Okay, you're ready to propose a change that will make your workplace more sustainable. Where do you start? What things should you be thinking about? What do you look for in choosing that first opportunity? I asked two members of CU Denver's managing for sustainability advisory council, to tell us where they start and what they think about when proposing a change. Or when they are evaluating an initiative that others propose. Listen carefully, and as you listen, take notes. What things do they say that are important considerations. What things to do they imply are important? What things do you think are important? After watching the interviews, I'll ask you to enter the three to five most important considerations in the box and you'll be able to see what other learners saw as most important. Where do you get started in making meaningful change? >> I think the first part is kind of taking a step back and looking at what change is needed. A lot of missteps that I had made personally or that I've seen make is when we make change in haste, and you just kind of rush in head first, making change for the sake of change or stirring things up because you don't like how something is done. So I think the first step is really being intentional about what change is needed to make, and why you're making that change. And then after that, identifying who's your audience? Who are your stakeholders that are going to be affected by this change? And getting them, contacting them early on in the process so that you get buy-in, you get support. But that you also embed them within the process so that they're part of that change and their true concerns, motivations and how the change will affect them is considered. >> I'm assuming you meet people who are true believers and allies and those that maybe dragging in being indifferent or even resist because, so what are some of the reasons you've heard that people resist change? Why are they not your champions? It's a great idea. You're passionate about it. Why are other people maybe not so passionate? >> Well first, I would say that the people who are the least passionate about change that are going to give you the most resistance have the potential to become your greatest champions if you're able to engage them effectively. Because if they're the ones publicly coming out against that change in the beginning, and then you can kind of bring them on board with you, they can become the most persuasive for others who are questioning that change. But a lot of stuff you hear is that's not the way we use to do it, or we've done it for 20 years, why would we change now? Or if it's not broken don't fix it. It's going to cost too much, there's going to be too much training, I don't have the time for this. There's motivations behind that, that if you really have an honest conversation with someone and hold the space for them to share openly with you, you can start to understand where they're really coming from and address the causes, not just the symptoms of their resistance to change. >> How do people make good proposals? If you were to give advice to these citizens, you see a lot of proposals in your role. Some you can embrace, some you just say ain't going to work and some you say With a little effort we could make this happen. So can you tell us what goes into a good proposal, and then what are the red flags, and what are the things, what's the advice you give to somebody who wants to make their community a better place to live? >> I deal with proposals that come from a lot of different sources. When I get proposals internally, a lot of times those are coming from people that are working in a certain sector, or portion of the city, see how operations are going, and recognize or see an opportunity to make something more efficient, more sustainable, more environmentally friendly. >> So they're doing something in their own job description, and they see there's a carryover with a goal that they know the city has asked you to implement it, to oversee it. >> Right, correct. And those are great opportunities because we can really just help those people think through the goals, look at what the cost might be and really do a full assessment. And then refine it and then help them take that through the organizational processes to [CROSSTALK]. >> Ever tell them this is stupid, I can't support it? No we don't, especially with internally I don't think any idea ever comes out perfect right away so more often it's an iterative process of saying what are we really trying to achieve? You're recognizing and opportunity here but the devil's in the details. And we gotta work that out and let's bring your coworkers and your supervisor and everybody else on board. And let's have some discussion, so I wouldn't say we ever say no. We explore what the benefits and where the liabilities are. And we have an honest, a real honest, discussion. I think only focusing on the benefits, and trying to kind of hide the potential drawbacks is a huge mistake. You gotta almost focus on the drawbacks first, and then go there. >> I guess what I'm trying to tell our learners is that, they have people in the organization that want them to succeed [LAUGH]. You don't have to be afraid of the idea is, if it's not fully ready to implement, maybe it's better even if you have a clear idea of what you want to do to present it as an idea that as a first draft, as a step that you're looking for their involvement to help tune it. And that's how you can build your alliance. And they're eager for your extra man power. >> Now there's things you should look out for though as far as what you're going to hear that's going to be kind of things that prevent change from taking place internally. And those are going to