What if you were the CEO of a company taking on the sustainability transition?
You wake up in a suite on the other side of the world. It's been 11 straight days of hard work. Being the CEO of a multinational company takes its toll. The weeks ahead are brutal. But there is a little gap in your calendar in two days. Impulsively you text your assistent to get business class tickets for your partner, son and daughter.
Words are listened to, actions go viral
Having worked with CEOs, mayors, and other leaders I recognise a pattern. People within organisations pay attention to what leaders say. But actions speak louder than words. When a sustainability leader has his family fly around the world business class, just to see them for a couple of hours, motivation breaks.
Loosing a CEOs most powerful resources.
Is this fair? Most of the leaders I worked with give up much of their lives. Should they not get a little credit? Especially those whose leadership is improving the impact their company and industry has on the world? Unfortunately not, because:
It compromises their power to convince others to join their journey.
It reduces trust and motivation from their own colleagues.
It undermines years of hard and dedicated work.
Lead by example, and share the struggle
You wake up in a suite on the other side of the world, desperately missing your family. You know what to do. Based on the poll results of a company-wide blog post on missing family, you apply the 10-day company rule:
If a business trip takes longer than 10 days. One family member can come over.
How can you best add value? By integrating your own actions into your guiding philosophy on how to run the company.