The importance in sustainability of the “soft”
skills of managers and leaders was highlighted in a
2010 survey carried out by the International Society
of Sustainability Professionals, with the most
important being identified as including the ability
to influence, inspire and motivate others, excellent
communication skills and team-building abilities (Johnson 30). The importance of communications
in sustainability cannot be under-estimated – a good
communications strategy is needed to generate
organizational learning about sustainability and
about the objectives and intended benefits of the
initiative to all stakeholders, and to monitor and
report on progress in order to highlight the benefits
and encourage all to work together to achieving
its goals. It is not only necessary to convince staff
about the need for sustainable working practices
and address their concerns; senior executives also
often need to be persuaded to give their support to
the program and commit the necessary financial and
non-financial resources to ensure its success. This
requires sustainability champions who understand
and are skilled in communicating the business
benefits to senior executives and negotiating
adequate investment to underpin its implementation.
Other types of art skills especially important in
strategic sustainability, identified from a review of
the sustainability literature by Smith and Sharicz,
include having a questioning, innovative and
creative approach to business; the ability to build
internal and external relationships and partnerships
with stakeholders; strategic awareness and the
ability to balance local and global perspectives, and
emotional intelligence (77).