The introduction of sustainable business practices is an organizational change that demands creative leadership and action. But early progress tends to be qualitative, and, therefore, invisible to the quantitative measures most companies rely on for accountability. As a result, sustainability leaders may struggle to maintain support for their efforts. In this workshop, we will use a creative process to develop effective strategies for assessing qualitative progress in sustainability initiatives. Participants will leave with a strategic plan of their own making, a support group of fellow participants, and a three-month commitment from the instructor for hands-on coaching.

Instructor: Bob Lieberman, MS, PMP, is the founder of Cultivating Creativity, a Portland, Oregon company that teaches business leaders how to capitalize on the creative potential of their colleagues and themselves. A performing violinist and former software development manager, he has taught his creative leadership approach at conferences and to professional associations across North America. His unique approach to leadership combines best practices from the performing arts, technology development, conflict resolution, and project management into a practical, creative toolkit for business.

See here for full TNS course schedule.

Q & A with Bob Lieberman:

Q: Organizations feel driven to make the case for sustainability based on  ROI, even though many benefits that come from embracing sustainability are more qualitative in measure. How can sustainability advocates make the case for these types of benefits?

A: I think you have to engage senior executives in vivid discussions about long-term outcomes. I use the word "vivid" because outcome statements alone don't provide enough information to be of strategic use. For example, "increasing net profit by 50% in 5 years" is a statement about a specific and measurable outcome, but it doesn't tell you what kind of organization it takes to get there. Presumably it takes a somewhat different kind than the kind you've got. Discussions exploring that difference are good openings for sustainability advocacy because they tend to be more systemic and qualitative in nature.

Q: Is demanding financial ROI for every organizational investment short sighted?

A: This is the softball question, right? No, wait, it's a trick question! OK, the answer to the softball question is of course, yes. Organizations exist to create value, and not all value can be monetized. Just ask your mother! The answer to the trick question is no, because organizations spend money and need to be self-sufficient in order to survive. But, and this is a big but, the horizon of measurement for ROI must fit the objectives of the investment. Investment in a new assembly line might have an ROI horizon of one year, while investment in finding an alternative to assembly lines might have an ROI horizon of years or decades. If an organization insists on measuring everything on the same horizon - once a year or once a quarter - the more fundamental and transformative investments tend to get squeezed out.

Q: What tips do you have for encouraging creativity and innovation as budgets tighten and workers fulfill multiple roles?

A: My only tip is to keep your eye on the ball. By that I mean two things. First, determine what is really important to the organization, its people (including you) and its stakeholders. Second, practice listening to the navigational instinct that you have - that we all have - that tells us when we've started going off course in relation to what's really important. If you are clear on what's really important and you can listen to that instinct, trust it, and act on it, you will find yourself drawn into a more creative and innovative way of working. Every portfolio of responsibilities contains some that seem important but are not. And every portfolio omits others that seem unimportant but are. Survival in tough times requires distinguishing between the two, something you'll be doing if you can be clear and trust your instincts.