Transition Edge - How not to get laughed out of the boardroom

Published: Thu, 04/21/22

Transition Edge

April 2022 - Year three of the disrupted decade

Had that sinking feeling...?

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I’m Grant Symons. I convene Transition Edge to help us understand how we can transition to a low carbon sustainable world using leading thinking and practices.

The Board listened intently... eyebrows raised, slightly perceptible discomfort and grimaces... and then the relief... that the whole Transition proposition could be pigeon holed, and written off as some far fetched idea from someone who "simply doesn't understand the realities of running a business like our's, in these times".

"Sorry Grant, [read anyone talking about the coming Transition] great story but we aren't interested... this makes no sense to our business. Why would we cannibalise a product that is currently in demand and profitable, while surrendering our competitive advantage? There is no business case for what you are talking about, and why would we ever want to be a 'first mover' in our sector?... we will just wait until the law changes."

The lack of a coherent and persuasive response clamped me fairly and squarely into the laughing stock, not subject to those 'out loud laughs'..but that sense of sinking in quicksand while the silent ones watched on, with partly hidden smirks, knowing there was no way back for my story, and that they remained able to see off another threat to their rational, all knowing wisdom.

That was back in 2018. Since then we have had, or now have: (a rough list here, but you get the picture!)

New Zealand signing up to be Net Zero by 2050
Off shore oil and gas exploration banned in NZ
Acceptance of 'Post Truth' and 'Disinformation' as part of life
Establishment of a Climate change Commission and subsequent draft emission reduction targets
Ongoing environmental degradation at the global scale
Numerous COP events without any real change
Globally increasing carbon emissions and atmospheric GHG readings
Ongoing serious climate events, locally and globally
Globally, creation of trillions of dollars of new debt and new money
NZ Government established Just Transition department and announced carbon neutral targets
NZ Government announces future legislation that requires large organisations to disclose its risks and plans relating to Climate change and adaption to Net Zero GHG targets
Global Covid pandemic with massive economic disruption
A shift to working from home
The Great Resignation - a shift in worker employer relations
Supply chain issues and embryonic moves towards deglobalization
Outbreak of war in Europe
A circa month long occupation of Parliament grounds in New Zealand
Dramatic increases in inflation driven by property, energy, resource and food price increases
Government intervention in the mechanics of electricity retail market - with aims of helping poorer larger households - driving cost increases for many.
Rapid rises in energy prices with the Government responding with subsidies so people can continue using fossil fuels
New Zealand's national airline launching its net zero by 2050 with some incredible claims about what could happen

If you need to talk to executives, senior leaders, directors or operate in boardrooms, then the following are no longer a laughing matter, you are probably going to be heard:

The Transition is real
How to transition, adapt and mitigate in the face of real climate change and emerging legislation and market/sector change?
How to increase the resilience of your workforce and operations?
How to attract and retain leading talent that are 'green-wash' and 'post truth' bullshit savvy?
How to understand what role in the transition your organisation can play?
How to create a culture for Transition?
How to develop Transition portfolios?
How to help business and society develop greater resilience?
How to actively manage and report on risk effectively (not re-actively)?

What have we missed?... things are constantly changing, perhaps a perpetual question to add might be, "how do we know we are understanding what is real and what is not?"

This weeks quote

“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the war room.”
—President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), Dr. Strangelove

Could you share the Edge with someone today?

Grant Symons - The Transition Guy

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