ‘Sustainability’ mean?

Not everyone agrees with you Therefore not everyone will agree with

your proposed model Therefore people will act according to

what they believe is most suitable for them

Therefore you can expect (and anticipate) various hurdles along the way


Developing Understanding

The following can be used as a launch point

Get various stakeholders to discuss what it means to them

Listen carefully to ‘how’ they answer – big clues for how to proceed


Theory of Sustainable Societies

Advanced societies seek and encourage ways for members of their society to

improve the conditions for their current and future existence. Societies that attempt to maintain the status quo

ultimately decay


Gaining Buy-InSuggest to stakeholders that:‘If we don’t act to advance the overall

society for its current and future members, we are doomed to decay’

Then ask them: ‘How do you suggest we do that?’


Test their thinking further Collect all of the stakeholder

suggestions for how society can be made to advance

Now throw them a ‘hot potato’…


Sustainable Societies Paradox

The degree to which a society can be considered ‘truly advanced’ is in direct INVERSE proportion to the size of their ecological footprint


The Paradox: Wasteful societies are not ‘advanced’

Societies with poor living conditions are not ‘advanced’

Big footprints = less advanced Poor living conditions = less advanced


What Does ‘Truly Advanced’ Mean?

Don’t we, as proponents of sustainability, presume that our ‘idea’ of the world is an advance on what currently exists?

What would a TRULY advanced society look like and how would it behave?

How then, should your university behave in order to lead?


Gaining Buy-In So…

Unless we identify what is an acceptable and sustainable level of advancement (and then pursue it) , we are destined to fail


Expanding our Mental Models

Two models presented here:– Wilber’s 4 Quadrant model

– Beck & Cowan’s Spiral Dynamics™ model


Wilber’s 4 QuadrantsWhat Independent Internal Thinking is occurring?

What Independent Physical Manifestations of that thinking exist?

What Collective Internal Thinking is occurring?

What Collective Physical Manifestations exist?


Wilber’s 4 QuadrantsTBL as a concept

(Interior & Individual)

Financial Indicators

(Exterior & Individual)

Environmental Indicators

(Exterior & Collective)

Social Indicators

(Interior & Collective)


Value Systems Aka ‘Spiral Dynamics’ Preferences for processes of thinking Not a typology Adapt and sway to varying external life

conditions Identified by Prof Clare W Graves Developed by Dr Don Beck and Chris

Cowan


Value Systems Theory Barriers come in all shapes and sizes!

“Today’s solutions will become tomorrow’s problems”– Prof. Clare W Graves

Therefore, today’s problems were yesterday’s solutions – so we need to think and act better TODAY!


Example Problem: Carbon Dioxide Solution: Carbon Credits

But carbon credits only benefit rich nations


Additional Solution Oxygen Credits Countries that produce more oxygen

than carbon dioxide get paid for producing

How? – Formula is CO2/O2 = Tax levee


Tackling Problems You will most likely encounter three modes

consistently – modes 4, 5 and 6

They present uniquely designed challenges

You will need to match your solution to HOW they think about the problem not WHAT they think about the problem


Tackling ProblemsSDLevel

Approach each system uses to try to resolve Life’s Problems:

Four Obeys higher authority; ‘Loyal soldier’; Maintains rules & systems;

Five Works system to gain advantage for self; Improver & enhancer of system, passion for technological solutions

Six Collaborative & inclusive; Seeks diversity of opinion; Values people


Leveraging for Sustainability

SD Level Advantage in using this level when embracing a ‘sustainable’ approach:

Four Ensures compliance to mandated system; Dots I’s and crosses T’s, everything by the book without favour

Five Circumvents roadblocks; Innovation in implementation; Sees financial gains

Six Humanistic approach addresses, ‘Social’ reporting awareness and needs


Level 4

Obsession with rules for rules sake; Rigid and unwillingness to adapt to changing demands. Can refuse to embrace ‘new rule structures’ and may attempt to return to ‘the good old days’ leading to repetitive attempts at implementation

Failure to implement proper procedures leads to rejection of new system. Staff focus on what is wrong with new system and continually reject change as being in ‘best interests’ of organisation.

