1. Advancing Sustainability Leaders
(ASL) program:
Feel the change

2. Session Outline
This session will cover:
• What is the Advancing Sustainability Leaders (ASL) program
• How does it advance sustainability in local councils
• How does it create change?
• What have been the outcomes so far?
An experience of the program to assist in community
engagement…
• The Innovation Diffusion Game: Do you like shopping?
And… how to make it happen at YOUR workplace!

3. Who We Are…
• Dr Louise Metcalf
• Dr Robert Perey
• From the award
winning Australian
Research Institute for
Environment and
Sustainability (ARIES)

4. What is it?
The Advancing Sustainability
Leaders program:
• Is a leadership development
program
– Built by Water for Life and
the NSW Metropolitan
Water Directorate
– In collaboration with the
Australian Research Institute
for Environment and
Sustainability (ARIES) at
Macquarie University
– The program has been going
for 3 years and has
demonstrated results in
building sustainability
leaders in local government

5. What does it contain?
• A multi-organisation process
• Selective – we only take the best!
• You need a water project and support from your
manager/ organisation
Showcase
Celebration!
Session 3Session 2Session 1
Leadership
Retreat
Launch Day!
More 360 Degree
Feedback
Coaching
360 Degree
Feedback
Month
1
Month
2
Month
3
Month
4
Month
5
Month
6
Month
7
Month
8
Month
9

7. What have been the results?
• Astounding!
• Only 9 months and change happens
• Change that EVERYONE notices!

9. INNOVATION DIFFUSION GAME –
HOW CHANGE REALLY WORKS

10. Innovation Diffusion Game
• by Alan Atkisson
• In 2013, Alan was inducted into
the Sustainability Hall of Fame by the
International Society of Sustainability
Professionals in recognition for his pioneering
work in establishing sustainability consulting
as a profession, and for the inspiration he has
provided to thousands of other professionals
around the world.
• He joined a list of luminaries in the field that
includes John Elkington, Hunter Lovins, Karl-
Henrik Robèrt, Mathis Wackernagel, Hazel
Henderson, and Ray Anderson, among others.

11. “Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that
ever has.”
Margaret Mead

12. So ?
• This is a role playing game designed to demonstrate
certain basic principles in cultural change and
innovation diffusion theory.
• How does a small group spawn historical change?
• How do new ideas (or technologies, or values)
spread through an entire culture?

13. Innovator
Change agents
Critical mass
5% - 15%
Irreversible

14. Antagonistic Force
Pseudopod
Nucleus
Phenomenon of the lagging centre
The Amoeba of Culture

15. Iconoclast
Reactionary
Change
Agent
Innovator
Unwilling
Laggard
Mainstreamers
‘Noisy majority’
Spiritual
Recluse
Renunciate
Curmudgeon
Transformer
The Anatomy of Cultural Change

16. • It's important to remember that in real life, everyone
plays all of these roles in different contexts.
• For example, you may be an Innovator when it comes
to cooking, a Mainstreamer when it comes to grocery
shopping, but a Reactionary when it comes to
microwave ovens.

17. Successful Innovations - 5 critical characteristics
• Relative Advantage * Is the innovation better than the
status quo? Will people perceive it as better?
• Compatibility * How does the innovation fit with people's
past experiences and present needs? If it doesn't fit both
well, it won't spread well. Does it require a change in
existing values?
• Complexity * How difficult is the innovation to understand
and apply?
• Trialability * Can people "try out" the innovation first? Or
must they commit to it all at once?
• Observability * How visible are the results of using it? If
people adopt it, can the difference be discerned by others?

18. Avenues for Action
• System-wide change requires all 3 avenues to be pursued
• Personal
– Anything one can do directly in one’s own life
• Media
– Anything one can do to reach out to someone else
• Politics
– Anything you can do to influence social organisation

19. Now…
Volunteers please

20. WRAP UP & FEEDBACK

21. How Do I Get Involved?
Easy!
• Just sign up to
champion the
program at your
own workplace –
we’ll get in touch!

22. Other Ways to Work with ARIES
• The Engaging Communities Online Course
• The Complexity Leadership Assessment
• Our Place and Habitat Stepping Stones
We build sustainable communities
Ms Jessica North
jessica.north@mq.edu.au
02 9850 8597