The Swedish Natural Step: A Model For Sustainable Transformation
FOR CONVERSATION AND COMMENTS ONLY. Fall, 1996.
This working draft was created for the purpose of convening a workshop with the interviewees whose story it contains. It was created to provide a shared basis for continuing the conversation about the Swedish Natural Step. Your comments are also very welcome.
HILARY BRADBURY
Boston College
Carroll Graduate School of Management
Organization Studies - Fulton 430
Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
(617) 552-0170
bradburh@bcvms.bc.edu
FAX: 617/552-0433
Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I. Tell Me What This Is All About... p: 3
I.3 Chronological Timetable: The Highpoints
I.5 Setting the Stage: An Introduction to the Swedish Natural Step
I.6 A Compass for a sustainable future: The Four System Conditions
I.7 Key Themes in Sustainable Transformation
I.8 An Invitation to the Learning in this History
PART II. Tell Me How They Did What They Did... p: 14
II.1 The Context of The Swedish Natural Step
* But Nothing happens suddenly: Seeds and Strategy Readiness for change
Willingness to commit
Emergence of a champion: Karl-Henrik Robèrt
Knowledge points to directions for change
II.2a The Process of Communicating the Message p: 22
* Consensus works on many levels
Drafting the original consensus document
Simplicity without reduction
Shared Understanding based on the Consensus Document
Consensus works to attract business
Strategizing next moves
II.2b Sustaining Growth p: 29
A gala to celebrate
Expanding synergistically
Empowering young people: Ownership makes for committment
Let it be a win-win engagement
Business and KHR click
II.2c Challenge and opportunity of sustaining transformation p: 38
When others won't engage in consensus
But you can't please all the people all the time
The heights before the fall
External threat leads to internal clarity
Limits to growth
II.3 The Architecture of Engagement: Sustaining Transformation p: 47
* Working with Business as agents of social change
Attracting effective ambassadors/trainers
Gender diversity
Targeting the right businesses
Facilitating business' internalization of the NS message
Creating ever more possibilities, through networks, for the spread of the message
PART III. Engaging A Conversation So That We Might Do Likewise p: 53
PART I
TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT...
What will remain is the vision of the sustainable society
--Karl-Henrik Robèrt
This is the story of the early stages of the Swedish Natural Step, the environmental organization whose work provides a compass we can use to orient ourselves toward a more environmentally sustainable society. Today this work is spreading on all continents.
In telling the story of the Natural Step we, who have created, supported and documented this work, hope that it will inform other efforts of large scale social transformation.
The heart of this story is told through the voices of those whose story it is. We believe that the story is inspiring, and in telling it, blemishes and all, it may give hope and direction to others who wish to do similar work.
It's a thematic story, rather than a chronological one. The focus of this story is on how people worked together to achieve what they achieved. It is a story with many participants, only some of whose voices could be included here.
Acknowledgments:
Much gratitude and recognition is due the many people whose work and support brought this learning history to fruition.
First and foremost I thank all the interviewees who took the time to tell me their part of the story: Kerstin Abrahamsson, Per Uno Alm, Lars Bern, Hans Dahlberg, Stefan Einhorn, Karl-Erik Eriksson, Anders Frisk, Russel Johnson, Magnus Leje, Stefan Nyberg, Bo Olsson, Karl Henrik Robèrt, Rigmor Robèrt, Hans Rämö, David Santa, Johan Strid, Björn Wallgren, and to all NS employees who spoke with me.
Thanks also to those with TNS-US, especially Laraine Lomax and Steve Goldfinger who helped me with informational interviews.
I thank also all who lent their editing eyes to the deceptively simple task of creating a learning history: Marty Castleberg, Gregory Doyle, Nina Kruschwitz, JoAnne Wyer; to Drew Jones for his help with the system dynamics models; and to George Roth for sharing information and documents on learning histories.
I am delighted to offer thanks to those who supported this project: Peter Senge, David Isaacs, Juanita Brown and Sara Schley; and to the foundation "Visions of a Better World" for administering the funds.
I am also indebted to the collegial and material support received from the Organizational Studies Ph.D. program at the management school, Boston College.
Abbreviations/Notations:
A small number of abbreviations are used throughout the text. "Det Naturliga Steget" is the original name of the organization which grew around the consensus report on sustainability in Sweden. I translate this as "Swedish Natural Step," this is then further abbreviated to "NS." This abbreviation is chosen to distinguish the Swedish group from the American foundation which is continuing the work in the USA and which is referred to as "TNS" / "The Natural Step." Karl-Henrik Robert is referred to as "KHR;" Rigmor Robert as "RR," and Per-Uno Alm as "PUA."
Your manuscript will be a story,
and it will be your story
and it will be our story.
- Rigmor Robèrt
SOME WORDS OF MY OWN
I asked colleagues to read through earlier versions of this document. Some were really engaged by the story they read. Some wondered why more people with an 'outsider' perspective had not been interviewed. Others expressed the fear that I had "gone native", i.e., become so captivated by the story that I am telling that I have lost too much objectivity. These honest evaluations give me pause. Certainly I have put all the positive aspects of the Natural Step up front - which is not to say I eschew criticism, but instead to acknowledge my first impressions.
Certainly I have my biases. I am a student of organization studies, I am interested in better ways of shaping the character of our work organizations for the 21st Century. My lens on the story which follows is often colored by my concern with issues of organizational transformation. My goal here is to write about the early stages of the Natural Step and so predominantly (though not exclusively) I spoke with those who were internal at that time. It is important, however, that my lens on this story not shut down readers' ability to "hear" that story, or to wonder about what is not told. The form of this story, a learning history, is precisely intended to invite readers' participation. This is not a closed document, rather it is one which is best used to provoke further questions and conversations. The reader is invited to keep a red pen to hand while reading.
What is foremost when I recall my time with the interviewees whose words form the heart of this story, is the respectful warmth with which I was greeted. I met with people whose work obligations were enormous. The interviewees were busy people: heads of international corporations, eminent scientists, doctors, civil servants, entrepreneurs, politicians and Natural Step employees. Yet they made time to tell what they all believe is an inspiring and important story. Unfailingly punctual and modest as to their contributions, the interviewees who had donated so much time and money to this cause were concerned almost entirely with the importance of the work as opposed to their individual contribution.
On one occasion I was moved to tears in an interview with a scientist. I was listening to his tale of his many years working to educate people on ecological matters. Undeterred by what often must have felt like a drop of water in the ocean of ignorance and lack of concern, he expressed his simple determination: "I have no choice but to do this, really, what are the options once you know what must be done." I grasped the degree of passion with which this work has been supported. I got that it takes dedication, effort and mostly disciplined obsession to reach the goal so cherished by all I met: a sustainable future.
This is very simple in a way. It is a calling to life-work, i.e., the work for our life on this living planet. What could be more arduous. What could be more fundamental. Hilary Bradbury
CHRONOLOGICAL TIMETABLE: NATURAL STEP HIGHPOINTS
Social Historical Context:
1960's 1964 Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" heralds an activist- intellectual awakening to environmental issues
1980's Political Green movements in Northern Europe: 1985: German Greens enter parliament; 1988: Swedish Green party wins in elections
1988
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt convenes a core group of Swedish scientists who together produce the first consensus report on environmental sustainability.
- Business leaders agree to underwrite the costs of sending the consensus report to every household and school in Sweden.
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt with his wife Rigmor name the organization which grows as a result of the interest in the consensus report: Det Naturliga Steget/Natural Step.
1989
- Public gala to celebrate the publication and dissemination of the consensus report. HRH The King of Sweden attends the Gala; the Student Union organizes a rock concert to celebrate the mission of the Natural Step.
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt et al have a papal audience in the Vatican.
1990:
- Two consensus documents are written by natural and social scientists on energy and traffic in which the implications of science are used as a basis for suggesting societal action.
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt is invited to speak to the senior management team at IKEA International. All IKEA employees are educated about sustainability.
1991
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt receives prize "The Best Social Invention" by Institute for Social Inventions, London, England.
- Consensus documents on economic mechanisms, forestry, agenda 21 planning, agriculture and metals are begun in separate scientific networks.
1994
- Karl-Henrik Robèrt is invited to speak by the MIT Center for Organizational Learning. KHR meets Paul Hawken at this talk. Steps are undertaken to continue the work of the Natural Step in the USA.
1995
- Natural Step organizations are founded in USA, Australia, United Kingdom.
WHAT IS NOTABLE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NATURAL STEP?
A "notable result" is a significant event described in observable and tangible ways. The "notable result" answers the question "what was accomplished?" One question which the learning history investigates is what has been accomplished, and to what do the people responsible for those accomplishments attribute the results?
As a result of the education efforts of Swedish Natural Step, by 1996 in Sweden:
- 60 business corporations and 50 municipalities have actively begun to change the way they do business in an effort to promote global sustainability.
- The largest Swedish petro-chemical business is producing bio-fuels.
- The CEO's of 15 of the largest companies, are calling for stiffer government regulation of air quality.
- There has been a 75% reduction in the use of pesticides.
- Natural Step youth organization has become international with c. 150, 000 participants in 6 European countries. On specially designated "environmental days" young people, in schools or convened in gatherings, work with a large variety of practical environmental activities.
- Swedish McDonalds is serving organic foods, using recycled materials to furnish its restaurants and beginning to include thatched roofs on its premises.
- IKEA, one of the world's leading furniture manufacturers offers a line that complies with the system conditions. It contains no metal or persistent glues, is built of wood from sustainable forestry. One garden chair even includes a container for worm composting.
- The four system conditions have partly formed the basis for Electrolux's environmental vision and policies. Electrolux was first to introduce a family of CFC-free refrigerators and freezers; they have developed a sun-powered lawnmower, a chainsaw that runs on vegetable oil; they transport 75% of their products by train; they use recycled steel.
- In all, firms who together create 1% of global industrial output are in active conversation with Natural Step representatives with a view to strategizing the future of their organizations in ways that do not contravene the system conditions.
SETTING THE STAGE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURAL STEP
Imagine: scientists get together and reach consensus on the roots of our environmental destruction and the most critical avenues for action; an educational package based on that report is sent to every household and school, so that citizens can learn the basics of sustainability. A roster of famous artists and celebrities appears on TV to promote and celebrate this achievement. Business leaders underwrite this work. These leaders also begin to apply the insights of the report to support the greening of their own products and processes. The work spreads internationally, igniting hope and yet more visioning. People start to take steps toward a sustainable society...
The man who is central to its creation is Karl-Henrik Robèrt, MD., Ph.D. Karl-Henrik Robèrt lives in Stockholm and is a cancer researcher and physician by training. His concern for the illnesses of his patients led him to address the 'upstream' environmental and ultimately philosophical beliefs which lie at the root of many of these illnesses. He noted that as a physician, he was seeing more rare types of cancer more often. He stopped to ask the question: in what ways are we as a society contributing to this?
In 1989 Karl-Henrik Robèrt founded The Swedish Natural Step, an organization which serves as an educational vehicle on ecological matters in Swedish society. Dr. Robèrt's most significant contribution may be his achievement of consensus on widely debated scientific issues through a process of 'simplicity without reduction.' Working closely with prominent scientists in the spirit of consensus building, Dr. Robèrt was able to develop a widely supported educational package that presented fundamental environmental issues to the Swedish public. After approaching a number of business organizations and securing financing, one such package was sent to each Swedish school and household. The Swedish king also became a patron.
