Coaching
Accelerate Implementation While Strengthening Focus.
I lean on decades of experience gained working with companies in the oil and gas industry, investment banking, nonprofits, and other sectors to help clients narrow their focus and identify areas for impactful improvement. Sustainability leaders benefit from having a “sounding board” beyond their company and perhaps beyond their industry. Having a “coach” or “peer mentor” can accelerate implementation, avoid pitfalls, and build confidence. Leaders comment that these conversations can lessen the burden of “fighting an uphill battle.” Issues go beyond typical change management, although change management tools can be helpful. As a “coach”, I can also reduce time wasted on actions that may yield little benefit or could be detrimental. There are a number of ways to support leaders “coming up the learning curve” in sustainability and leadership for organizational implementation.
There are an abundance of conferences, consultants and trainings available to help - but these rely on the sustainability leader to translate what they’ve learned into actionable form within their organization, which can be time consuming, expensive or both. Too many “good” consulting reports aren’t fully implemented due to lack of internal resources. A different model of support, often underutilized but very efficient and effective, is to provide coaching or advisory services periodically. After a call to discuss organizational needs, I often suggest biweekly or monthly calls. This “sounding board” approach keeps the sustainability leader firmly in the internal leadership role while supporting and accelerating their work by providing resources, information, and ideas that have been successful in other organizations.