2. Session Outline
This session will cover:
• What is the Advancing Sustainability Leaders (ASL) program
• How does it advance sustainability in local councils
• How does it create change?
• What have been the outcomes so far?
An experience of the program to assist in community
engagement…
• The Innovation Diffusion Game: Do you like shopping?
And… how to make it happen at YOUR workplace!
3. Who We Are…
• Dr Louise Metcalf
• Dr Robert Perey
• From the award
winning Australian
Research Institute for
Environment and
Sustainability (ARIES)
4. What is it?
The Advancing Sustainability
Leaders program:
• Is a leadership development
program
– Built by Water for Life and
the NSW Metropolitan
Water Directorate
– In collaboration with the
Australian Research Institute
for Environment and
Sustainability (ARIES) at
Macquarie University
– The program has been going
for 3 years and has
demonstrated results in
building sustainability
leaders in local government
5. What does it contain?
• A multi-organisation process
• Selective – we only take the best!
• You need a water project and support from your
manager/ organisation
Showcase
Celebration!
Session 3Session 2Session 1
Leadership
Retreat
Launch Day!
More 360 Degree
Feedback
Coaching
360 Degree
Feedback
Month
1
Month
2
Month
3
Month
4
Month
5
Month
6
Month
7
Month
8
Month
9
6.
7. What have been the results?
• Astounding!
• Only 9 months and change happens
• Change that EVERYONE notices!
10. Innovation Diffusion Game
• by Alan Atkisson
• In 2013, Alan was inducted into
the Sustainability Hall of Fame by the
International Society of Sustainability
Professionals in recognition for his pioneering
work in establishing sustainability consulting
as a profession, and for the inspiration he has
provided to thousands of other professionals
around the world.
• He joined a list of luminaries in the field that
includes John Elkington, Hunter Lovins, Karl-
Henrik Robèrt, Mathis Wackernagel, Hazel
Henderson, and Ray Anderson, among others.
11. “Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that
ever has.”
Margaret Mead
12. So ?
• This is a role playing game designed to demonstrate
certain basic principles in cultural change and
innovation diffusion theory.
• How does a small group spawn historical change?
• How do new ideas (or technologies, or values)
spread through an entire culture?
16. • It's important to remember that in real life, everyone
plays all of these roles in different contexts.
• For example, you may be an Innovator when it comes
to cooking, a Mainstreamer when it comes to grocery
shopping, but a Reactionary when it comes to
microwave ovens.
17. Successful Innovations - 5 critical characteristics
• Relative Advantage * Is the innovation better than the
status quo? Will people perceive it as better?
• Compatibility * How does the innovation fit with people's
past experiences and present needs? If it doesn't fit both
well, it won't spread well. Does it require a change in
existing values?
• Complexity * How difficult is the innovation to understand
and apply?
• Trialability * Can people "try out" the innovation first? Or
must they commit to it all at once?
• Observability * How visible are the results of using it? If
people adopt it, can the difference be discerned by others?
18. Avenues for Action
• System-wide change requires all 3 avenues to be pursued
• Personal
– Anything one can do directly in one’s own life
• Media
– Anything one can do to reach out to someone else
• Politics
– Anything you can do to influence social organisation
21. How Do I Get Involved?
Easy!
• Just sign up to
champion the
program at your
own workplace –
we’ll get in touch!
22. Other Ways to Work with ARIES
• The Engaging Communities Online Course
• The Complexity Leadership Assessment
• Our Place and Habitat Stepping Stones
We build sustainable communities
Ms Jessica North
jessica.north@mq.edu.au
02 9850 8597