Later, Dr. Robèrt and John Holmberg together articulated the four system principles which are "both necessary and sufficient for a sustainable society". These principles can serve as a guide for decision making by both individuals and organizations who want their actions to be aligned with the vision of a sustainable society.
Today the Natural Step foundation has grown and comprises networks of independent professional groups. Businesses such as IKEA, Electrolux and Swedish McDonalds are currently using the Four System Conditions as a "compass" to guide their research & development, products and processes. (Please see below for more details on the four system principles.)
A COMPASS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE:
The Four System Conditions
The following "compass" comprises four system conditions which, in the words of Swedish Natural Step, are "necessary and sufficient" for ecological sustainability. The compass tells us the implications of our actions and points to a "true north" i.e., actions that will lead us to societal sustainability. The Natural Step believes that everybody can benefit from understanding these principles, not least because they offer a chance to start to speak with each other using a common language. (More details on how the compass was developed and the uses to which it has been put are contained in the body of the learning history.)
System Condition This Means Reason Question to Ask
1. Substances Fossil fuels, Otherwise the Does your
from the Earth's metals and other concentration of organization
crust must not minerals must not substances in the systematically
systematically be extracted at a ecosphere will decrease its
increase in the faster pace than increase and dependence on
ecosphere their slow reach underground
redeposit and limits-often metals, fuels and
reintegration unknown-beyond other minerals?
into the Earth's which
crust irreversible
changes can occur
2. Substances Substances must Otherwise the Does your
produced by not be produced concentration of organization
society must not at a faster pace substances in the systematically
systematically than they can be ecosphere will decrease its
increase in the broken down and increase and dependence on
ecosphere integrated into eventually reach persistent
the cycles of limits-often unnatural
nature or unknown-beyond substances?
deposited into which
the Earth' crust irreversible
changes occur
3. The physical We cannot harvest Our health and Does your
basis for or manipulate prosperity depend organization
productivity and ecosystems in on the capacity systematically
diversity of such a way that of nature to decrease its
nature must not productive reconcentrate and economic
be systematically capacity and restructure dependence on
diminished diversity wastes into new activities which
systematically resources encroach on
diminish productive parts
of nature, e.g.,
over-fishing?
4. If we want Basic human needs Humanity must Does your
life to go on we must be met with prosper with a organization
must have fair the most resource resource systematically
and efficient use efficient methods metabolism decrease its
of resources with possible, and meeting system economic
respect to their conditions 1-3. dependence on
meeting human satisfaction must This is necessary using an
needs, because take precedence in order to get unnecessarily
promoting justice over provision of the social large amount of
will avert the luxuries stability and resources in
destruction of cooperation for relation to added
resources that achieving the human value?
poor people must changes in time
engage in for
short term
survival (e.g.,
rainforest)
Are the System Conditions simply too demanding to be useful?
There are many examples of the application of these conditions. In the learning history that follows you will learn about the first company to approach Karl-Henrik to learn how to work with the compass. IKEA, one of the world's leading furniture manufacturers offers a line that complies with the system conditions. It contains no metal or persistent glues, is built of wood from sustainable forestry. One garden chair even includes a container for worm composting! Other organizations working in harmony with the system conditions are: Swedish McDonald's, the appliance manufacturer Electrolux, the supermarket chain ICA, even a Swedish oil company, which is developing alcohol based fuels. (In addition to the information provided in this learning history please see references at back for further follow up.)
What is Sustainability (based on the definition by Paul Hawken in The Ecology of Commerce p: 139)
In the simple terms of an economic golden rule for a restorative economy, sustainability means leaving the world better than you found it, taking no more than you need, trying not to harm life or the environment, making amends if you do. Sustainability means that your service or product competes in the market place because it delivers goods or services that reduces energy consumption, pollution, and other forms of environmental damage. Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations.
A Conversation with Karl-Henrik about the four system conditions:
The first 3 system conditions seem KHR: The first three are tight
different than the fourth physical conditions and the fourth is
the consequence of the first three.
In Swedish you say the laws are The laws of nature will superimpose
"non-negotiable". Americans hate to themselves since they supersede
be told they have to accept things! man-made laws. And some words are
unnecessarily loaded. An American
TNS colleague has told me that
"incontrovertible" sounds better in
American English.
So when I look at these recyclable Right. The trouble is that most
Nickel-Cadmium batteries that I am people working with environmental
tape-recording our conversation with, issues are only talking about the 4th
I realize that having recyclable condition which includes issues of
batteries is not enough. In fact I recycling. That is like having 3 big
am using batteries that are toxic, holes on the waterline of a big ship
and that I am contravening all 4 while you fix the water damage on
system conditions. deck! In fact we should be recycling
as little as possible, by appropriate
"pre-cycling." The result should be
audited with regard to the first
three conditions, e.g., does the
demand for mining decrease as a
consequence of the recycling of
metals?
KEY THEMES IN THE STORY OF SWEDISH NATURAL STEP: Beginning and Sustaining Long Term Systemic Change
There are no separate problems anymore --John Lovejoy
Themes: The following Learning History is organized by the key concepts, or themes, which were derived primarily from the interviews conducted with those involved with the early stages of the development of the Swedish Natural Step. The following questions informed the thematization of the large amount of data: What can we learn from this remarkable achievement? How can it help us to achieve transformational change in other areas, in other countries?
Transformational Organizational Change: The effectiveness of the Natural Step seems to lie in its ability to successfully harness people's passion and concern for the environment. However, not every social movement or transformational change effort is able to harness people's concern and passion as successfully.
What are the factors that have made the Natural Step so effective in helping bring sustainable change to Sweden? What can we learn from the Natural Step which can help inform other transformational change efforts? What knowledge can we share about other transformational change efforts in order to help inform the Natural Step?
Transformative change efforts within organizations seem to spring up and take root. In this Learning History we attempt to articulate those themes which relate to transformational change on a general level, through description of their concrete realization in the specific life and work of the Natural Step.
- Nothing happens suddenly! This theme of Seeds and Strategy explores the readiness for the work toward sustainability in Sweden. Karl Henrik Robèrt, the central figure in the Swedish movement, is introduced.
- Consensus works on many levels. The effectiveness of the work of the Natural Step is often attributed to the consensus orientation which lies at its core. This section explores the components which led to increased commitment to the work of the Natural Step. Those include the shared vision of sustainability articulated in the original consensus report and the inclusive engagement of multiple stakeholders in support of sustainability.
- Here we learn more about the sustaining of NS growth. This was achieved synergistically through a combination of personalities who brought different talents and visions, and the support of businesses who were seeking to do well by doing good.
- The development of the Natural Step was not without its critical moments which included a smear campaign, personal trials and the ever consuming quest for financial support. This section draws attention to the fact that this magic was less luck and more a commitment to treat each significant challenge as opportunity.
- How could we do work like that?! This section discusses Strategic pointers for initiating such change. These are offered not as "the only way", but as the reflection on the success of the Natural Step by those who contributed and learned in this process.
INVITATION TO THE LEARNING IN THIS HISTORY:
You are like an explorer and what we like to hear from an explorer is what did you see and how did it feel and what was it like - Rigmor Robèrt
You have begun to read a learning history. You might continue to read the following in the way you would read an ordinary report. However, if you read it that way, it may not provide the intended value.
A learning history describes what happens in a learning and change process, in the voice of participants. It documents the "hard" facts and events, but it focuses on what people thought about the event, how they perceived their own actions, and their differences in perception. By recreating the experience of "being there," the learning history helps you understand what happened in a way that helps you make more effective judgments. Our objective: To transfer the learning from the pilot team to other interested teams and organizations. The learning history is a means to that end -- not an end in itself. It is designed to produce better conversations, that wouldn't otherwise be likely to occur.
Learning is not always an easy process. It involves taking on the mindset of a beginner, letting go of what you already know, and being willing to examine mistakes. When people try new behaviors, to do things differently, they often make mistakes -- in fact, mistakes are inevitable. In typical business settings, however, mistakes are covered up and made undiscussable. The people who tell their story in this learning history have had successes, but they have also made mistakes. Those experiences are communicated here. Thus, the learning history gives you an opportunity to talk safely and openly about what has been learned by this group, and to extend that discussion to your own team and organization.
When you read this document as a learning history we ask you to do two things:
First, use it as a vehicle to better conversations. Read the document simultaneously with others who are interested in the issues it raises.
Second, as you read, take on the mindset of a beginner. "Listen" to what people are saying through their quotes, and why they did what they did. Try to suspend your judgment; don't automatically condemn the people who made mistakes, or assume you know why the mistakes occurred. Yet notice how you react. Mark those reactions in the document. Think about how this story is similar and different from the issues you face.
FORMAT
Right hand column: I have interviewed participants who were key in the early stages of the work of the Natural Step. On the right hand side of the page you will read their words. I have checked a draft of these words with each speaker before others have seen them.
Left hand column: In the left-hand column are my own thoughts and feelings which I hope will orient the reader to my perspective and aid in sense-making of the narrative in the right-hand column. Here I ask questions, offer reactions/comments on the story.
Sidebars are used throughout the document to explain an issue, concept or person in more detail than the use of quotations might allow. Where a word is marked "**" an explanatory sidebar follows below.
Systems models which describe and clarify ideas graphically are also included at two points in this document. The reader is encouraged to use alternate and/or similar clarification 'tools' throughout.
PART II
TELL ME HOW THEY DID WHAT THEY DID...
THE CONTEXT OF THE SWEDISH NATURAL STEP
But nothing happens suddenly: Seeds and Strategy
This theme of Seeds and Strategy explores the readiness for the work toward sustainability in Sweden. Karl Henrik Robèrt, the central figure in the Swedish movement, is introduced.
We are all already scared.
Polls taken at the 1992 global environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro revealed that between 70-80% of people worldwide have some kind of deep worry about the environment. People think that their health and their children's health is currently or will be damaged by environmental problems. More and more, people are afraid of the direction the environment is taking, and they are aware that they themselves must do something to avert a catastrophe.
The effectiveness of the Natural Step in Sweden seems to lie in its ability to harness this concern for the environment which exists among almost all people. Not every social movement or transformational change effort is able to harness people's concern and passion as successfully.
Readiness for Change
Sweden, with its mix of a stable business environment dominated by large corporations, and a population that is well educated and socially active, seemed to provide the ideal conditions for the evolution of the Natural Step.
Is Sweden special in that it provides
opportunities for people to develop
not only awareness but also the tools
to bring about ecological
sustainability? Just what is it
about Sweden anyway?!
In the US we say "Yes, in Sweden Student unionist: In Sweden we have
they can do this environmental excellent preconditions for
consensus work, but in the US we are environmental activism since we have
too atomized, too cynical..." Is this well educated scientists and a
"the truth" or a rationalization? How population as a whole. We have the
important are such cultural factors? highest rate of newspaper reading, we
have study circles** and large
people's movements. Each Swede is a
member of 4-5 organizations.
