The Force that Drives Successful Change

Communicating vision is often a difficult activity. It can easily be turned into a one-way broadcast where useful feedback is ignored and dialogue is non-existent.  This rarely happens in successful change efforts, however, because communication becomes a two-way endeavor.

Sustainable Brands 2011 wrapped up its 5th annual event last week in Monterey, CA and the buzz is still accelerating. More than 790 professionals in sustainability, brand, and design converged at the conference to share their own visions of a sustainable future and how brand value can be achieved by innovating for sustainability. Realizing that vision is never created in a single moment or meeting, SB’11 speakers, attendees, and sponsors shared a sense of their desired future with others in efforts to motivate and coordinate the kinds of actions that create those positive transformations.

The conversation continues as executives in varying disciplines recognize that collaboration and communicating change are the keys to our sustainable future. We heard from Senior Vice President, Rocco Papalia on PepsiCo’s vision of the future of compostable packaging. We sat in conversation with Chip Conley of Joie de Vivre and Gil Friend of Natural Logic as they discussed with Jeffrey Hollender how he was unable to maintain his vision for his company.

We also heard Eric Ostern, Unilever’s Senior Manager of Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations to learn more about the progress of their vision since the launch of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

A great vision can serve a purpose if it is only understood by just a few key people. But, the immense power of vision is unleashed when it is shared with others and becomes a dialogue for two-way conversation. Sustainable Brands offers that platform for ongoing discussion. The conference is over, but the enthusiasm and inspiration to play on continues in all of us. Collaborating vision is the force that drives successful change and communicating it is just the beginning.