Leadership has traditionally been about having a vision, creating a plan, and executing it with precision. However, in today’s rapidly changing world—marked by the climate crisis, geopolitical instability, technological disruption, and economic uncertainty—traditional plans often fall apart. Leaders must now navigate unpredictability, and instead of seeing it as a threat, they can embrace it as an opportunity. This approach, which psychotherapist, spiritual leader, and writer Estelle Frankel calls The Wisdom of the Unknown, is more relevant than ever.
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Wilful Blindness: Why we often turn a blind eye to environmental and social issues and how we can learn to see
Why do we often turn a blind eye to problems that are actually obvious—whether it’s climate change, social injustice, or the consequences of our own actions? This article explores the phenomenon of “Wilful Blindness” and shows how we can recognize our blind spots and take targeted action to address them.
Continue reading “Wilful Blindness: Why we often turn a blind eye to environmental and social issues and how we can learn to see”How Climate Quitting unfolds – and how to prevent it
The decision to quit a job over climate concerns doesn’t happen overnight—it’s usually a slow process. Companies can counteract climate quitting by developing a realistic and serious sustainability strategy.
Continue reading “How Climate Quitting unfolds – and how to prevent it”Changing organizations from within – My interview on the Green Hub Podcast
In an interview with Fran Karlovic from the Green Hub Office at the University of Twente, I talk about how I became interested in sustainability, why I work with companies, what to consider if you want to initiate sustainability efforts as an employee within your own organization, and what a dead tuna has to do with organizational change processes.
Continue reading “Changing organizations from within – My interview on the Green Hub Podcast”Leadership for Sustainability – Speech at the FHWien, 25.10.2023
On 25 October 2023, I gave a guest lecture at the FHWien in Vienna on the role of Leadership for Sustainability. Here is a summarized and polished version of that speech.
Continue reading “Leadership for Sustainability – Speech at the FHWien, 25.10.2023”Climate Quitting: Companies without a serious climate strategy risk losing young talent
More and more people have high expectations of their employers when it comes to climate and environmental protection. If these expectations are not met, young, highly qualified employees, in particular, often change jobs.
Continue reading “Climate Quitting: Companies without a serious climate strategy risk losing young talent”Employee activism for sustainability: The benefits of building networks across organizations
Employees advocating for stronger social goals within their company often face setbacks and resistance. Connecting with like-minded individuals from other organizations can provide support and strategic insights.
Continue reading “Employee activism for sustainability: The benefits of building networks across organizations”Social Intrapreneurship: How to initiate sustainable business ideas as an employee
Social intrapreneurs are employees who develop business ideas and advocate for issues such as diversity, environmental protection, or social justice within their own organizations. Since they often hold lower hierarchical positions, they must find ways to initiate change from the bottom up. Here are some key strategies to make that happen.
Continue reading “Social Intrapreneurship: How to initiate sustainable business ideas as an employee”How employees can use mission statements and other papers to advocate for sustainable change
Mission statements, corporate visions, and similar documents are widely used in companies to signal commitments to responsibility, sustainability, or social justice—often without leading to real change. However, these documents can still be valuable tools for employees who want to drive transformation within their organization.
Continue reading “How employees can use mission statements and other papers to advocate for sustainable change”Issue Selling: How to convince decision-makers to initiate change toward sustainability
For organizational change to succeed, top management needs to be on board. When change initiatives come from employees rather than leadership, these ideas often need to be “sold” to decision-makers—especially when they involve social issues like environmental protection or fair working conditions. This article introduces four strategies for Issue Selling—the art of persuading managers to support social causes.
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Dr. Barbara Kump 