Scientist: We Swedes are not very
controversial.
It might seem that the consensus Swedish Business Executive: We are
orientation of the Swedes is not a still tremendously dependent on big
result of their being simply "better corporations and that is related to
people". this conforming, even when people are
convinced of another truth and that
what they are doing is wrong, they
don't say so. It's dangerous
Economic conditions in Sweden, e.g.,
the dominance of a small number of
powerful corporations also play a
role in maintaining a status quo.
In the US the vibrancy of the In Sweden there is great pressure on
economy with its special regard for people to conform, e.g., if you're
entrepreneurial ventures, suggests against nuclear energy it is
that if people are willing to call literally impossible for you to take
for response in the business sector part in business social circles.
to environmental there are structural
reasons which would support such
change
Cultural norms count too! Scientist: In Sweden it is regarded
as a mark of prestige to be a good
diplomat and listen and reach the
goal rather than show off on a
personal level.
**On Study Circles: The Study Circle is about people from a community getting together once a week for a couple of hours to study a subject together. It can be anything from languages to science to woodworking. This is an organized and very popular backbone of the activities of Swedish educational organizations. Every autumn each household gets booklets from a study organization indicating the many possibilities on offer. A great way to disseminate educational material is to produce study group booklets.
People's cooperatives in Sweden: A cooperative (coop) is an organization that is owned by all participating members. The Consumer Cooperatives are the "little man's" organization which came about in order to provide people with the basic necessities in the last century.
Willingness to Commit
The success of a transformation initiative seems to rest on the willingness of individuals to make a whole-hearted commitment to the change effort. This is true for the Natural Step. Most of the people interviewed had changed her/his life so as to be more dedicated to working toward a sustainable future.
Civil Servant: Earlier in my career I
switched away from engineering. I
realized what industry did not: that
environmental concerns will not fade
away.
Executive: I got the sad news that I
was sick with cancer and I decided
soon thereafter that I wanted to
dedicate as much work as I could to
the Natural Step.
NS Employee: I was searching to do
something different in my life when
KHR asked me to work with the Natural
Step.
A champion emerges: Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt.
Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt (KHR) brought to his work a unique combination of scientific know-how, love of clarity, awareness of the need for consensus and perhaps of most importance, an amiable and--many say--charismatic persona.
What can we learn from KHR's story? Is a charismatic leader essential for a successful change effort? Is it charisma which is necessary and sufficient, or are there other qualities, like persistence, which are equally, if not more, important?
I first met KHR in person in the
offices of the Natural Step in
Stockholm in March 96. We laughed
about the fact that the airline had
misplaced my luggage . Because he too
was in casual clothes I was made to
feel immediately comfortable in my
rumpled attire. Before sitting down
together, I was introduced to
everyone in the Natural Step office.
I was touched again and again
throughout the weeks I spent there by
the warmth and dedication of all I
met.
I had heard the remarkable story of
how KHR had engaged the energy and
imagination of his scientific
colleagues to create a consensus
document on how to proceed toward a
sustainable future. I was looking
less for the facts than for an
understanding of how such work gets
done.
How had it all begun for KHR? The I was not only passionate, I was
work sprang from his emotions, from obsessed. When I first started out
his own passion and fear. it was with a very clear sorrow in my
heart, and fear for the destruction
of the environment.
His wife had already discerned signs **RR: I started to understand that
of significant vocational calling in something was going on with KH from
the dreams of KHR back in the early the dreams he was recounting, he was
1980's: the dreams suggested a starting to have amazing dreams -
calling to significant and creative when men are becoming creative they
work often have dreams with spiritual and
erotic motifs, and KH was having
quite elaborate dreams.
**Rigmor Robèrt (RR). An
occupational physician and Jungian
trained analytical psychologist, Dr.
Rigmor Robèrt is author of "He and
She - born different" (1994).
Married to KHR for over 25 years,
they have two children.
KHR's was shaped by his professional I am a cell scientist and the cell
work as a scientist. Science was the is almost a metaphor for the whole
lens through which he saw a holistic earth, where the organisms are like
vision of the earth. the species and there must be a
balance of all flows for the earth to
survive.
In many respects, KHR represents the Mathematics have always fascinated
idealist's image of a scientist: a me. I think it is the challenge and
man who might reply to postmodern the fact that there is a right
skepticism with an old fashioned love answer. You feel exulted by clear
of truth and objectivity cut reasoning and beautiful thoughts
and creativity.
At some point, he found that he no I was surrounded by scientists who
longer shared his fellow scientists' got happy every time they discovered
definition of success. a new toxin.
Yet, his work was no longer I was completely uninterested in
fulfilling. He had a hunger to do designing ever more elegant
more. medicines. There are a whole bunch of
people who can do that. There was a
driving force in me, a power and
urgency to do something more
fundamental.
His professional training and these From karate I learned to go on when
feelings and experiences--including it hurts and to read my opponent.
being a national karate
champion--seemed to prepare him well
for his Natural Step work.
There was another aspect of KHR which
seems to be a major contributor to
the success of the Natural Step: his
inclusive communication style.
One of the ways in which scientists
survive is by trying to explain their
work to other people.
KHR was very successful and But I rejected the usual way of
respected as a cell scientist. presenting my findings. I realize
Early in his career he decided to be that I had tried to hide behind such
courageous enough to explain his language, thinking that if I
findings to his peers using very communicate in this way I will be
clear and simple language. taken seriously and won't be seen as
superficial. I changed to wanting
my thinking to be transparent to the
others so that they could see exactly
what is going on in my brain when I
am doing experiments.
His tendency toward collaborative During my scientific work I was
consensus building was apparent in leading "flat" non-hierarchical teams
the early days of his medical work. where everyone took part in the
dialogue, where everything that was
said was clear and understandable.
The Natural Step work is an KHR: As a result of my trying to
expression of KHR's life work. It is communicate clearly many people came
informed by his scientific education and offered to work with me and help
and 'rounded out' with an intuitive me.
way of connecting with people.
Karl-Henrik Robèrt's Leadership qualities were in early evidence. Though he is not without critics, all interviewees do agree that the man himself is unique--even though this is by no means the only cause of the success of the Natural Step.
Executive: If KHR were archbishop of
Sweden the churches would be full on
Sundays.
Employee: I see KHR as an Ivanhoe -
the fair and just king. He's also
powerful in a physical way and that
influences me. It's a "guy thing."
Colleague: I see KHR is a very
charismatic person. He would be
successful in anything he put his
mind to. He has the confidence,
intelligence, charm. He's a good
guy. He wants to do good.
Perhaps people are willing to be kind
and gracious about KHR because of the
net gain his many qualities have
brought to others.
This style seeks to explain complex Early collaborator: He has a gift in
matters in a simple way without transmitting knowledge to ordinary
losing anything integral to the people in a way that they can
subject at hand - KHR himself refers understand it. He is a very gifted
to it as "simplicity without lecturer.
reduction."
RR: KH enjoys teaching. He was a
leader back in medical school. He
wanted always to bump things down to
the basics for people to understand.
Employee: KHR always seems so kind,
open, we can talk easily to each
other.
Not that this style is always
appreciated!
KHR: I have ruined many dinner
parties with my love of lecturing,
people might say "O you must agree
that use of nuclear energy is better
than fossil fuel" and I simply have
to say no and then lecture them! I
feel physical pain when I hear
ignorance.
And when he, his ideas, or his style KHR: The very last thing that
are not, something else sustains his abandons me, on days even when I am
effort. too tired to hear the beauty of a
bird's song, is my desire for
honorable recognition by people
around me.
Knowledge points to directions for change:
True to his scientific calling, it is KHR's belief that a full understanding of the facts would motivate people toward doing whatever they could to realize a sustainable future. KHR believes that the reason for entrenched positions is bad reasoning and that, in the end, all people should be able to understand that it is in everyone's interests to work toward sustainability in both the long and the short run.
It was this belief that, in 1982, motivated KHR to develop an information packet designed to curb the use of tobacco. In 1987 KHR then worked with a colleague, Stefan Einhorn, to do a similar task in helping to educate Swedes about the spread of AIDS. At the heart of this effort is the belief that facts put plainly can galvanize people to demand more from themselves, and from business.
KHR's approach involved a two-pronged KHR: If I make a business man less
strategy: creating greater awareness ignorant about why it is in his own
in the business community itself-- self interest to undertake change,
change will come.
And influencing consumers. There must be a market for new
products, so the first activity had
to be to address the public.
It seemed like the logical next step
to want to inform people of the facts
about environmental degradation and
sustainability.
Early Colleague: He had done a
tobacco program and we had done an
AIDS program and had been sort of
successful. KHR started to think
about reaching people in business
with regard to the environment.
That's the group he wanted to
influence.
Colleague: Few would come up with
such an idea as KHR - its
overwhelming!
Perhaps what so overwhelmed people RR: I think the biggest difficulty
was KHR's willingness to commit to a was the whole project, the very idea
dream that was by no means guaranteed of educating the entire population
to be realized. In a sense the dream was somehow unbelievable to people!
of educating the entire population
was an utterly impossible dream..a
dangerous commitment, too susceptible
to failure. It is perhaps more
common to not allow oneself to
entertain such a dream.
THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE
CONSENSUS WORKS ON MANY LEVELS
The effectiveness of the work of the Natural Step is often attributed to the consensus orientation which lies at its core. This section explores the components which led to increased commitment to the work of the Natural Step. Those include the shared vision of sustainability articulated in the original consensus report and the inclusive engagement of multiple stakeholders in support of sustainability.
Drafting the original consensus document
KHR was convinced that if people could be educated about environmental sustainability they would be in a position to create societal change, whether at the polling booth or in the marketplace. He then resolved to develop a document through a process of consensus which would be distributed to the entire population of Sweden. Undaunted by 'usual' thinking that might suggest that sending a document to all four million plus Swedish households is a little "over the top," KHR pressed ahead with his unusual plan. A document would be written and edited by many scientists until it contained the best articulation of the beliefs on environmental science to date. This document would then be distributed to households and schools. KHR had not yet decided that the King and UN ambassador general would be involved. That would come later!
You can work with consensus on many levels. The most important level is when KHR collects scientists. At a lower level it's about asking others for their advice, and not believing you have the solution yourself. So it's a way of being open for others to give their input. It's about taking away detail, finding a core that people agree on and building up from there. --Per-Uno Alm
Simplicity without reduction:
The consensus process employed a method of 'simplicity without reduction' which meant that all extraneous detail would be cut away to leave the core with which everyone agreed. The method of `simplicity without reduction' reflected KHR's promise to himself to make his thinking transparent. This became the template for the consensus process. It was crucial. in KHR's way of thinking, that people be enabled to move beyond quarreling** over details, to really understanding the principles at stake. KHR believed that when people understand principles --reduced to their simplest expression--they are enabled to overcome the "Thumbelina syndrome", i.e., the feeling we are too insignificant to make any contribution to change.
Initially, the process began with building a community of committed scientists. But the larger challenge was and continues to be to help businesses align with environmental goals. The process attracts businesses, including several effective champions within the business community.
