The most pressing leadership issue today

The primary leadership issue today is lack of a clearly defined, consistent and holistic value system.

Problem Statement

Whether in governments, corporations, institutes of learning, communities or families, labels divide thought and inhibit critical reasoning. Pejoratives, such as, capitalism, socialism, conservatism and liberalism, are used as weapons in combative argument as finite and well understood concepts without regard to nuances.

In the cognitive process of decision making, problem analysis precedes a final choice. Problem analysis involves evaluating evidence against a set of basic beliefs, ideology, principles and goals – in other words, a value system. Unless a value system is first established and recognized, problem analysis can be faulty, and decision making inconsistent.

Problem Analysis through Examples

Issue: “Full inclusion” of special needs children into the mainstream education system?

The answer, difficult as it is, begins to unfold depending on whether one’s value system approves of “greatest good for the greatest number” or “maximum individual rights regardless of greater good”. It should not be: “Lucy is such a sweet kid; she deserves the best.”

Issue: Free health care for those who cannot afford it?

The answer depends on whether one’s value system (a) supports free handouts for humane reasons, (b) holds individuals accountable under all circumstances for the choices they make, or (c) seeks economic expediency for collective good. It should not be: “Oh, those poor people! Who will look after them if the government doesn’t?”

Issue: Greater regulation of the finance industry?

The answer depends on whether or not one’s value system is one of unbridled capitalism where market forces reign supreme within ethical standards. It should not be: “Today’s corporate leaders are greedy and need to be regulated.”

If one were to support full inclusion (hence, “individual rights”), would it be inconsistent to support free health care for the reason of “collective good” or support greater regulation of the finance industry that would curb the rights of corporate entities?

The objective of this essay is not to examine the above complex issues but merely to highlight the fact that if we engage with issues without reference to a uniform value system, inconsistencies are likely to occur.

The question of Integrity

Today people take positions on issues without first recognizing the value system, because today’s leaders often do exactly that. This leads to inconsistent positions and ultimate lack of integrity across issues.

Integrity is one of the foremost qualities of leadership. This essay suggests that integrity in a leadership role demands first and foremost the establishment and the recognition of a reference value system.

The New Green Revolution

Everyone is talking “green” these days. There is an increasing awareness that the Green Economy might be integral to the revival, growth and sustainability of the U.S. economy.

WHAT IS GREEN?

Green is an approach to define and create processes and products that are environmentally friendly1, economically viable2 and pragmatic in the longer-term3.

1. Environmentally friendly implies reducing the generation of pollution at the source, minimizing the risk to life (whether human, animal or plant), and – ultimately – adopting the “cradle to cradle” philosophy of continuous enrichment.

2. Economically viable implies that Going Green should extend beyond mere social responsibility into the realm of immediate financial benefits as well, whether by way of avoiding penalties, gaining subsidies or realizing reduced cost from energy savings.

3. Pragmatic in the longer term implies sustainability. An unsustainable green effort is not really green because it is damaging and destructive in the holistic sense. A sustainable business is one that has a positive impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy, and meets the triple bottom line of people, plant and profit.

In the final analysis, “green” is not just a label or a certification, but a way of life, a state of mind and an operating philosophy that commits to the design, commercialization and utilization of processes and products that are environmentally friendly, economically feasible and sustainable in the longer term using the “cradle to cradle” philosophy that completely and beneficially re-uses all products and by-products of any system or process.

WHY GO GREEN?

In this “perfect storm” of gathering energy crisis, escalating energy costs, encroaching government regulatory scrutiny and general volatility of markets globally, almost every organization senses the importance and the urgency of adopting sustainable strategies. Today’s grim market realities render socially conscious “green” initiatives not just a matter of political expediency but also a true economic imperative and sometimes even a matter of survival.

Policy makers have begun passing legislation that provides both economic incentives for adopting such sustainable strategies as well as penalties for not adhering to the new regulations.

As a result every single day we are seeing new green leaves sprouting on websites, and new declarations, mission statements and vision statements advocating support for going green.

HOW TO MEASURE GREEN?

What is green? How do we measure it? How do we define the green-ness of anything? How green is your building? Your manufacturing plant? Your recruiting process? Your supply chain? Your hospital? Your police? Your hot dog? There is seemingly no end to these open questions that everyone is now encountering with greater frequency in every walk of life.

Nobody really seems to know the answers.

But without these answers how can the hundreds of thousands of companies aspiring to be “green and sustainable” measure their progress on the green continuum and benefit from available government subsidies?

They simply can’t, without incurring a lot of time, effort and cost.

Time is short. Challenges are mighty. The field is immature and ill-defined. To win in such a situation, one requires the support of solid technology and automation.

Right now there is none.

A HUGE OPPORTUNITY

The industry needs a solution that can occupy just that spot.

The solution has to be a Knowledge Tool that will greatly empower them to realize energy efficiencies throughout the organization, dramatically reduce environmental impact and gain significant economic benefits.

Investors envisage quick adoption, a good chance to seize the market leadership and large economic gains for the company that can occupy this spot.