Article
The Essential Need for Sustainable Leadership
There are many different definitions of a Leader. Some people say it’s all about having the ‘right’ knowledge, skills, and attitude. Possibly, but things are a little more complicated than that. Great leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, self-reflection, education, training, and experience.
Though the world has changed and sustainability, that is, meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs is now “the” issue of this decade. Society, economy, and the environment can be seen as profit, people, and the planet.
For the oil, gas, and energy sectors sustainable development has been a crucial strategic aim. However, in the world’s leading organizations there is a new approach to leadership emerging. That is Sustainable Leadership.
A Sustainable Leader is one who creates value for all stakeholders of an organisation, including future generations and the community. Sustainable leadership is a set of behaviours, practices, values, and systems that vision and shape the future. A future for everyone on our planet.
To become a Sustainable Leader takes a commitment to learning, growth, and self-assessment. It requires a different way of thinking, acting, and learning. This could be appropriately called the future of Leadership. This promise can be seen in the world’s leading universities. For example, the University of Cambridge has established an interdisciplinary Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Many of the leading oil, gas, and energy organisations now see developing sustainable leaders is a crucial people strategy. For example, following the Deepwater Horizon blast, BP implemented a management system that incorporated the company’s environment, health, and safety requirements. Shell has implemented an Environment and Social Performance framework for all leaders, staff, and contractors.
Sustainable leaders need a deep understanding of the social, environmental, ethical, and economic challenges and opportunities facing our world. They need an understanding of stakeholder engagement, advanced communication skills, creativity, critical thinking, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
To help your leaders and managers become Sustainable Leaders, Energy Training Centre has developed a very practical and current training course. An intensive 5-day training course on Sustainable Leadership.
This Energy Training Centre course will allow you to :
- List the key competencies of sustainable leaders
- Describe ways of engaging with and identifying stakeholders
- Understand the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Describe communication barriers and ways to overcome them
- List ways to accurately solve problems and make decision