On scientific quarrels over environmental issues: "Monkeys chattering in the trees!" How much CO2 in the atmosphere is too much? How big a hole in the ozone layer is too big? This is the nature of much scientific debate on environmental pollution. Karl-Henrik has likened this to the chattering of monkeys in a dying tree. He suggests that we do not need hard and fast answers to these difficult questions before we act; that we may act now with our already voluminous partial knowledge. To act means to get down out of the leaves and begin to tend to the trunk and roots of the dying tree which supports our life.
Scientist: The idea of a consensus
document was to cause alarm. The
more knowledge the population had,
the more they would put pressure on
the politicians. Civil Servant: I
realized immediately that this man
wasn't mad after all, but that he did
have a very uncommon idea and a
fantastic pedagogical instrument.
The vision was to make it so simple
that any interested layperson could
read it.
Scientist: KHR writes very quickly
and responds to ideas very quickly.
So we discussed and you have to give
and take. That's the way we all came
to consensus. All of us were more or
less satisfied.
Scientist: At first we met once or
twice a month for 2-3 hours, as we
were finishing it was once a week.
The entire process took about nine
months.
Eminent scientists were willing to Scientist: The booklet** was again
get involved with KHR's work because another opportunity for saying what
it offered an opportunity to reach an I've said over and over, again and
audience that they wanted to reach again and again and this time to a
but had not yet succeeded in doing so wider audience.
**The original consensus booklet: Karl-Henrik drafted a first version of what would become the booklet to be sent to all Swedish households and schools. He then passed this to a circle of 6 colleagues and asked them to improve the document and return it. He then redrafted it and sent it back not only to these colleagues but also others suggested by these colleagues. This iterative process went on until 21 versions of the document had been drafted and the thoughts of over 50 scientific colleagues included. The final document, whose "simplicity without reduction" made it a perfect springboard to introduce the vision of sustainability to the Swedish public, was sent in booklet form to all households and schools.
The booklet is a 37 page 8"X12", soft cover, illustrated document. It begins with an overview of evolution and explains the development of the cells of plants, animals and humans. It explains the cyclic characteristic of the natural environment and the environmental dangers of non-cyclic energy sources such as nuclear power. It is an alarm document in its call to action. It notes the extinction of species, the ozone layer and rainforest degradation. It makes suggestions for daily life concerning saving energy, recycling and demanding chorine free paper and mercury free batteries. It ends with a one page more densely written conclusion which spells out the ramifications of the foregoing. The document appears user friendly, aimed at a general public. It seems almost understandable even to a non-Swedish speaking person as most of the story is told using illustrations. On the back cover the names of contributing scientists and an address for the "Naturliga Steget/Natural Step" is included.
The booklet was ready for mailing within a year. A sound recording was also made of the words in the document so that people could look at the booklet while listening to the words. Business then got involved to financially support the dissemination of this document to 4 million homes and all Swedish schools (see sub-theme 'consensus works to attract business' below). The four system conditions were not contained in this booklet. KHR continued his work toward scientific consensus. In this process he saw the need for a succinct overview of what science can tell us about how to achieve sustainability. As a result of this on-going scientific consensus building in further dialogue with John Holmberg, then a doctoral student at Chalmers university, the four System Condition were articulated[1]. The four system conditions were published in scientific journals, although they were not distributed to the entire population.
Shared understanding of sustainability based on the Consensus Report
The Natural Step began with a "breakthrough concept"--perhaps another attribute of successful transformation efforts. What was the breakthrough concept? Making knowledge accessible to those who can put it to use. But why was this seemingly simple idea such a "breakthrough?" Why was it so significant? Many scientists already knew a great deal about how our environmental problems might be resolved, yet no one had managed to make that knowledge available to the broader public beyond academia. Indeed many had put no thought into how to do that at all.
Scientists do not always think of Scientist: I am only a scientist, I
themselves as educators. never understood how important it was
to be so aware of how to transmit the
knowledge
Yet, KHR seems to have been a born KHR: I forever thought about learning
educator, consumed with the desire to better strategies for teaching. I
communicate his knowledge and help always think about this, when I wake
people to put it to use. up, drink coffee, walk the dogs, run
in the woods, fall asleep.
KHR: I react to a problem by going
over it again and again - how can we
deal with this problem
In many ways KHR's work makes us
recognize one of the problems that
the specialization of knowledge has
created. So much brilliance is
getting lost in the bumbling of
specialized jargon which makes it
almost impossible for various
disciplines to share knowledge.
Another factor is the disdain for
grappling with real world problems
that exists among academics.
KHR's personal experience taught him KHR: The consensus oriented pedagogy
that little is resolved by arguing. we have now developed came from my
own despair and long time practice of
violating all the rules of consensus.
My spontaneous reaction when I get
opposition to my deep seated beliefs
is to punch that person on his nose.
I've learned the hard way how little
that achieves.
KHR made it a point to learn about Scientist: KHR has studied how to
consensus-building. The idea is to best achieve consensus. I link this
reach people with knowledge that will also to his training as a physician
help them to make better where he is always trying to apply
decisions--not to alienate or blame his knowledge. Here, the patient is
them. Swedish industrial society.
It probably does not come naturally KHR: It's very easy to ask myself how
to many of us to view the world would I like to be treated if I am
through our listener's eyes, yet that supposed to contribute to other
is precisely what is needed. goals. Well, first I want
recognition! Don't start off saying
"you're wrong," you start by lauding
what is wonderful!
KHR knew that this process must
engage people not only on a cognitive
but also on an emotional level.
First, you must get through to
people. Does this mean that you must
always be a little bit kinder than
you think you need to be?
Scientist: Instead of criticizing
what is bad, KHR tried to praise what
is good, getting good examples,
getting good companies.
KHR's training as a doctor was good Executive: KHR doesn't pretend to
preparation for engaging people in a know anything he doesn't; he says, I
consensus process. A doctor has am just a cancer doctor, I won't tell
authority but cannot command! you what to do. You are the
professionals. You are the ones who
know how to best handle this.
KHR's training seems to have created Natural Step Employee: We don't tell
a template for the Natural Step people what to do. We don't hang out
organization's approach to people. with the bad guys and we always show
You take people as you find them, the good examples.
knowing that they are doing their
best, given their knowledge and
experience.
Consensus works to attract business
Business people have been very attracted to the consensus-building pedagogy, and to the consensus builder himself. A change initiative which works by "pull", a process of attraction, instead of "push", or promotion, can be very powerful indeed. But why has the Natural Step and its leader been so attractive to business?
Executive: What KHR said to me caught
me. He said, I am a cancer doctor
and I am concerned about the bad
state of things at present. The
first thing is to educate people and
I have an idea about how to do just
that.
Even more than the scientific
foundation, the pedagogy which is so
inviting proved perhaps most
attractive.
When KHR spoke at MIT in 1994 he Executive: What impressed me was the
used brilliant, memorable metaphors very good pedagogical instrument, his
e.g., the tree whose trunk represents metaphors, his way of representing
the principles of consensus, the the systems ecology. I thought KHR
leaves the details of arguments, etc. really had something there, after all
I had been grappling with how best to
transfer knowledge like this to
people in business.
Perhaps business was also attracted Executive: KHR had really thought it
by KHR's success in building through and his bringing in all those
consensus within the scientific scientists who had supported it was
community. Perhaps they appreciated very impressive.
what a challenge this was. Ash the
saying goes, nothing succeeds like
success!
KHR: I must have been able to sell
the concept to them using my pedagogy
and my sincere passion and my
vitality in a way that felt like "OK,
give the guy a break".
Business wanted in. Executive: My company was attracted
to NS and in fact we were attracted
to each other. I understood that we
needed guidance and advice from
knowledgeable people; that we
couldn't handle it ourselves.
And they offered the benefit of their KHR: I was advised by Hans Dahlberg
strategic skills and management who was a leader in providing initial
consultancy. funds, that we must be prepared,
after the launch of the booklet, with
back-up to support its impact on
society
Hans Dahlberg was CEO of Folksam, a Dahlberg: I was determined that KHR
large cooperative insurance company, should succeed, he is a good guy and
at the time that KHR sought funding I believe in him. Here was a guy who
to disseminate the original consensus had an approach to the environmental
booklet. Cooperatives are an problem which was so different from
important part of the Swedish other approaches.
organizational landscape which arose
out of the needs of ordinary people.
Mainstream insurance companies had
said "certain people are poor risks,
we don't want to insure them." So
people got together and formed their
own insurance cooperative. Folksam,
one such example, saw its mission as
insuring not just people's health but
more generally their well being, and
so felt empowered to support NS at
the early stages.
Not that KHR wasn't able to just sell Dahlberg: KHR didn't need much hand
his ideas with great ease. holding, just contacts with other
business associates who might be
willing to support the cause. The
rest he could do for himself. He is
so good you can take him to any
boardroom. You can't take all
doctors and you can hardly take any
environmentalists!
Strategizing
the Next Moves:KHR had succeeded with the unimaginable. Based on his own experience of how consensus building can lead to the better solution, he attracted scientists and business leaders to support him. Together a shared understanding of sustainability was co-created.
Hans Dahlberg, CEO of Folksam, was a key figure in the early stages for funding the NS directly and putting KHR in contact with other like-minded business people who would also help with funding. Dahlberg also brought Per-Uno Alm, an independent management consultant, on board. At first Per-Uno Alm was reluctant. On Dahlberg's request he met with KHR one Saturday morning and was surprised at how articulate, sincere and inspirational KHR was. His reluctance to get involved lessened and then he stipulated one condition for further involvement: KHR would have to be willing to be the public face behind the NS initiative, in effect he would have to agree to posibly giving up his private life. Per-Uno Alm felt that with KHR as the public persona people would identify with the work of NS, this organization had a chance at overcoming what he saw as the perennial problem with the message of most environmental organizations: that it instills doom, gloom and a sense of such overwhelming catastrophe that the ordinary person feels paralyzed to act. Committed at first on a part-time basis to offer strategic and operational direction to Natural Step Per-Uno Alm pushed three initiatives to help further expand the work:
- to reach out to youth, the ones who will, by definition, carry on the work
- to prepare for the expected demand on the lecture circuit after the release of the booklet,
- to continue the work of consensus documents through the creation of more networks of professional groups, who, in their own areas, would seek to achieve consensus on how to assist in moving society toward the vision of a sustainable future,
- to grow the NS organization "organically", i.e., to allow all types of people who had good and practicable ideas that might further the mission of NS to be a part of the synergistic growth. Thus the development of NS would be sustained by the commitment of those who would be attracted to the mission and vision of sustainability as articulated by the NS and identified with the person of KHR.
SUSTAINING GROWTH
In this section we learn more about the sustaining of NS growth. This was achieved synergistically through a combination of personalities who brought different talents and visions, and the support of businesses who were seeking to do well by doing good.
The consensus booklet was the first major platform for KHR's ideas. Sending the consensus booklet to all Swedish households created a groundswell of interest. As demand to know more about sustainability increased, opportunities to further educate people on the vision of a sustainable society also increased.
