Overcoming the Barrier of Desire in Green Transformation
Green Transformation refers to the process of adopting sustainable practices and reducing environmental impact. While many businesses recognize the importance of sustainability and want to make a change, they often struggle to make real progress in this area. One significant barrier to progress with Green Transformation is the failure to address the desire of individuals in the organization.
The Prosci ADKAR Model is often used to understand and facilitate change on an individual level. The model consists of the five stages: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement. In the context of Green Transformation, individuals are often aware of the need for sustainability, and is presented with reports, presentations and articles continuously on why sustainability is important. However, a common barrier point is Desire. Individuals often ask themselves, "What's in it for me?" (WIIFM). While sustainability is deemed important for the big picture and the entire population, individuals often do not feel personally motivated to take action.
To overcome the Desire barrier, businesses must align individual interests with sustainability goals. One approach is to frame sustainability initiatives in terms of personal benefits. For instance, a company can tie sustainability metrics to individual performance evaluations, thereby rewarding employees who actively contribute to the company´s green goals. However, offering incentives alone may not be enough to sufficiently address the desires of individuals.
To overcome the barrier, businesses must create a culture of sustainability where environmentally friendly practices are seen not just as desirable but also necessary. This requires leadership commitment and training programs, as well as a clear communication of the business case for Green Transformation.
Overcoming the barrier of desire requires aligning individual interest with sustainability goals, creating a culture of sustainability, and providing ongoing support and encouragement to sustain change. By understanding the Prosci ADKAR Model and focusing on WIIFM for individuals, businesses can make real progress with their Green Transformation.