be things like, we've tried that before and it didn't work. >> Right. >> We don't have the resources to make that happen, we're too busy to even think about this. If we do that, we are going to hear from this person, this group, this constituency that's going to be very upset. Now those all may all be completely legitimate. Often times they're kind of legitimate and there's elements that are true but things may have taken place quite a while ago. There is a time frame there and maybe at that point in time that type of change was not possibly but now the operating environment the business environment that you're in maybe would allow you to take on that change. Other times you need to boil down what the real issue is below that concern so we're going to hear from so and so if we do that. Well, what is it that that constituency really going to be upset about? Is it In my case, the role of government, or is it the action you're taking or is it the result of the action you're taking? And are there ways to get a result that that group will be happy with but doing it in a different way that's going to be more sustainable. So you have to absorb and hear those concerns and acknowledge them and they're very valid. But you also, I think it's good to poke and prod and investigate that a little bit and try to figure out where that role source is. The proposals we get from outside the organization, that's a whole other ballpark. Those can come from a lot of different places. Those can come from special interest. Those can come from a group with a real strong political ideology that can come from business's that want to impact policy to their benefit. Each of those you have to take on their own, I think one of my big challenges is if you have a group that is very much in support of generally the sustainability movement in making the city a more sustainable place. And what they're asking you to do is maybe a giant step forward from where you are. Often times the reality is that might not be realistic based on where we're starting from. Or because it's too political because there's a bunch of logistical steps in between. The danger there is you've got people that generally probably are very supportive of what you do. And you don't want to alienate your supporters. Those people that really, you're trying to achieve very similar goals but maybe what they're asking for is little bit too much. And so I spend a lot of time trying to find ways to work with those folks even if I'm disappointing them with my answer. And find ways to engage and bring them on board and have them involved with, maybe those earlier steps we need to take before we can make that bigger leap forward. And so that they can really understand that we share their values that we're also trying to get there, but that's not, we don't move quite that fast or we can't take that big of a step. >> So do you have your notes ready? Jot down those three to five things that Brenna and Jonathan mentioned that struck a chord. They may be things you already knew were important or things you hadn't considered. What I heard Brenna and Jonathan say, and what I think are some very important things to consider are, first, that Rome wasn't built in a day. Start small, identify low hanging fruit that you can implement in your current position. Something that doesn't require broad participation across multiple departments or division and start with something where the odds of success are great. Small successes, when others know or learn about them, build your political capital and make it easier to gain support for and to get your next idea accepted. It's good to have big ideas. Better to break them into pieces and start with the piece that's easiest to gain support for, is easily to find and measured and that lays the foundation for those future changes. Don't just plop your proposal on someones desk and expect everyone to cheer. You need to develop support for the initiative. Think about who's likely to support the initiative and how to get them involved in developing and implementing and publicly supporting the initiative. Think about who's likely to resist the initiative. As Brenna says, don't write them off. Their initial resistance makes them much stronger and more influential advocates if and when you bring them on board. Listen to the naysayers, really listen to them as you understand where they're coming from and why they don't see the world the way you do. More often than not there's a material concrete reason for their resistance or they just don't see the value in the project. Or if the value is remote and the expense they incur close at hand, well, anybody would resist. Have a clear goal in mind and put it in writing. What will the organization look like when the initiative is complete. Know where you're starting from, determine a baseline, ideally when it's measurable so you can monitor your progress. Remember to celebrate and publicize results, and share credit broadly. And finally don't be discouraged by setbacks. You may have heard the saying, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. Or to paraphrase poet Robert Burns, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. But he was only partially right, they don't often go astray, they invariably do. When your plan meets the real world, the real world wins. Nothing ever goes as planned. Errors pilled up, mistaken assumptions come back to haunt you. Even the most brilliant plan cannot anticipate everything that could happen or everyone that would be affected. But that's mean that the plan wasn't important? A waste of time? Not at all. The time you spent planning increases your chance of success. And increasing your chance of success is what this MOOC is all about.