A Gala to celebrate a tremendous achievement
The booklet was launched on April 29, at a gala evening event. This event was televised on Swedish TV with the King's patronage and UN ambassador Perez de Cueljar prominent. Per-Uno Alm and Hans Dahlberg, who played vital roles as leaders and catalysts during the next stage of the expansion of the Natural Step. These "early adopters" were able to bring their own personal visions to the effort, and KHR was able to expand his vision to include theirs.
Assessments of the mailing's Scientist: The distribution of the
success varied - though a 20% booklet to all Swedish households and
"return" on any direct mail is schools was a very interesting, if
exceedingly high. not a very good idea. It didn't have
a major impact. KHR: No one expected
the mailing solely to transform
Sweden. It was there to initiate a
powerful start to the NS itself.
Indeed our polls showed that 20% of
the recipients studied the booklet.
With previous experience as a Student Unionist: With the booklet
management consultant to successfully out PUA played the role
not-for-profit organizations, PUA had of the "crazy consultant," with no
many contacts and a talent for seeing limits to his aspirations for making
interconnections. Described by more education and action available.
colleagues as 'almost brilliant', he
turned to strategize the right moves
for the expansion of the Natural Step.
PUA: We must at all times be
completely free to see possibilities.
PUA took on the day-to-day
responsibilities of the small office
of the Natural Step which formed to
serve the demand for more information
that came as a result of the booklet.
Expanding Synergistically
The Natural Step's expansion happened in a number of domains and included young people organized in a youth parliament; professionals organized in network groups, many of whom worked to create their own consensus documents; and it included business leaders who began to internalize the message of the NS in a way that made their companies more "green". An organizational design emerged, a design which seemed appropriate to the goals of the organization. The organization would grow organically, i.e., be a project-based organization, networked through a group of central coordinators.
The organizational design mirrored PUA: It is imperative that NS
PUA's view about the source of comprises all levels of society. We
passion for the Natural Step: it had to see that we were constituted
comes from inside, from the core of diversely. I started to create and
one's being. So, too, the to see how to find people around me
organization expands out from a who could support us - and support us
central core. by themselves getting the idea of
what to do inside themselves, from
that there is so much energy. There
is no limit to it, really.
The Natural Step would not be a The interconnecting networks of
consulting organization. support makes this program unique.
If we ran it like a consulting
business we would always be compared
with other such businesses. We need
to be different.
Leadership in the supporting KHR: It was no coincidence that Hans
companies was the type that takes a Dahlberg was a supporter from the
long term view and encouraged start, his leadership style has been
empowered delegation. one that is completely devoted to
being a true, empowering leader.
Taking a long-term view, PUA was
concerned to garner the energy and
support of young people.
I could see that we haven't enough
young people with us. So I told KHR,
"We must draft them because that is
the basic group for us in the future."
The students insisted on --and Student unionist: They wanted to have
succeeded in--creating their own a youth profile to begin with a
version of the Natural Step. special launch for just the youth.
It is young people doing something
for ourselves, not NS doing something
for us. Maybe that is why it is
successful.
Yet, perhaps, in delegating that Per-Uno: The students told me that
authority to the students, NS may the youth wouldn't be so interested
have gone too far in its 'hands off' in scientifically derived system
approach? Today the youth work conditions but more so in concrete
contains very little of the things to do. I said "fine, if this
scientific background developed by is the basis for future work, please
NS, including the system do as you see fit."
conditions.--although that is being
addressed now.
Other Networks also were developed, Student: In the spring of 1993,
initiated by individuals who had been Kenneth Hermele a well-known Swedish
attracted to the Natural Step. In economist, called a first meeting of
this case Professor Hermele an economist network. He only wanted
approached Karl Henrik about creating to call not lead it. He asked if
a network. people would be interested in
beginning and leading a subgroup too.
Generally the network meeting had a
mix of economists, older and younger,
men and women, the conservative and
progressive.
**Empowering Young People - Ownership makes for commitment. KHR and PUA met with the leaders of the Student Union in Stockholm in 1988 to extend an invitation to them to get involved in the mission of the Natural Step. They accepted and proceeded to create an autonomous body called the Swedish Youth Parliament. Its foundation was celebrated with a rock concert as a youth alternative to the televised gala that introduced NS to the Swedish public. It aimed to create an interest for the environment and to stimulate youth participation through *learning by doing; *fostering choice; * dialogue with experts; * and using the NS scientific consensus. Today the youth organization has become international with c. 150, 000 participants in 6 European countries. On specially designated "environmental days" young people, in schools or convened in gatherings, work with a large variety of practical environmental activities. In Sweden one such an activity is "the King's challenge", in which young people make reports on the work of local businesses with reference to the four system conditions.
Consensus as a Generative Process: Development of Professional Networks
Like the original consensus booklet, the "Four System Conditions" also emerged partly from KHR's own cogitation and partly out of conversation with others (see above for more details.) This process of drafting thoughts and seeking input from the best minds in the field was to be institutionalized in the form of Professional Network** groups. To date, some of these groups have produced consensus statements of their own. Following KHR's original template, these consensus documents also represent the best thinking and points of agreement which exist among scientists on a particular scientific topic. The compass, i.e., the four system conditions, and a program for step-by-step transmission of these is then used as an instrument for analysis and dialogue.
**Professional Network Groups. (to be completed with H. Helmfrid)
What are they?
How do they function?
How many? etc.
KHR: It always starts with me
thinking, How can I approach those
smart people? How can I describe this
in a challenging way and so clear cut
that they will be fascinated by the
prep work?
But not everyone can be invited. At this point because the work is
What problems does limited known and wonderful minds have taken
participation create? Is there the part, it is somewhat of an honor to
possibility of bias? be invited. And we work using
people's suggestions of whose
viewpoint is not represented.
The process engages the intellect of The scientists are attracted by the
the scientist. Somehow, it seems, ego strategy of trying at least to get
is not a problem? rid of their antagonisms that are
based on misunderstanding. They come
as they are interested in the
intellectual process.
The consensus model attracts the The four system conditions are, in a
right people. way, the rules of playing chess with
each other, and we apply simplicity
without reduction to identify shared
mental models/ understandings.
What does the scientific consensus Scientist: The idea is you collect
building actually look like? people who know the subject and who
have differing opinions, then try to
write down the points they agree on.
It takes time. But afterwards you
have a document that you can give,
say, a politician and say: At least
these questions can be set aside,
because everyone agrees on these.
KHR: An editorial team should not
consist of more than ten people, and
with ten you're bound to cover most
viewpoints. We must recruit interest
among diverse viewpoints.
You have a chairperson who listens
well and who notes breakdowns when
people are arguing over details not
principles; she or he must also be
aware of anybody violating another
person's sense of honor.
I bet that sometimes in spite of best
efforts people will get stuck
We all participate in deciding when
it is that we have reached consensus.
When we cannot all agree, that
conclusion, too, is reached by
consensus.
But isn't it possible that some It's not consensus when people give
people do just give in for the sake in, especially out of fear of seeming
of a quiet life? What safeguards to disagree with all their eminent
against this? colleagues. We work with this, maybe
privately too . My task is to see
that the system conditions really are
clear in people's minds until the
real consensus work commences.
After all the hard work, you have a If you put your feet on something
solid foundation from which to build that itself is loose and then take a
an edifice. And with decisions built leap, you're after even more
on the system conditions , you have a confusion and you can't contribute.
firm foundation from which to
approach other problems.
Let
it be a win-win Engagement!It may be that in addition to the loftier features of contributing to scientific history and the sustainability of planet earth in general, another more mundane reason for participating lies behind people's willingness to spend up to 20 hours a week in dialogue about ideas with their colleagues, colleagues who were often "enemies" at the outset of the process. The consensus process can be fun, participants can learn a lot, and they can reach a larger number of people that they would not have otherwise.
Scientist: I was very excited about
being a part of this.
Doctor: it was great fun to work with
KHR. He's funny, charismatic. He has
a free and creative mind. I learned
from him, and I enjoyed it.
Student unionist: It was fun, and it
fulfilled my needs to get results in
educating people about the
environment.
Scientist: I'm glad to have been in
it. It's an experience from which I
learned a lot, I learned to interface
with groups with a business mindset,
to see the questions they bring.
Business and KHR click
You see the whole point is to make the good guys do better
-- KHR
Increasing numbers of business people are convinced by the message of KHR and the Natural Step. The way in which this message is delivered appeals to them. It simply makes sense to hear explained that industries who refuse to change toward more sustainable processes and products are in jeopardy. If businesses rely on the use of ever more expensive and diminishing quantities of natural resources, they are backing themselves into a non-competitive corner. Consumer demand is also unequivocally moving in the direction of "greening" industry. Yet, KHR is not asking people to don hiking boots, eat alfalfa spouts in the executive dining room, and risk unprofitability. A great amount of thought has gone into making the message of sustainability applicable to the day-to-day concerns of business people.
NS works with, rather than against RR: These men who love rules and have
, the grain of people. been successful are not asked to
abandon their way, rather they are
allowed to use that side of
themselves which has been so
successful and also to allow their
heart to come through.
Synergistic support implies that, for Executive: We grew together in a way.
example, businesses which wished to
become involved would learn from NS
and also further the understanding of
NS applicability.
Many business people were just Executive: I was instrumental
waiting for the tools KHR introduced, because I was interested in getting
seeing it as a way to help their own this work on sustainability going. I
companies. saw it as a possibility of getting my
company back on the environmental
scene again.
Not blaming current environmental Scientist: They found a way of
issues on business allowed business talking to industry without
people to be comfortable working with alienating them.
KHR, and to find out how to make the
process of becoming green a 'win-win'
situation.
Executive: We invited KHR to speak.
He was serious but optimistic, he was
very interactive taking questions and
talking informally. We liked him and
wanted to work with him.
KHR went where he was invited, Executive: Our company was already
seeking to develop the 'pull' energy quite committed to environmental
rather than 'pushing' the sustainable activity, our German market was
agenda. The message was: Not everyone calling for more information on the
must change completely- just enough toxicity of products, and we were
to make a difference. tackling more and more environment
oriented questions.
Executive: I was already convinced of
the need to address environmental
questions and KHR gave me the tool.
And when he went it was as a
facilitator, not a lecturer.
Executive: KHR didn't come to us and
tell us how to build sofas. He said
"You know your business, I can only
help you to consider some basic
issues with regard to the
environment."
KHR: The environmental director of
IKEA called and said "Shape up. We
know more about the application of
the system conditions to furniture
design than you!" And that made me
feel flattered!
Now the learning is spreading. IKEA Executive: So now our client
suppliers are turning to their
suppliers and saying "If you want to
do business with us you must learn
about the 4 system conditions."
The home furnishings manufacturer, The IKEA company mission goes back
IKEA, was the first company to invite to early days. We believe our
KHR to speak. Partly goodwill, mission is to create a better
partly self -interest provided the everyday life for the majority of
impetus. people. So we have wide latitude to
be interested also in environmental
questions!
In 1989 the IKEA president said that
we must begin to address the
environmental issue proactively.
The commitment to innovation marks IKEA Executive: We put great effort
these increasingly sustainable into using as little resources as
businesses as different from others. possible. Instead of doing it like
It is here that the NS message finds all the other companies, we try to
a fertile soil and its system take a different approach.
conditions find their way into the
mission statements.