Clearly understands need for accuracy & efficiency of Sustainability implementation. ‘Plays policeman’ by ensuring old ways are no longer valid for use by reluctant areas

Behavioural Limitation

Negative Example Positive Example


Level 5Behavioural

Limitation Negative Example Positive Example

May cut corners to ‘feather own nest’; Manipulates rule system to gain personal advantage; Technical orientated – people treated as tools. Can circumvent policies perceived as causing delays

TBL seen as a distraction. Potential threat to positional authority and even personal financial outcomes leads to ignoring basic tenants. Focus is on how to manipulate parts of new system rather than whole system in order to gain for self.

Identifies roadblocks and designs strategy to overcome them. Strategic in selecting resources and allocating tasks to ensure that updated and enhanced processes deliver positive outcomes


Level 6Behavioural

Limitation Negative Example Positive Example

Collective orientation can lead to an unwillingness to take action; May ignore financial imperatives instead focusing on seeking ‘equal consensus’ rather than ‘acceptance and moving forward’

Treats all opinions as ‘equal value’. If ‘anti’ implementation of an idea, will seek continuous meetings, updates and surveys of staff opinions in order to prevent any true progress occurring.

Collects multiple opinions and able to represent all voices.

Understands how to deliver message in acceptable way for all parties. Embraces idea of benefit for all


Why Should We bother? We are responsible for guiding those lacking

an appropriate understanding to do the right thing

Substantial opportunities to increase: student appeal; research income; international & national reputation for faculty and University

An improved collective outcome for all stakeholders and to stand up for those without a voice or adequate resources


Sell the benefits… Leading by example will enable us to ensure

that appropriate knowledge and proper action is taken by the community

The income opportunities will place us ahead of the pack giving us a substantial competitive advantage & a significantly enhanced reputation as we advance society

We are in a position to improve social outcomes across the board in a consultative and inclusive process


Why we should bother: We are the ones supposedly with the

intellectual capacity to know the importance

Sheer physical size and ‘reach’ – students, staff, resources consumed – massive social networks with huge environmental footprints

Community acceptance – generally yet to face the scandals impacting corporations and political representatives means we have a leadership role


So the message is… Identify the different meanings of

‘advanced societies’ and of ‘sustainability’ Engage discussion (ideas pieces etc) Identify the potential barriers – ask and

answer ‘who wins, who loses?’ Use Value Systems model to tap inherent

capabilities across the organisation ‘Sell’ the benefits of sustainability that

most appeal to each Value System


Final Quote There is nothing more difficult to carry out, more

doubtful of success, or more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.For, those who would institute change have enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those whowould profit by the new order.

Nicolo MachiavelliThe Prince, 1532


Special thanksFrontier Media – marketing specialists

for sustainable products and services (www.frontiermedia.com.au )

August Strategic – business services (www.auguststrategic.com.au)Strategic Futures Concepts

([email protected])

Who made it possible for me to attend this conference

http://www.frontiermedia.com.au/

http://www.auguststrategic.com.au/

mailto:[email protected]


Questions?


References & Suggested Reading

‘Spiral Dynamics – mastering leadership, values and change’ – Beck & Cowan (Blackwood)

www.spiraldynamics.net; www.spiraldynamics.org; www.clarewgraves.com

The paper accompanying this presentation and others available upon request to the author at [email protected] – ‘A drop in the ocean for foresight practitioners’– ‘An hypothesis of Value Systems as foresight

frameworks’– ‘21st Century Outlooks: Sustainability - implications for

organisations’

http://www.spiraldynamics.net/

http://www.spiraldynamics.org/

http://www.clarewgraves.com/

mailto:[email protected]

A1 Barber

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