green teams: evolutionary learning communities
DESCRIPTION
A Sustainable Silicon Valley Educational Forum Wednesday 30 April 2008 from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM More info at http://www.sustainablesiliconvalley.org/event_04-30-08.htmTRANSCRIPT
What makes a What makes a Green Team thrive?Green Team thrive?
Creating
Evolutionary Learning Communities
Sustainable Silicon ValleyEducational Forum
30 April 2008
Alexander & Kathia LaszloAlexander & Kathia Laszlo
Laszlo © 2008
Green Teams“This is a group of people at Novell, Bangalore, who sincerely care for the environment… We organize activities that will help us learn from each other about how to be conscious about what choices we make to protect the environment in every little way we can.”
— Novell Green Team
“A team of Brooklyn residents dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint and fixing the planet – all in a day's work.”
— Brooklyn Green Team
“The Green Team was formed to provide opportunities…to:
• Learn more about ecology and the environment.• Participate in ecological and environmental
activities to improve their working environments…and their communities.”
— Green Team of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Laszlo © 2008
52% of employees felt their companies should be more environmentally friendly.
— Adecco HR survey, April 2007
“Make your employees part of the solution by tapping them for environmentally friendly ideas.”
— Entrepreneur Magazine, April 2008
Laszlo © 2008
Green Teams Created to lead environmental initiatives
Benefits
• cost savings• corporate citizenship
Engage employees in something meaningful
Not directly related to work … but to life
• improved quality of work life
• attraction of talent• reduction of turnover
• cross-functional collaborations
• culture of innovation
Laszlo © 2008
From Teams to ELC Team
o A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable
o (Katzenbach and Smith in Oechsli, 2003, p. S10)
High Performance Teamo Teams that consistently satisfy the needs of customers,
employees, investors and others in its area of influence… frequently outperfom[ing] other teams that produce similar products and services under similar conditions and constraints
(Kur in Costka, 2001, p. 123)
Evolutionary Learning Communityo Communities of learning and practice where knowledge
sharing, creation, and innovation foster sustainability… and beyond
Laszlo © 2008
Evolutionary Learning CommunityEvolutionary Learning Community
cost savings
solutions
innovations
social capitalhuman capital
cultural capital
Green Team
Laszlo © 2008
Evolutionary Learning CommunityEvolutionary Learning Community
A community is …o … two or more people
o … with a shared identity
o … and a common purpose
o … committed to the joint creation of meaning
ELCs are spaces where people can learn together about the interconnected nature of our world, the socio-ecological impact of our individual and collective choices, and the joy of finding a meaningful way to contribute to the emergence
of sustainable futures.
A community that learns how to learn in harmony with the dynamics of its broader environment.
Laszlo © 2008
The process of ELC empowerment
ELCELC
knowledge resources
ELCELC
Individual learning
Collective learning
ELCELCSustainable businesses
Sustainablecommunities
People come together because they have a common care. They share ideas and resources.
They create a learning ecology…
Their experience in the ELC empowers them to be change agents in their organizations and communities.
…and design projects that represent their interests and priorities.
Laszlo © 2008
ELC Dialogue
Conversation for relationship
Conversation for learning
Conversation for possibilities
Conversation for action
Laszlo © 2008
A Systemic Process
Emergent
Self-organizing
Interdependent
Synergetic
Evolving
Laszlo © 2008
Sustainability is a journey, not a destination
Talking the Talk
Walking the Talk
Living the Walk
Dancing the Path