We had industrial designers, the
best of whom already were concerned
with environmental issues in their
private lives, KHR gave us an
opportunity to mine this talent.
NS training combines a "trickle down" It became clear that we must start
with a "bubble up "intervention. to train everyone in the company
Over time everyone is trained so that
all employees are capable of making
localized decisions.
One evening a junior manager sorted Certainly we are aware and trying
the piles of garbage by spreading it to put into practical use the 4
over the store's parking lot. Given system conditions. We are working
his training in NS thinking, he began with sorting and recycling waste, we
to analyze the contents of the have instituted a trash is cash
garbage container, seeking "upstream" program!
solutions to reducing the amount.
As with consensus building the It's self interest of course also,
initial impetus points to a 'win-win' we understand that we simply must
solution. take this further.
Additionally being part of a We're part of a group of companies
supporting network for the NS, IKEA close to NS with common goals and
also benefits from the consortium of projects; projects like the
companies that has grown around NS. challenger train** have brought us
closer together with Scandic Hotels,
Electrolux, Swedish McDonalds,
Swedish Rail.
** The Challenger Train: The challenger train is a train which travels throughout Sweden to educate people about the NS work. Each carriage on the train is dedicated to the successes of a particular business corporation so that people can see the real life application of the NS theory.
Electrolux: Another good example.
The four system conditions have partly formed the basis for Electrolux's environmental vision and policies. For example: they now use water-based and powder paints instead of solvent based methods; they prioritize the use of recycled materials and reduce amounts of materials used; Electrolux was first to introduce a family of CFC-free refrigerators and freezers; they have developed a sun-powered lawnmower, a chainsaw that runs on vegetable oil; they transport 75% of their products by train; they use recycled steel. All of these more sustainable products and processes are linked to the system conditions helping to move from linear business production with large waste byproducts to working more with the cycles of nature.
Change initiatives can derive a lot of power when people find they can align their personal values and aims with the organizational values and aims. It seems that the Natural Step helps business people to align their hearts with the goals of their business. They are given practical solutions through the challenger train (see Sidebar above) which help ground and operationalize the "conceptual" nature of the system conditions in visible, real-life activities.
One way[2] to describe the "snowball effect" of growing the community of committed people, is to employ the language of "systems thinking." The following causal loop diagram explains the reinforcing nature of growth of the Natural Step:
To read it, consider that the arrow means that the first variable causes the second, and the "+" sign next to the arrow means that the second variable changes in the same direction as the first. So as New People Adopting the NS Pedagogy goes up, the next variable, Size of Community of Committed People, goes up, too. More people in the community means that there will be more Networking between scientists, activists, businesses, etc. and by word of mouth this will lead again to an increase in New People Adopting the NS Pedagogy . This closes a "reinforcing" or "positive" feedback loop that will drive exponential growth in the size of the Natural Step community. Around and around, like a rolling snowball (as the small picture signifies), the community will grow at a faster and faster pace, until it finds and reaches a limit.
CRISIS: CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY
The development of the Natural Step was not without its critical moments which included a smear campaign, personal trials and the ever consuming quest for financial support. This section draws attention to the fact that this magic was less luck and more a commitment to treat each significant challenge as opportunity.
When the others won't engage in consensus?!
A problem that KHR and others who represent the work of NS ran into is that not all people are willing to engage in dialogue at all, in fact they block such attempts from the start.
As the business community became engaged, the stakes for the Natural Step began to get higher. As often happens in transformational change efforts, people become increasingly committed to their cause and sometimes, in their zeal and passion for what they believe is right, they violate their own principles. Was this what happened when a union member challenged KHR in 1988? Is it realistic to think that you can always operate in a consensus mode? Or do you sometimes just have to silence your "opponents?"
So how do you cope with someone who KHR: Let's add to that problem that
themselves is not in consensus mode? there is a lot of money at stake and
one person is willing only to be
adversarial?
Perhaps we are seeing here One time this occurred. It was early
the national karate champion in on in a meeting in which I was to be
action, albeit in a business suit. guaranteed 10 million kronor. A
Karl-Henrik planned his answer as he trade unionist attacked me. On and on
listened. He knew that if he started he went for 15 minutes in front of
to respond defensively he would give the people who would guarantee the
fuel to the fire being created. funds. Everything he said was false.
Under no circumstances were the As he talked I watched the audience.
potential sponsors be made to believe After his barrage the chairperson of
in a "no smoke without fire" the potential sponsoring company
scenario. asked me to comment, I replied there
was really no comment to be made to
this. I turned to the audience and
said, "By the way, if you're thinking
that Mr. So-and-So is simply having a
bad day, let me assure you the is
not. He's always this malignant."
People burst out laughing. One of
the older bankers said "I must agree,
his presentation was stupefying!"
And this response is against the Yes! and I had no choice!
rules of TNS!
But you can't please all the people all of the time.This is not to say, however, that involving everyone in consensus-building is viewed unequivocally as the ideal path to creating a sustainable society. Nothing is perfect, and the Natural Step consensus-building process is no exception. For all the praise, honestly given, there are also reservations equally honestly expressed.
That people are sometimes ambivalent Student: In the final analysis KHR
about KHR can be useful. If he is will cross any lines of decision
thought to be a saint, people can too making to get what he wants done.
easily give up their own
responsibility for bringing about
change by virtue of being "too
ordinary
Scientist: He crushes opposition,
sometimes in a nice way, sometimes
not so nice. It is a pity. It is a
weakness he has dealing with
criticism.
Student: KHR is all for consensus but
yet he is so domineering.
In science, the valued coinage is Scientist: I felt in the early days
ideas. Ideas are usually the that we would write the consensus
"property" of the individual who document together and then after a
comes up with them . The fact that lot of work it became evident that it
there has been some pain over the was 100% KHR's affair. It was
ownership of certain ideas which have upsetting. I regret those feelings
come out of the Natural Step today, as I can understand that the
consensus process is therefore an goal then was to get this great work
important issue--and an emotional done.
issue as well.
(Same) Scientist : Now I feel he
should get all the credit, but I was
working 15-20 hours a day then. It
was hard to be in the background like
that.
Personal feelings aside, the consensus process also has systemic problems. The most notable systemic problem is that it stresses agreement and omits reference to disagreement. This reflects the optimistic quality of the consensus-building method, but it can serve to cause expectations to be too high, and for some that is hard.
This presents a problem to those who Scientist: The reader cannot see what
were not directly involved in the is left out of the consensus documents
consensus process. They must accept
what is written without seeing the
thinking behind it.
As it is problematic in the realm of
action.
The 4 system conditions are not Student: The translation of the 4
easy to apply, although they may system conditions into action is
appear that way because of their problematic, yet KHR keeps saying
succinct and clear presentation. The "it's so simple!" KHR: Smart people
perspective voiced by the student may master the system conditions in a
raises an interesting question. matter of months, but the translation
Is there something frustrating about into action is always, out of sincere
the articulation of the system humility, left to the specialists to
conditions in that internalizing them apply in their own field. This
is so very difficult, while "handing over" is essential.
"learning" them seems deceptively
simple?
Scientist: There is a pedagogical
problem. The system conditions are
theoretically right, but we cannot
easily achieve the end goal of a
cyclic society. Still, it's better
to know what's right and then make a
conscious decision to deviate from
that.
There is no consensus process for Student unionist: Just because they
determining right action? can agree to define the aim doesn't
mean we can agree on how to meet it!
Politics is about reaching the goal,
and in politics that's compromise,
it's fragile. Scientific consensus
is a rock, there's a difference!
And even in the realm of behavior, Student: There is a need for young
there may be problems. Does the people to ventilate their
consensus-building process engage frustration, it's not so easy to ask
people at too intellectual a for advice when you see the planet is
level--leaving out their passion? being destroyed.
Especially the passion of the young?
The Heights before the Fall
In the public realm, after the launch of the consensus booklet in April 1988, the Natural Step message and KHR were much in demand.
The media were putting KHR up as a messiah, I know that if you become a Messiah you will be crucified.
-- Rigmor Robert
The 'simplicity without reduction' methodology, combined with the effort to create consensus, struck an intuitive chord for many people. Some people were worshipful, and others were surprised that it had taken someone so long to be so "smart," - but others were fearful for their livelihoods.
External Critique leads to internal clarity
Not all industrial processes can be quickly converted to principles of sustainability. In the late Eighties, the Swedish paper and pulp industry was feeling pressure to stop using chlorine in its manufacturing process. While that industry would learn later that they could indeed benefit economically from converting quickly to non-chlorine processes, at the time it seemed like an industry-threatening demand. In the nuclear energy industry there was also resistance. Sweden has the most nuclear energy output per capita in the world. There are powerful industrial lobbies dedicated to keeping the non-sustainable status quo.
Obviously people who feared for their own livelihoods had grounds for their fear. Industrial processes would indeed have to change, and that is a threat to people's jobs.
Some politicians were fearful about the public power that KHR had garnered. Some more traditional and younger activists were equally skeptical that he seemed so happy in the company of industrialists, who are traditionally considered the enemy.
Change efforts encounter resistance. They raise fear and anxiety; they are perceived as a threat by those who stand outside them. So, too, with the Natural Step.
A smear campaign waiting to happen...
RR: People thought he had formed a
new political party, so the
politicians wanted to stop it, cut it
short from the beginning
Student Unionist: There was
suspicion in the student union
because KHR was too charismatic,
people felt that indicated something
was askew
Scientist: There were and are many
people who felt envious and criticize
KHR for over simplifying things. I
know it's better to be just about
right than actually be wrong!
I worked closely with Karl-Henrik, I knew he never made any money on this work. I also knew it was difficult for him at the initial stages, he had a terrible weight on his shoulders, feeling it was his responsibility to make it all OK. Karl-Henrik gave all of himself.
--Colleague
In May, 1988, headlines appeared which suggested that KHR and his associates had embezzled funds, and that the king was implicated in the scandal. These allegations reached many people because they appeared in a national daily newspaper in a country with the highest per capita newspaper reading.
The argument of the article was simple. It suggested that the NS budget was short by about 12 million Kroner (c. $2 million) and that therefore KHR must have embezzled it. The article was right in so far as that there was indeed a budget shortfall, but only because the money had never been collected; potential contributors had backed out at the last moment. KHR and associates who had spent many sleepless night trying to find alternative sources of funding were now being accused of embezzlement! The false assumptions of the mathematics that led to the claim suggested that secret opponents were willing to grasp at straws to get at KHR. Knowing that the science which underpinned the message of NS was unassailable, dirty tactics were the only explanation.
Quickly, the allegations were retracted, but in much smaller print.
Executive: We gathered as a family to
vigorously protect what we had done.
The allegations "got" to them. KHR: It was like when kids are
sexually violated by their parents.
They take on some of the guilt
themselves.
They changed tactics, becoming more PUA: We were afraid after the
focused. article to put our necks out, so we
turned to focus on getting as much
done as fast as we could to fulfill
the mission of a sustainable society.
In retrospect they saw that the PUA: I was surprised that they could
article indicated the power of the see from the beginning that this tool
work. is so powerful. And I am still
surprised that they were so clever at
the time. They were spending a lot
of money to get rid of us.
