Two weeks ago, I held a lecture at a German university (WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management) on sustainable leadership.
After having presented the business case of CSR (=Corporate Social Responsibility) and transformational leadership at my former employer, Merck Ltd., Thailand who won the CSR Leadership Award a few years ago in Singapore against competitors from all over Asia, I started a discussion with the about 110 bachelor students. I asked them: “What do you think are the key leadership traits to succeed as a sustainable business leader?”
According to the “Cambridge Program for Sustainability Leadership’s report on The State of Sustainability Leadership 2011”, the key sustainability leadership traits are as follows:
– systemic, interdisciplinary understanding
– emotional intelligence and a caring attitude
– a values orientation that shapes culture
– a strong vision for making a difference
– an inclusive style that genders trust
– a willingness to innovate and be radical
– a long term perspective on impacts
The discussion with the students went very well. They were very active and sharp. It didn’t take them long to figure out the key leadership characteristics that are needed today and in future. Actually, after discussing for about 20 minutes, they were able to cover all the above stated sustainability leadership traits of the CISL’s (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership) research report, of course, not word by word, but their meaning was the same.
I was particularly impressed by one student who mentioned “empathy” as a key sustainability leadership trait. Not many business leaders would give you such an answer, and I think this student had a point. Empathy goes beyond the caring attitude that is stated in the CISL research report. It is definitely necessary, if you intend to create value and growth not only for your own company, but also for your employees, your customers and people in the society.
If a group of bachelor students can find within 20 minutes the answers to the question what makes a leader for sustainability, it must make us think seriously!
Leaders in business, government and society all over the world have failed massively to address our world’s most pressing and challenging issues. Obviously, many of the current leaders in charge seek mainly their own benefits and/or the benefits of their own organization rather than going for an inclusive, all stakeholders-oriented approach. And yet, we all know which type of sustainability leadership is needed.
Therefore, I would like to add one more important leadership trait: COURAGE.
If you don’t have the courage to implement and to live the above stated key leadership characteristics on a daily base, not much will change.
In today’s resource-constrained and low trust world, business leaders that are able to restore growth (however, in an inclusive way), create jobs, increase access to products, services and livelihood opportunities and create a more just and sustainable world are in high and urgent need. Do y o u have the courage to be or to become one of them?
