The Untapped Potential of a Sustainability Story

THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF A
SUSTAINABILITY STORY

SSC Blog

The Untapped Potential of a
Sustainability Story

Inc. Magazine recently ran an
article, 11 Tips to Write Your
Own Story by Jeff Haden, on
storytelling basics from a Pixar
artist, and then applied those
principles to business and life.
I’d like to take it a step further
and examine how some of these
guidelines can help companies
craft a more compelling
sustainability story.

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Copyright © 2012, Strategic Sustainability Consulting. All rights reserved.

#1: You Admire A Character For Trying
More Than For Their Success

 From Haden: Trying something easy and
succeeding is satisfying in the moment,
but ultimately fleeting. Trying something
really hard, even if you fail, is something
you — and others — will remember
forever. Growth is a result of the effort,
not the success.
 For sustainability: Your stakeholders
(employees, investors, suppliers,
customers) don’t expect you to be
perfect. What they want is to see you
really grapple with the complexities of
the sustainability challenge. Be
transparent about your sustainability
challenges — they will respect you for it.


#2: Simplify. Focus. Combine.

 From Haden: What you leave out,
what you put aside, and what you
choose not to do frees you up to do
what you really need to do. Try to do
too much and you do almost nothing.
Do a few things and you can do them
all extremely well.
 For sustainability: It’s hard to have a
comprehensive sustainability
program, because sustainability truly
touches every single thing we do. So
make sure you have systems in place
to make effective decisions, but focus
your efforts on the two or three major
issues that impact your organization.
Make that your sustainability priority.


#3: What Is Your Character Comfortable
With? Challenge It. How Does It Deal?

 From Haden: We fly our true colors in a
crisis. Otherwise calm people freak out
after an accident. Nice people turn ugly
when confronted. Braggarts shrink in the
face of danger. What you do under stress
defines you.
 For sustainability: When something goes
wrong — and it always does — with
regard to your sustainability plan, your
reaction in the heat of the moment will
speak volumes about where your
organization’s true self really lies. Think
about how your key executives will
respond to a sustainability crisis and ask
yourself: “Do I like how this fits with our
sustainability story?”


#4: Come Up With Your Ending Before
You Figure Out Your Middle

 From Haden: Decide how you want your
story to end and work backwards. Every
decision along the way will be a lot easier
to make.
 For sustainability: Yes! Most of our clients
come to us because they are plodding
along, making sustainability decisions on
an ad hoc basis. They have no idea if they
are strategic, or meaningful, or worth the
time and effort. Starting with a clear
vision of what sustainability means to
your company (in practical, realistic
language) is an essential starting point to
developing a compelling sustainability
story.


#5: Pull Apart The Stories You Like. What
You Like In Them Is Part Of You.

 From Haden: We admire people because we
recognize something in them we see in
ourselves — a quality we recognize, a quality
we someday hope to possess, or a dream we
share. Don’t just admire a person or a
business. Think hard about why you admire
them, and do more of what you admire. Take
the best from others and make it your own.
 For sustainability: There are dozens of
amazing companies tackling sustainability.
Learn from them, be inspired, and ask them
questions. (Just make sure that you don’t try
to flat-out imitate them — making sure that
your sustainability story fits your operating
model, your internal culture, and your industry
impacts.)


#6: Putting It On Paper Lets You Start
Fixing It

 From Haden: Every idea is great as long as it
stays in your mind. Stories are based on
actions, not ideas — turn your ideas into
actions that you can then improve. Plus the
pain of regret is much worse than the pain of
effort. Do everything you can to avoid looking
back and thinking, “I wonder what would have
happened if I had just tried…?”
 For sustainability: Too many times, the “green
team” or “sustainability steering council” talks
about sustainability, but doesn’t take the time
to write out the explicit approach it is taking.
Does everyone really have the same
understanding of their role in contributing to
the company’s sustainability strategy? Hell, do
people even agree on what the sustainability
strategy looks like?

#7: Give Your Character Opinions.
Passive And Malleable Is Poison To The
Audience.

 From Haden: You don’t need to please
everyone. You can’t. And you shouldn’t try,
especially if that means compromising your
beliefs, ethics, or point of view. Be courteous.
Be considerate. Be professional. And be
yourself.
 For sustainability: Simply following other
people’s views on sustainability issues (whether
it’s the EPA, your local community, or your
biggest customer) is a recipe for disaster. You
can please some of them, but not all of them.
And as too many companies are finding out,
being reactive on sustainability is the fastest
way to quadruple your workload. Be proactive.
Frame the debate. Listen to stakeholders but
decide for yourself what sustainability means
for your organization.

#8: Know The Difference Between Doing
Your Best and Fussing

 From Haden: If no one will notice the
result of additional effort but —
maybe — you, it’s time to let go. You
can refine it more later, based on the
opinion that really matters: your
customers.
 For sustainability: Don’t wait to have
the perfect sustainability strategy in
place (see #1 above) to start talking
about sustainability. People want to
see you wrestle with issues, grow
your understanding, and mature your
programs. START NOW.


#9. What Is The Belief Burning In You
That Your Story Feeds Off?

 From Haden: Go through the motions and
your story isn’t just boring to everyone else.
It’s boring to you. What could ever be worse
than that?
 For sustainability: Your organization’s
sustainability story must tie in to the larger
goals of your business. What drives your
company forward? Why do your employees
love you? Find the larger motivation
(innovation, excellence, loyalty, efficiency,
etc.) and tie your sustainability story to it.
Don’t let sustainability drift as an “add on”
program — drive it to the heart of your
organization and it will be part of the larger
story to tell.


Read more blog entries by visiting the SSC website
today:
Strategic Sustainability Consulting Blog

What are your thoughts? Join the
conversation on twitter @jenniferwoofter!

The Untapped Potential of a Sustainability Story

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