The reverberations of the headlines Colleague: A lot of people still
were never quieted by the subsequent think that KHR made a lot of money
retraction. off this. It's still a very frequent
remark. That article destroyed a
lot.
Turning the crisis into a challenge, though, is what KHR and associates managed to do. All insist that it was almost a constructive experience.
Executive: We were really forced to
become very clear about what we are
doing, what we wanted to achieve.
KHR: Attacks were painful - if you
are attacked for something you have
not done, as we were in the headlines
it's less painful in a way. There
was learning, it was just more
painful than necessary!
Per-Uno Alm (PUA) set about applying for funds from the National lottery. Usually not worthy of too much debate given other government business, the controversy was such that the ministers discussed the matter of giving the lottery funds for a full 2 hours one busy morning.
Necessity is the mother of PUA: Yes there was good that came out
invention! Being stuck for money so of this. We got 10 million Kronor
often PUA realized that the best way from the government. The bad math in
forward was to include others who the article made it clear that we
were to be empowered to internalize needed money! And 2 or 3 ministers
the message of the NS and to come up were fighting in our corner to
with whatever they could to further staunch rumors and get us the money.
the vision of sustainability. This Generally the most difficult thing
way many minds were devoted to the has been raising money and now as I
development of the work. These think of it, it's a part of the
people, in their excitement to bring success, we have always been very
their own ideas to fruition, were concerned with involving others so
also the best ones to find funding that they would want to spend money
for their ideas. and take some of the costs of what we
want to do.
Turning the smear campaign into an opportunity took a great emotional toll, however. KHR's wife pointed out the ultimate irony: that he was not taking a "sustainable" approach to his own life. His attempt to publicize and gain support for a sustainable society was all-consuming.
KHR: At all times I am thinking about
the NS, that is 24 hours a day. You
can't get rid of the thoughts
My wife said this is ridiculous, you
come in with the smell of burning
rubber surrounding you!
Sustainability applies not only to RR: Many times I said, well you have
the natural environment, but to the to see to it that you are
individuals and organizations who are sustainable. If you want to show a
a part of it. sustainable society, sustain yourself!
Good advice - Be the change you want KHR: We must identify ways of being
to see, which is now extended to the successful with less passion and more
NS office. efficiency. We sit here till 9 o'
clock, but these are young people,
taking time away from their families.
The impact of the strategy to put their head down has been a certain lack of media attention. After all, the NS wishes the focus to be on the vision of the sustainable future, and not on them as a group. Another result is that the NS now engages in a little "jujitsu" with its would-be detractors.
KHR: If we focus on appearing in the
mass media we are focusing on the
wrong target, we are screwing up.
So is the NS well known now in Sweden? Student: Yes and no. Among people
already into green issues, yes.
Among the general population, less
so. Though it is helped by such
things as the challenger train.
Who do people say the NS is? PUA: Sweden is extremely dichotomous.
Either you are on the left or the
right. KHR mixed all this up and no
one is quite sure! And this is good
and bad. The 20 regional NS groups
we had failed as people were not
clear on the politics involved.
By not identifying themselves as an KHR: When they are shooting from
easily defined target, they may different sides it gives us a feeling
prevent direct attacks again. that we are front and center. KHR:
When the critique is so dispersed as
it is, we get the feeling that we are
quite focused.
The philosophical acceptance that When you are up you are harvesting
critique will come, and the the good work you did when you were
determination not to be bowed by it down in the dumps. Up and down are
is quite convincing, inspirational necessarily connected.
even, especially from a man who was
treated badly for seeking only to do
good.
Limits to Growth:
At first, starting in 1988, an office slowly formed around the NS work. Starting soon after the gala, and headed up by PUA, at first there were six people. It was PUA's initial goal to keep the number of NS staff at a manageable level, say 15, so that all people could be a part of decision making and communication could flow easily. The rate of requests for more information and assistance with redesigning processes and products exploded. A profit-making educational institute was set up to bring a more professional edge to the Natural Step as they began to interface more and more with business.
Yet, the exponential growth has not been without its problems. Critique comes from many sides, often reflecting the many different stakeholders who have become involved. Pressed for time and resources, the internal communications at the Natural Step office have become over-burdened from time to time. The varied stakeholders have differing expectations. Business people expect more professional standards in their interactions, while more traditional environmental groups look for less. There is criticism that the application of the system conditions has been on too abstract a level, while there is fear that a concern for designing practical strategies can go too far.
Perhaps the Natural Step is facing its "limits to growth," one of the fundamental archetypes we find in systems thinking, because it is so frequently experienced by organizations. One way to describe the "limits to growth" of growing the community of committed people, is to employ the language of "systems thinking." The following causal loop diagram explains the reinforcing nature of growth of the Natural Step:
"Limits to growth" at the Swedish Natural Step
The left side of the following diagram shows the "reinforcing" growth loop shown earlier. The right side of the diagram shows a second loop. As the Size of Community of Committed People increases, this will also increase Requests for Information and Assistance, driving up the Workload per Natural Step Employee, given a fixed staff. As the workload goes up, and people become overburdened, Quality of Natural Step Work may begin to go down. (Notice that the "-" sign next to the arrow signifies change in the opposite direction -- more workload, less quality). As quality goes down, not as many people will join the community, so New People Adopting the NS Pedagogy will go down. We have closed a second, balancing loop (thus the picture of the balance) that may limit the growth of the NS community.
Viewing the NS work from a lens of concern with issues of transformative change also reveals that there are other challenges to sustaining a change effort. Among them, the appearance of arrogance or even isolation on the part of the innovators in spite of the spirit of consensus seeking, openness and an inclusive sensibility.
More pointed criticism is also made Student: The attitude of NS is
about a sometimes righteous attitude. 'either they are with us or not, and
if not we will ignore them'.
Scientist: Some of the younger
people working for NS are very
arrogant and act as though "we've
seen the light and you have not, we
know the truth".
Student: I am surrounded by people
already becoming critical,
professors, colleagues. Since the NS
has become successful it has lost a
little capacity to be self-critical.
Sometimes the cause of the criticism
is rather mundane: the fast-paced
growth has outpaced an organization's
ability to adapt and change.
There is a huge concern for getting Per-Uno: We have this sinking feeling
the message right. People must be that we have been sloppy with new
trained to really understand the comers to the NS office.
system conditions as well as other
business processes.
Insufficient resources for helping It's an organization that is playing
and coaching is another obstacle with matches all the time to the
which change efforts often encounter. extent that we don't have the time to
train sufficiently.
Increasingly NS is getting more When we talked to business they said
professional than it once was . great, come talk to us. We couldn't
even deliver proper invoices in an
appropriate way at first.
Better utilizing the diversity that Student: They do not creatively
already exists might help. Does the exploit the diverse talents that
difficulty in being fully inclusive already exist at NS. Some women feel
raise the question of whether the frustration in getting their ideas
proponents of the Natural Step are heard. There is less access for women
acting in full alignment with the than men
values they say they support? Isn't
consensus based on the idea of
inclusion?
Scientist: I think KHR is surrounded
by men. It's his personality perhaps.
He relates more easily to men than
women.
The lack of time for reflection Employee: We simply don't have time
extends to possible lack of to look in the mirror and go back to
cumulative learning in the external projects to document the innovations.
work.
And to the work abroad. There is simply no strategy for
internationalizing.
Is the Natural Step organization
recognizing the "limits to growth"
archetype it may be encountering?
Efforts at transformation are not always (and perhaps are altogether rarely) greeted positively by outsiders. This may partly be due to how insiders are acting, having become too isolated in their passion for change. It may also reflect a limit to growth that is endemic in rapidly growing organizations. Sometimes it is simply the product of a paradigm clash - the old is perceived as being ousted by the new. Even idealistic organizations may suffer the same "dysfunctionalities" as the traditional bureaucratic ones.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF ENGAGEMENT
SUSTAINING TRANSFORMATION.
How could we do work like that?! This section discusses Strategic pointers for initiating such change. These are offered not as "the only way", but as the reflection on the success of the Natural Step by those who contributed and learned in this process.
The uniqueness of the Natural Step seems to stem perhaps primarily from the content of its message, i.e., the system conditions, and its process for communicating the vision of sustainability.
KHR's early determination to follow the method of `simplicity without reduction' and to adopt the "snowball" process of consensus-building became a template for the clearly articulated process for creating change. The Natural Step included an emphasis on reason, on teaching, and on consensus-building. This process, though it has its imperfections, has been very effective in building a community of committed people based as it is on inclusiveness and consensus. Indeed the vision of sustainability inherent in the system conditions contains the seeds of its own sustainability and renewal - in working always through consensus to constantly strive for inclusiveness, the message of the Natural Step is guaranteed an audience that in turn will messengers. The symbol of the Swedish Natural Step, after all, is that of a serpent biting its tail, wearing a crown - a classic symbol of regeneration and alchemical transformation.
Working with Business as agents of social change
The Natural Step does not work with business to the exclusion of others. Professionals and students make up a sizable part of its followership, but there is a special focus on business because, for better and worse, business today plays a central role in social infrastructure. Both market supply and demand provide a leverage point for a reorientation toward sustainability, and consumers need to be informed about what to demand, and business has to be educated as to how to supply the greener products and processes that sustainability necessitates.
The NS has succeeded in facilitating many business organizations' adoption of the message of sustainability. This architecture of engagement is approached on a number of paths:
- Attracting the right ambassadors/trainers to communicate the message
- Targeting the right business organizations to work with
- Facilitating business' internalization of the NS message
- Creating ever more possibilities, through networks, for the spread of the message
Attracting the right ambassadors
Man lernt nur vom Lehrer den man liebt we learn only from teachers we can love
--Goethe
The Natural Step wants its message to be carried by people who can engage others. These are people who endorse the vision of inclusiveness on which the message of the Natural Step is predicated, people who will endeavor to engage others to work toward consensus, people who are both critical and passionate. Rather than believing they have the "right way," such people can learn to "dance" with opponents, redirecting the energy that criticism engenders to further refine and enrich the pedagogy of the Natural Step.
Ideally these ambassadors are enough like their audience that they will be listened to, and they will also embody a concern for sustainability, living in accordance with the principles espoused.
In this way the growth of the NS occurs through attraction of engaged people rather than promotion. This in turn results in a "snowball effect." People's hearts/emotions are engaged so that their more cognitive faculties may set to work to realize what their heart knows: that if the planet dies, we will all die.
The success of the NS comes from its ability to reach groups who had been unreached. They do this by discussing principles, not details. The example they use in training one business is always drawn from a completely different type of business.
--Scientist
The specific outcome of the training that the NS offers to companies remains undetermined at the outset. Their job is to convey principles of sustainability along with a compass, the four system conditions, to help direct the companies to that goal. This undetermined nature allows the business people themselves to decide how to use the compass in their particular arena. The trainers recognize that they do not hold the copyright on creativity, their job is instead to stimulate the creativity in the experts of each field or business that they meet in training.
Who are the most effective KHR: the people who will decide if
ambassador-trainers? mankind will go on or not are both
critical and passionate. They must
combine the two. These are very rare
people.
