Unlocking Influence: Our Approach to Sustainability Leadership

We're thrilled to share insights from Arabella Ellis's recent conversation on Anthesis Group's "Purposing" podcast! This powerful discussion tackled the pressing challenges sustainability leaders face amidst current pushback.

At Gyre, we believe the essence of effective sustainability leadership goes far beyond technical expertise. As Arabella highlighted, it's about mastering influence, connecting with the core business agenda, and working with the business, not for them. The podcast delved into the crucial shift from "owning the agenda" to enabling others to own the problem and engage in the solution.

This resonates deeply with Gyre's philosophy. We empower leaders to gain perspective by truly understanding the broader business landscape, uncover insights into unspoken agendas, and connect with key stakeholders to foster shared ownership. It’s about navigating complexity to find clarity and drive meaningful transformational change, rather than just executional change.

If you've been feeling frustrated, isolated, or unsure how to move forward in your sustainability role, this conversation offers invaluable support and fresh energy. Arabella shared practical tools, including the Pennebaker process for emotional processing, and strategies for engaging sceptical stakeholders by addressing all sides of the argument.

A key takeaway that aligns perfectly with our work at Gyre is the idea of co-creating solutions. It's about letting go of the need to be "right" and instead focusing on creating as much sustainable change as an organisation is willing to embrace. This means listening first, inquiring deeply, and only then advocating.

Thank you Becky Willan, for facilitating such a fascinating conversation. 

Listen here: https://pod.link/1645861055