How to Develop Leaders for Sustainability?

In 2015, the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly have adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated specific targets and indicators. These probably constitute the best blueprint of what we collectivity need to accomplish to address pressing planetary challenges and promote flourishing in place of catastrophes. For companies, it is not only a matter of reducing their negative externalities. It is an opportunity to achieve business success while having a positive impact.

While SDGs constitute precious guides, they are not enough without people able and committed to achieving them. Contemporary leadership has proven inadequate to promote this engagement and achieve the necessary business transformations (MacKie, 2024a). Several initiatives have been taken to define the leadership attributes needed to further the sustainability agenda, notably with the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) (Jordan et al., 2021). Developing leaders for sustainability remains a critical challenge. In this article, we build on recent research as well as on our global coaching approach (Rosinski, 2010) and experience in the past thirty years. We argue that global coaching is particularly suited to promote the sustainable leadership required to bridge the gap between the current reality and the vision of the SDGs. 

Article available via https://philrosinski.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/How-to-Develop-Leaders-for-Sustainability-P-Rosinski-vol7-n2-2024-JIME.pdf