It is important that KHR: It starts with a driving force
trainers/ambassadors of the NS for change. If the passionately
pedagogy can harness others' interest obsessed person can control
and concern for the environment. him/herself and behave in spite of
In keeping with the self organizing this driving force appear normal,
strategy of the NS, it is understood then you can get people as supporters
that the new directions that new and stakeholders. Tremendous passion
ambassadors bring are of value to the and expertise is rare in one person;
NS if you are passionate about what you
are doing, you don't abandon it for
something else. But the ones who are
very critical and passionate, who
dare to be passionate in spite of
being critical, these are the ones
you must make part of the process,
listen to their criticism, be helped
by it. Their passion will put them
in gear and drive what you need.
The value of diversity among Executive: The ambassadors must be
trainers, as in the natural people who are used to talking the
environment, may strengthen the language of business. You must
survivability of the message to be address them in a way that
conveyed. businessmen usually communicate with
the vocabulary and the language they
are used to.
The NS is very concerned with not Executive: You need a
turning off potential listeners, thus conservative-traditional type of
matching trainers and trainees is person to influence the more
important traditional company and other
personalities, younger ones, to talk
to the young, active service
companies like Swedish McDonalds.
Executive: NS must reach out for very
very concrete, business educated
people who earn money and are
accustomed to what business is about.
They must be well experienced and
understand what image business has of
the green movement
The NS supporters are not unaware of
the traditionally polarized
relationship that exists between
business and environmentalists. Both
want to convey the same message -
sustainability! And they do it very
differently.
The stereotypical "green" KHR: You go to business and talk to
environmentalist is not seen as being them about the 4 system conditions
potentially effective as a and they are interested right away,
communicator to business. Business with yet another greenie they just
is primarily attracted to the hard turn away.
science of the system conditions.
Communicating effectively, i.e., in Student Unionist: You must learn to
such as way as to harness the support present knowledge so people can use
and commitment of the listener is the it to effect change. So you ask the
key to the consensus approach question, form it, visualize it, get
moving forward. That's where
influence lies. People often think,
very mistakenly, that they have
little influence.
Gender Diversity
Increased gender diversity may prove Executive: I think there should be
to be an undeveloped source of more women in NS, 70% of our buyers
leverage in communicating with are women. Of course there should be
companies who are concerned with more women in our company too!
meeting the needs of their women
customers.
Recognizing that men and women may KHR: The only way to deal with the
bring different perspectives might be problem of the under-representation
a source of strength. Women and of women in Swedish business is to
nature have been traditionally linked dare to look at the differences
in the Western philosophical between men and women and appreciate
tradition and utilize them. In Sweden we say
'tough, business is a boy's
playground and that's all that
counts.'
"Blame" is not a usual topic for KHR. KHR: The environmental problem is a
Still, in response to my male problem--made by the tough guys,
feminist-informed concerns, KHR the CEO's with their blinkered views
expressed his views about on earning money. The so-called
responsibility for our environmental "soft questions" as to whether people
situation. were suffering has been left
typically to women.
To be effective is to always proceed Student: The work must be embodied by
in a way which is sensitive to the people. Image is very important.
listeners concerns; this sensitivity People criticize NS for their
must also be extended to "image non-recycled papers
[3]
, for flying too
management" - why turn people off much, for not turning off the lights
unnecessarily. And people do care in the office. They are under a
that you "walk the talk." microscope.
As ever, KHR is attentive to the not KHR: The fuel for change is in the
readily visible, yet powerful emotions, so long as they are not
conduits for change that reside in thwarted by bad reasoning.
business people's "softer side".
Targeting the right business organizations to work with
Resources are limited, therefore it KHR: We apply acupuncture and hit
is important to know in advance whom only where the effect is enormous.
to target. Executive: The crucial factor is to
find corporate leaders/boards and to
present this to have something
concrete for them.
Executive: The challenge is to find
respectable organizations to
communicate the message to and who
are serious about this work. So I
would search for respectable
organizations, get a contract and use
that to have a snowball effect with
other companies.
Starting with companies who do not KHR: Don't start with the ones who
need to be persuaded is a good start. are most retarded, start with the
ones who are a little already at the
leading edge and make them prosper.
Such as companies not hobbled by an Executive: We are not traded on the
exclusive concern for short term NYSE or any Stock exchange. We are
profit. privately owned - we can therefore
invest money in things which pay back
in a few years.
Addressing the advantages to the Executive: It must address the bottom
profit margin quickly and clearly line. American business talks almost
though is an imperative, especially immediately about the bottom line.
in the USA.
Facilitate business' internalization of the content
Good guys in business doing the wrong thing for the right purpose, we can't afford that! We need the good guys to do better than their competitors; sustainability must become the obvious way to do well in business
-- Karl-Henrik Robert
Smart business leaders already Executive: Only supporting something
realize that there is a competitive that is good is not good enough in
advantage to promoting and practicing the eyes of the market anymore, you
sustainable business. must do better yourself.
Executive: Major companies known not
to take responsibility for
environmental sustainability will be
punished by the market. People will
simply stop buying their products
What these business leaders need is
assistance with applying the insights
of the system conditions to their
particular business.
Executive: Every company needs its
own tailor-made program. It is
better to sell the knowledge rather
than a standard package and help the
company to create its own package.
Economist: The environmental problem
lies in the business point of view -
we must stop believing in the big
scale all the time. One way or
another we've got to internalize
costs and when we do that we'll go
for the smaller scale.
Trainers focus on bringing the KHR: We say, is there any way you
business leaders on board, through could do this in your business, it is
encouraging them to meet the difficult isn't it. And they will
challenge and opportunity of becoming say "O don't be so certain!" They
more sustainable become recruited to the challenge.
Some business people might like the Executive: We have to help business
NS to be more directive. much more with figuring out the next
step, after they have learned the
system conditions.
Creating ever more possibilities: networks and creativity
Can organizations learn from one Student: There might be specific new
another? Is the work of practices, say a new accounting
sustainability naturally linked to system, that could be passed along to
organizational learning? other business. What is the
possibility of one part of a company
learning from other parts? Can
McDonald's USA learn from McDonalds
Sweden?
The "cyclic society"
A cyclic society is one that is in harmony with the cycles of nature; where waste from one arena becomes food for another. Before the technological revolution of the last centuries nature itself was able to recycle the waste products of civilization. Now however we are putting too much demand on the natural environment, e.g., our cars are creating more CO2 than plants can "breathe in". The increase in CFC's allows more UVA and UVB rays to penetrate the atmosphere which causes genetic damage to organisms and plants. In effect we live in a linear way, taking out more than can be reintegrated into nature. We use an amount of oil in one year that nature's cycles of decomposition took one million years to create. If we lived cyclically we would use car fuel whose by-product might be absorbed by nature without creating damage, e.g. ethanol. The system conditions suggest to us how we might live in harmony with natural cycles as we create alternative to the many linear products and processes that we use today.
PART III
ENGAGING A CONVERSATION SO THAT WE MIGHT DO LIKEWISE...
CONCLUSION AND REFLECTION
A Unique Man or a Unique Idea?
At the end of all interviews I asked a general question of all participants: what concerns vis a vis the Natural Step are you left with? Generally people expressed their desire for and concern about the continued effectiveness and success of NS in the international arena. Can similar work as has already taken place in Sweden occur in other countries too, and if so how? Can the work of the NS survive KHR, or is he so much the heart of it that it cannot do without him?
Perhaps the question is too International NS participant: KHR is
dichotomous. a character in Sweden, and within the
organization the power must come from
the concepts.
A transition time is needed. Scientist: NS is very much the work
of one man and one personality
KHR can be honored for his work, Student: They can train
without that suggesting that others replacements, maybe young professors
can't continue it. with charisma. They will be good,
though expensive, people.
This much we know. A charismatic leader created a movement based on ideas so resonant with others, and so full of potential, that it simply must survive its creator.
KHR: We have short term goals,
ambitions, but no long term goal
other than the overarching one of
sustainability. Long term goals put
restrictions on our imaginations.
The undetermined nature of the
outcome must be preserved at all
costs as that is the access route to
people's creativity - The NS gives
people the means to determine their
own ends, much as all studies on
fostering creativity suggest.
KHR: If you try to stick to one
strategy and your opponent responds
in another way than you expected, you
will be out of focus and you will
lose the game
It's like playing chess. The vision is to win the game but the short term goal is to cope with the situation. -- KHR
Today firms who together create 1% of global industrialare in conversation with representatives of NS. That may seem so few until you hear that in the estimation of NS leaders, it may take as little as 15% of companies to reach a "critical mass" by redirecting business and making it seem simply commonsensical that we must work with rather than against natural conditions of sustainability.
As we have learned from looking at growth in the natural environment - things take time! and growth for the sake of growth is not always beneficial. KHR stresses that it is the vision of sustainability and not the NS organization which must survive
What Will be the Sustainable Driver for the Natural Step: Charisma, Results, or the Power of the Idea?
REFLECTIONS ON LEARNING:
Where are the acupressure leverage points for harnessing the multifaceted critique and establishing it instead as an opportunity for change in NS?
A "validation and dissemination workshop" was convened in Stockholm on September 12, 1996 to which all interview participants were invited. Each had a chance to read this Learning History before attending. This workshop was led by an outside facilitator whose role was to assist people in linking their learning to the document.
Such a workshop is considered to be integral to the methodology of a learning history. To make use of the experience captured in a learning history, readers of a learning history need to come together and openly and honestly discuss their reactions to the stories and what lessons it holds for them. To reach a shared understanding of a complex process, it is necessary to slow down the conversation which people typically have in reacting to written documents. Slowing down allows people to talk about their perceptions of what happened, the interpretations and attributions they made of events, and the generalizations they have for moving forward.
The participants were each provided the following "study" questions in preparation for that meeting:
Validation:
1. What surprised you? Why? Positive/Negative?
2. What would you change in this document? Why?
Co-creating the story:
3. What do you think are the notable results?
Fostering Reflection:
4. Generalizations, Patterns and Implications? How typical?
5. What are important questions/responsibilities for people as they leave?
6. What will help you/us move forward?
The reflections of the validation/dissemination meeting described have provided the impetus for the next edited developments of this manuscript. I hope that these will be made publically acessible.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Works referred to in this document
Paul Hawken, 1993. The Ecology of Commerce. New York: Harper Business
John Holmberg. 1995. Socio-Ecological Principles and indicators for sustainability. Doctoral Dissertation. Institute of Physical resource theory. Goteborg, Sweden.
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For more information on the methodology of a learning history please contact
George Roth and Art Kleiner at Reflection Learning Associates. P.O. Box 1405
Kendall Square. Cambridge, MA 02142
For more information on using system dynamic models to clarify organizational structures please see Peter Senge's, "The Fifth Discipline". Doubleday Publishers. 1990.
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To get more information about DNS please write to:
Amiralitetshuset
Skeppsholmen
S-111 49 StockholmFor more information about TNS-US please write to:
4000 Bridgeway, #102
Sausalito, CA 94965 -
For more information on research into organizational change that is
sponsored by the MIT Center for Organizational learning please request the
working paper series and publication list from:
MIT - Center for Organizational Learning
E60 - 3rd floor
30 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02142