Sustainability is Quality
Have you ever had one of those random what-if moments? Like trying to imagine all sorts of food that you can put between two slices of bread and call it a sandwich? If you think about it, anything can be something—anything can be a sandwich. But what makes a difference is when it turns out to be good! The same can be said when an unusual marriage of an adjective and a noun not only turns out to be good, but turns out to be sensible! Combine the words “sustainable” and “leadership” and we get someone any company covets for their organization.
Clarke Murphy, author and former CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates, wrote about this exact breed of leaders in his book titled Sustainable Leadership. Murphy wrote in his book, “Global businesses have the resources and human power to right the ship in tangible, practical ways that will be seen and felt for generations to come.” This kind of leader can demonstrate to stakeholders the benefits of sustainability while walking the walk. The most successful leaders had this mindset, combined with specific competencies. Murphy defined a sustainable mindset as a purpose-driven belief that a company is not a sole entity detached from society and the environment. Below are core features of a sustainable leader according to Murphy:
A sustainable leader recognizes their business belongs to a coordinated ecosystem.
A sustainable leader doesn’t manage stakeholders. They consider a wide range of views, practice empathy, and include stakeholders in defining and executing decisions.
A sustainable leader innovates not just for profit, but for the good of the people and the planet.
A sustainable leader sticks to the audacious goals and stays the course, amidst setbacks or pushbacks.
At CLEVR, we believe that our sustainable talents make quality leaders. CLEVR consultants take pride in only offering quality executive search, and this entails only being represented by talents that best represent our firm. A sustainable mindset comes organic to our talents, which is then enhanced overtime by experience. We brief them about our client’s needs and assist to ensure a smooth interview process and succession. CLEVR looks forward to enjoying a good sandwich while witnessing the effectiveness of our sustainable talents being quality leaders in our clients’ organizations. Pulled mushroom bánh mì, anyone?
