1/21/10 - Framing sustainability as an adaptive change

Session led by Beatrice Benne.

Adaptive change Sustainability is so complex it's difficult for any one person to articulate a vision people can rally around
 * usually politcally charged, no real understanding or way to define change
 * technical challenges, not matter how complex can at least be understood and solved

Example: Intel - CEO refuses to ban paper cups but encourages staff to create grassroots effort to stop using them My values vs your values: It's easier to get people to modify their behavior when they want to than because they have to Repeated exposure is key. It'll take a while for people to take action. But exposure should be positive: people will likely shy away toward the negative.
 * adaptive process in action here - leader isn't taking a stance but is still encouraging action, still engaged in the process but is facilitating, rather than enforcing
 * getting rid of paper cups is a technical solution
 * Right way vs wrong way isn't working

What is the value in guilting people?

Incentives: Do they work? Do they have a global impact? Are they a technical solution with no staying power?

Technical solutions vs. adaptive solutions: What is the tension?

Adaptive solutions need to start with people explaining their point of view to others and opening a dialog rather than just stating it and leaving no room for discussion.

Leaders should cultivate conversation rather than dictate technical solutions.

People start changing when their well being is affected.

Cost of change + case of change > discomfort

Ecology of solutions: There is no one solution, we have to come at it from all angles because issues of sustainability are so vast!