👋 Hello, I’m Carlos, and welcome to my newsletter, “The Holistic Leader” Raw notes from an Agile Coach. Share your questions with me here, and in exchange, I'll provide practical, grounded, and clear advice.
Today, being a leader isn’t just about making money.
It’s about taking care of our planet as well.
When leaders think about how to help the environment, they make their companies better and more liked.
Here are some easy ways leaders can start making their businesses more green.
1. Set Clear Green Goals:
Leaders should make clear plans about how their company can be more friendly to the environment.
For example, they could decide to use less paper in the office or make sure nothing from the office goes to a landfill by 2025.
These goals need to be clear and possible to reach, and everyone in the company should know about them and help meet them.
2. Support New Green Ideas:
It's important for companies to try new things that are better for the earth.
Leaders can help by supporting projects that use less harmful materials or come up with ways to waste less.
For instance, they could help fund a project that finds ways to package products without plastic, or have a contest where employees come up with green ideas.
This shows the company cares and makes it a fun challenge for everyone.
3. Be Open About Your Green Efforts:
Being open about what the company is doing for the environment builds trust.
Leaders should tell their teams how they're doing with their green goals, like cutting down on waste or saving energy.
They can share updates in meetings, emails, or on a special board in the office.
It’s also good to talk about these things outside the company, like at community meetings or on social media.
This way, everyone knows the company is serious about being green.
If you haven’t read the latest article where I talked about the 5 core principles and 5 fundamental values of what Holistic Leadership entails; check it out here: https://carloskarimgarcia.com/p/the-real-impact-of-holistic-leadership
If you missed where I talked about the Second value “Inclusivity“, check it out here:
Let’s dive into the third value of “Holistic Leadership”
Sustainability
Personal Story:
A couple of years ago, I used to worked with lots of computers and software every day.
I realized that all our computer work used a lot of electricity, and much of that power came from sources that weren't good for the Earth. I thought we should try to do better for the planet.
We started by changing where our computers store information, in places called data centers.
These centers usually use a lot of electricity.
So, we moved some of our computer work to a new type of data center that used energy from a different source.
This switch didn't mess up any of our work, and it was a big step in using less harmful energy.
Next, we looked at our office.
We switched all our light bulbs to LEDs, which use much less electricity.
We also set up bins for recycling electronic waste and encouraged our team to recycle more.
Another big change was letting people work from home a few days a week.
This meant less driving, which was better for the air.
The biggest change was how we wrote our software.
We learned to make our programs run well but use less power.
This was new for everyone, and some folks were unsure at first.
But we held training sessions, shared success stories, and slowly, everyone saw the benefits.
Making these changes wasn't always easy.
Sometimes, things didn't work the first time, and we had to try different solutions.
But we kept going because we knew it was important.
It took teamwork and patience, but eventually, we made a big difference.
From this experience, I learned that leading means helping your team work together for a common goal.
And even in the tech world, we can make decisions that are better for the planet.
My 3 takeaways
Start Small:
Even little changes, like using different light bulbs or choosing green power for computers, can help the Earth a lot.
Teach and Involve Everyone:
It's important to help everyone understand why new changes are good and how they work.
(This makes it easier for them to help out.)
Keep Trying:
Sometimes things don't work the first time, but if we keep trying and working together, we can make things better.
If you liked this article and want to know more about how to become a better “Holistic Leader”
I am excited to share with you A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
“Leadership Every Day” - eBook
This book is more than just advice—it's a daily journey to grow your leadership skills.
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Thanks for reading
See you next week!
- Carlos ✌️
📋 Last Week Posts:
7 Key Insights on How Leaders Can Connect, Inspire, and Elevate Their Teams
The real impact of "Holistic Leadership" on organizational culture (and profits)
✍️ Quote of the Week
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
Making People Awesome