We've been working through multiple mass crises for a while now. As if anyone needs another reminder, right? This article kicks off a series envisioning the benefits of a Sustainability Mindset as a way towards a more feasible future.
Sustainability is a North Star for fixes that create more solutions than problems. The ripple effects of a decision could render "what seemed like a good idea at the time" into a regrettable mess! Duende's Sustainability Mindset is a mindful approach to avoiding those "could have, should have, would have" moments by choosing what's best in the long run.
Mounting social, political, and economic pressures are defining this time in history and how we navigate our work. This requires resilience – the cornerstone of a Sustainability Mindset. Still resilience can seem aspirational in the face of mounting crises and seemingly biannual 100-year storms (and more catastrophic climate-related events guaranteed).
Data shows that people are reaching their breaking points.
Put simply, the economy and our ways of life came to abrupt halts because we weren't prepared for COVID-19. We were living in a world that was more constructed for productivity than people's health and wellbeing. And significant to note, the costs to maintain that world have been too unevenly distributed to women and BIPOC people.
Now, people are redefining success for a post-pandemic world. They're doing so with their feet by pursuing futures outside of the bureaucracy, dysfunction, and dissatisfaction that they experienced with former employers.
Where to start on a fix? Duende's Sustainability Mindset is a framework for approaching your day-to-day decisions as a professional and influencer within your organization. In subsequent articles, we'll highlight topics and tactics that relate to sustainably leading yourself, teammates, and others within your organization.
Duende's Sustainability Mindset aspires for individual, team, and organizational resilience. This comes from balancing toxic factors that detract from resilience and healthy ones that restore it. This is the case in general and for each of the Self, Team, and Org spheres of influence. And then for each of those spheres, there is a particular resilience goal – for individuals to manage their energy, teams to adapt and evolve together, and for organizations to use power in ways that nurture resilience.
You can use this framework to evaluate your options. It's leverage for determining the margin of acceptable risk within each dichotomy of the framework. When you're operating with a Sustainability Mindset, you'll pause and consider questions like...
- Will my actions maintain and enhance capability?
- How much toxicity is acceptable for a decision to be feasible?
- What factors can I balance for greater health and resilience?
In the
Self sphere of influence, you're managing your energy. This is about how you approach your day so that you're productive and still have energy to spare for your life outside of work. For example when you're making decisions, managing tasks, or considering next steps in your career, you can begin to prioritize your energy and resilience by thinking...
- Is this thing in front of me healthy for me?
- What activities maintain and enhance my energy?
The Team sphere of influence refers to any interpersonal relationships. In times of change and crisis, loose ties disintegrate while people with trust bond closer to weather what's ahead.
Organizationally, everyone has some influence on their teammates and team outcomes. We may not always be the decision maker but anyone can speak up. The balancing act here is thinking about group decisions as destroying or nurturing the wellbeing of stakeholders.
The word stakeholders hints at the holistic perspective of the Sustainability Mindset. We are not just affecting, but also affected by our environments. Presence in a space – either virtual or physical – inherently shapes the space. In this context, organizational sustainability nurtures the organization's ecosystem. So, stakeholders are not just shareholders, but also employees, vendors, and communities who are impacted by business decisions.
While this article overviews Duende's Sustainability Mindset, you can dig into this concept more soon. Future articles will explore how you can develop sustainability through these spheres of your influence. Stay tuned!
