Earth Day – a day of duality. It’s simultaneously a sobering reminder of the less-than-deal state of our planet and its climate, and a day for businesses, governments, and individuals to celebrate all the actions they’ve taken toward mitigating climate change.
There’s certainly room to celebrate wins throughout the past year. Renewable energy efficiency is increasing, countries are implementing more intensive environmental regulations, and the elephant population is stabilising! There is hope if you look in the right spots.
But therein lies the issue – you have to look in the right spots. There are victories, but there are also defeats, and being able to keep both at the forefront of your mind is the key to success. Respect and acknowledge the reality of the situation while holding a sincere belief that we can move past it and win.
“In the world of sustainability communications, it’s crucial to confront the gravity of our environmental and social challenges head-on. However, it’s equally vital to cultivate optimism, believing fervently in our capacity to surmount these obstacles. There are a lot of nuances behind striking this delicate balance, showing how effective communicators must galvanise audiences and inspire action in order to drive meaningful change.” – Allyson Kurian, Senior Consultant, Sustainability Comms
The two beliefs that one needs to hold to operate in the climate arena couldn’t be more different. The acceptance that the issue is real, imposing, and serious, and is in constant conflict with the desperate and determined belief that we can and will succeed in this effort.
If the climate change issue is particularly close to your heart, you may have experienced this in your everyday life. You see a headline that reads something like “UN Announces has 2 Years to Avoid Runaway Climate Change,” and feel an overwhelming sense of insurmountable dread, then scroll down and see a different headline reading “California Reaches Record Clean Energy Production” and feel a sincere hope that a sustainable future is possible.
Despite how impossible it might seem, you can hold both feelings in your head at the same time, despite them being in total opposition.
The phrase “soft skills” is a common enough expression, referring to more nebulous people skills and mental attributes, like work ethic and time management. However, there are few more nebulous skills than the ability to hold two conflicting beliefs in your head at the same time, and operate as though you sincerely believe in both of them.
It might seem as though this would impede your ability to act. Why would you act in pursuit of a goal when you yourself have accepted that it’s potentially futile? But that’s exactly what you need if you’re going to treat the issue with the respect it deserves.
“You need the ability to “doublethink” (that George Orwell wrote about in 1984) – you need the ability to hold two opposing ideas in your head because you need to be able to also say, it’s ok, we’re going to get through it.” – David Willans, Sustainability Director, Bladonmore
A boxer stepping into the ring, a F1 driver waiting for the checkered flag, a mountain climber staring up at the peak – the mentality going through all their heads would be one of utter respect for their opponents, and recognition that they need to work hard to conquer their adversary. This is simply the mindset we need to adopt if we are to defeat climate change. Treat it as a respectable, serious enemy who deserves all the energy, attention, and hope we can muster.
It’s not only right to hope – it’s the only right thing to do. If a person surrenders entirely and gives up, all that person is doing is getting in the way of people who are determined to make change. At the same time, don’t be a blind romantic, convinced it will all turn out fine because it always does. This is and will be a fight that requires effort.
In the words of Laura Oliphant, CEO and Founder of Stand, a purpose-led comms agency: “Don’t come to work in this field if you don’t actually believe we’re going to achieve Net Zero because it’s your job to ensure everyone else believes that.”
Inspiring hope while respecting the situation is a hard balance, and it takes a unique skillset to do so. Sustainability comms professionals are one of the few professions equipped to handle this. They’re well-versed in the ability to hold climate change and sustainability efforts in high regard while also sincerely believing that every step we take in this journey is a victory that we can use to inspire us to continue the fight.
Hanson Search is a talent advisory specialising in reputation, revenue, and risk. We have a specialist team focussed on sustainability recruitment. If you’re interested in improving your own sustainability efforts, contact Allyson Kurian, our Senior Consultant, to begin your journey to improve your sustainability comms.
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