Leading beyond our organisational boundaries: meaningful engagement with system-level change

Responsible and sustainable leadership in any organisation demands that we consider the impact our organisations have on people, communities, society and the environment. All the impacts. All the people. Not just the impact we might desire. And not just the people we set out to serve, i.e. employees, shareholders and customers.

This often requires responsible and sustainable organisations to absorb the extra burden of the impacts that lie well beyond their perceived organisational boundary. For instance, this might mean taking responsibility for the impact on the environment through the waste produced, transportation used or natural resources needed in their processes. It could mean taking responsibility for the (sometimes hidden) impact on the communities they serve or are located within. It should also include taking responsibility for the impact of what the organisation does – and how it does it – on the health and wellbeing of their people.

Taking responsibility as leaders for these wider impacts across the complex systems in which we operate needs more than just good intentions. Our business models often work more efficiently and more profitably by externalising certain environmental or social costs. Sustainable, responsible shifts within organisations aren’t about doing current things better, but about doing current things differently. And that ‘difference’ is systemic change.

This isn’t a shallow, woolly or abstract call for things to just ‘be different’. It requires specific attention to the incentives that drive current choices within our organisation. It’s the need for better collaboration between organisations across all sectors and with wider society – we can only make responsible and sustainable change when we work collectively. While there often aren’t quick fixes or easy wins, there are still many things that we can change for the better and for the long term.

The Forward Institute is focused on encouraging organisations to consider the wider impacts they’re having on society and encouraging senior leaders to think for the long term. Wasafiri has created the Systemcraft model through reverse engineering their extensive experience of working with organisations and communities on leading complex, systemic change. Working together as thought partners, we’re collectively committed to helping senior leaders and their organisations to make good change happen.

It’s only when we look beyond our organisational boundaries that we’re able to identify opportunities to make positive change in the complex systems in which we operate that benefits everyone.