Are you living sustainably? Are you leading sustainably?

Sustainability is the buzzword of the 2010s and 2020s.

But I argue everything needs to be sustainable.

I am working with a few businesses at the moment who are focused on sustainability. By that I mean businesses that are attempting to minimise the impacts on the planet and on society.

And that is admirable and in fact vital for our planet, but they are not living and leading in a way that is aligned with sustainability. Business should be conducted in a way that is sustainable for the planet, for all life, for all employees, for the founders/leaders, and for the owners.. Sustainability is about caring and responsibility for all.

So personally, you might like to ask yourself…

• Am I living my life in a sustainable way?

• Do I have life balance?

• Do I exercise regularly?

• Do I have a healthy diet with minimal alcohol?

• Do I have adequate and quality time for rest & reflection?

What’s the point in running a sustainable business if you’re not living sustainably? You could find yourself overly exhausted from work, or even worse be risking your own health.

And then the question is, are you running your business in a sustainable way?

As a leader, you might like to ask yourself…

• Is the pace at which I am running the business sustainable for all involved?

• Is there a healthy balance between focus on performance and focus on well-being?

• Do I have a low level of staff turnover?

• Is my culture one that inspires people to remain in for the long-term?

• Does my leadership style have a positive supportive as well as inspiring impact?

What's the point in focusing on sustainability if your people are leaving in droves or if they are regularly feeling overwhelmed?

In running a sustainable business, I invite you to focus on all three areas listed below:

• Sustainable business practices - business practices that are socially and environmentally considerate

• Sustainable business - leading a business in a manner that is sustainable for all involved

• Sustainable lifestyle - living your own life in a healthy sustainable way

By definition, sustainability is the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. But sustainability also is the ability to be maintain operations/life at a consistent rate.

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