Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
theory of environmental leadership places priority on leadership
diversity
, rather
than seeing the challenge from one single leadership perspective. This 'eco-leader'
generates a system which decreases dependence upon individual positional lead-
ers, increases input from organizational expertise, involves the entire organization
in environmental scanning, subjects decision to review and criticism by members,
enhances organizational diversity, and ensures that sustainability has a strong mul-
tifaceted voice (Western
2010
).
In particular, environmental leaders have to recognize the contrast and tension
between the current industrial-based leadership approach and a future sustainable
(ecological approach); and understand the complexities of the system being led (for
example a company's priority and decision making structure). Such leaders face
challenges which are different from those in the standard industrial model. This
may include:
• applying a global perspective in life and work;
• living within the limits of the natural environment;
• converting the increasing flow of new information into useful knowledge;
• coping with science and technology advances in a socially constructive manner;
• coping with fast changing social ecology.
An important factor is to ensure a diversity of genuine input into decision-making
processes so that this encourages the emergence of leadership from within the sys-
tem itself. A key component of environmental leadership is thus communicating
to individuals how each could apply their knowledge and skills. One personality
variable called the 'consideration of future consequences- CFC' (Redekop 2010) is
a critical factor influencing whether a certain individual will be motivated towards
more sustainable behaviour. Those high in CFC are able to connect current behav-
iours with future (adverse) consequences in such a way that this influences their
actions. Leaders needs to encourage and empower this aspect; to explain to people
how proposed solutions to environmental problems will benefit them in both the
short and long-term.
Research has also shown that effective leaders need to introduce positive emo-
tional states which convey hope for the future (Redekop 2010). One of the main
tasks of leadership is thus to articulate credible visions of the future that embody
and encourage the hopes and aspirations of the group. A careful balancing act needs
to be struck between the need to clearly define the threats to our future, while not
triggering levels of fear which may increase future anxiety and negative expecta-
tions of ability to find solutions (defeatism). Psychological analysis of what is re-
quired to encourage constructive responses to future concerns (rather than rejecting
or ignoring knowledge on the seriousness of sustainability challenges) suggests that
important aspects are (Moser
2007
):
• a sense of personal risk (from the environmental threat involved);
• there should a sense of self-efficacy (I can do something about it);
• a sense of response efficiency (what I do will make a difference);
• clarity in what needs to be done;
