Green Teams: Evolutionary Learning Communities

What makes a Green Team thrive? Creating Evolutionary Learning Communities Sustainable Silicon Valley Educational Forum 30 April 2008 Alexander & Kathia Laszlo

Green Teams
“ This is a group of people at Novell, Bangalore, who sincerely care for the environment… We organize activities that will help us learn from each other about how to be conscious about what choices we make to protect the environment in every little way we can.”
— Novell Green Team
“ A team of Brooklyn residents dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint and fixing the planet – all in a day's work.”
— Brooklyn Green Team
“ The Green Team was formed to provide opportunities…to:
Learn more about ecology and the environment.
Participate in ecological and environmental activities to improve their working environments…and their communities.”
— Green Team of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

52% of employees felt their companies should be more environmentally friendly.
— Adecco HR survey, April 2007
“ Make your employees part of the solution by tapping them for environmentally friendly ideas.”
— Entrepreneur Magazine, April 2008

Green Teams Created to lead environmental initiatives Benefits • cost savings • corporate citizenship Engage employees in something meaningful Not directly related to work … but to life
• improved quality of work life
• attraction of talent
• reduction of turnover
• cross-functional collaborations
• culture of innovation

From Teams to ELC
Team
A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable
(Katzenbach and Smith in Oechsli, 2003, p. S10)
High Performance Team
Teams that consistently satisfy the needs of customers, employees, investors and others in its area of influence… frequently outperfom[ing] other teams that produce similar products and services under similar conditions and constraints
(Kur in Costka, 2001, p. 123)
Evolutionary Learning Community
Communities of learning and practice where knowledge sharing, creation, and innovation foster sustainability… and beyond

cost savings solutions innovations social capital human capital cultural capital Green Team Evolutionary Learning Community

Evolutionary Learning Community
A community is …
… two or more people
… with a shared identity
… and a common purpose
… committed to the joint creation of meaning
ELCs are spaces where people can learn together about the interconnected nature of our world, the socio-ecological impact of our individual and collective choices, and the joy of finding a meaningful way to contribute to the emergence of sustainable futures. A community that learns how to learn in harmony with the dynamics of its broader environment.

The process of ELC em power ment People come together because they have a common care. They share ideas and resources. They create a learning ecology… Their experience in the ELC empowers them to be change agents in their organizations and communities. … and design projects that represent their interests and priorities. ELC knowledge resources ELC Individual learning Collective learning ELC Sustainable businesses Sustainable communities

ELC Dialogue Conversation for relationship Conversation for learning Conversation for possibilities Conversation for action

A Systemic Process Emergent Self-organizing Interdependent Synergetic Evolving

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination
Talking the Talk
Walking the Talk
Living the Walk
Dancing the Path

Thanks! [email_address] www.SyntonyQuest.org

Green Teams: Evolutionary Learning Communities

by SyntonyQuest on May 04, 2008

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