The importance of values in creating change

I love watching the TV programme Grand Designs and am struck by how ‘the couple’ are passionate about their project and driven by very strongly held values, whether it is using locally sourced/individually crafted materials or the significance of place in that the house should blend seamlessly with its environment. The values they hold dear shape their approach but invariably fly in the face of the conventional building orthodoxy, evidenced by Kevin McCleod’s raised eyebrows and asides to camera! This was particularly so in a recent episode about a Herefordshire couple’s traditionally crafted house; a world away from the notion of rooms with right angles and UPVC windows. I get a buzz from the hero’s journey; how despite the trials and tribulations their vision and values help them not only win through but, as McCleod invariably acknowledges, also influence his thinking with some new approaches.

The significance of the values we hold was brought home at the recent Forum Network event on How to be a successful Change Agent. As Environmental Philosopher Dr Kate Rawles pointed out, there is no such thing as values-free sustainable development, and change always involves values. Therefore, as change agents we need to start by understanding our own values around sustainable development and how these contribute to our particular worldview. We can be more effective at bringing about change if we are able to articulate these clearly and understand those held by colleagues – a shining exemplar being the late Ray Anderson, CEO of InterfaceFLOR. Asking oneself: “What do I want to sustain, why and for whom?” is a way of drawing these values out.

This is an exercise we have just asked our new students – aspiring leaders on Forum’s masters course – to undertake. Naturally they find it a challenge but also surprising how values around sustainable development can differ even in a committed group. For example some of them believe that the environment only has value in the resources it provides for humans, whereas others think that the environment has intrinsic value in its own right. When environmental, social and economic goals conflict, values come to the fore in opinions on which ones take priority. The Forum students, now on work placements, say that they are finding it easier to reflect on their own worldview when comparing it with colleagues. Their individual analysis helps them to examine the role of ethics and values in the culture of the organisation they are placed with. Which brings me on to Kate Rawles’ second pointer: to notice, understand and challenge underlying worldviews and their influence on sustainable development values – for example the prevailing worldview of ever-increasing material gain ignoring environmental limits.

Kate’s presentation at our event was followed by the sharing of strategies for creating change. We concluded by asking participants to do some refection on how people in their organisation view sustainability, what they can do to influence that in their organisation and what approaches they can use to create change

Back to Grand Designs: Kevin McCloud has distilled his top tips on successful self-build projects from his experience, one of which is “Don’t leave out the landscape. If a house’s quality is not reflected in its surroundings, it looks like a piece of fluff”. If it isn’t stretching the analogy too far, as change agents for sustainability we need to take a very good look at both our internal and external ‘landscapes’ if we are to get the foundations for organisational change right.

Network members can access a full event summary by clicking here. If your organisation is not a member of the Forum Network and you’re interested in similar events and the other benefits of Network membership, please contact Geraldine Gilbert. Other blogs connected with the event include Peter Madden's 3 p's to influencing change and Anna Birney's secrets to becoming a successful change agent.