Have you ever wondered how businesses can foster sustainable leadership, creating real, lasting change without sacrificing profitability? What if you could learn the secret formula for making an environmental or social impact while also standing out in your industry?
In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes to create meaningful strategic change that matters in today’s world. Whether you’re leading a team or managing a company, sustainability is a crucial challenge. Learn how the food industry has led the way and how the lessons shared here can help you create a sustainable impact in your field without sacrificing competitive advantage.
You’ll gain insights into:
- Defining sustainability in a business context and why it’s essential.
- Picking the right battles for creating change while maintaining profitability.
- Leveraging relationship capital to collaborate with advocates and drive results.
You Can’t Market Manure at Lunchtime
[00:00] – Defining Sustainability in Leadership
The episode kicks off by exploring what sustainability really means in business. This sets the stage for the rest of the episode as Maisie Gansler breaks down how leadership sustainability should be specific to your industry.
[03:17] – A Seventh-Grade Leader
Maisie shares a personal story from seventh grade, highlighting the moment she realized the importance of leadership. From choosing leadership electives in junior high to becoming a key figure in sustainability, her journey offers a unique take on how early leadership can shape future goals.
[07:09] – What is Leadership Sustainability?
Here, the conversation dives deeper into leadership sustainability—focusing on long-term positive impact, not just short-term gains. The hosts talk about how real leaders create change that can be sustained for generations, whether it’s environmental or social. It’s about making decisions today that others can build upon tomorrow.
[09:46] – The Unappetizing Truth Behind Industrial Agriculture
Maisie shares an eye-opening story about her CEO’s passion for addressing industrial agriculture’s unsustainable practices. This segment showcases the tension between doing the right thing for sustainability and keeping customers engaged. It’s a balancing act of transparency and strategy.
[12:23] – Turning Leadership Sustainability into Competitive Advantage
Maisie emphasizes how leadership sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a real opportunity to stand out in your industry. When you lead with sustainable practices, it forces your competitors to catch up, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Sustainable Leadership in Action
[15:17] – Raising the Bar with Cage-Free Eggs
Maisie shares a groundbreaking example from 2005 when Bon Appétit became the first company to commit to cage-free eggs nationwide. This decision raised the bar for the industry and made leadership sustainability not just a goal but a competitive advantage.
[19:43] – Tackling Complexity One Step at a Time
Sustainability initiatives aren’t easy, and Maisie doesn’t sugarcoat it. She explains that part of leadership sustainability is embracing the complexities of the issues you tackle, from animal welfare to supply chain challenges. Leaders need to learn as they go.
Strategic Partnerships and Sustainable Leadership
[25:05] – The Importance of Allies in Advocacy
Maisie talks about how forming partnerships with advocacy groups can help your business build credibility and expertise. These relationships are key to achieving leadership sustainability because they provide industry-specific knowledge and public support.
[33:39] – Managing Your Sustainability Portfolio
Bon Appétit uses a simple system to track progress on sustainability initiatives—red, yellow, and green. Maisie walks listeners through how this tool helps manage ongoing projects and push leadership sustainability forward in a structured way.
[43:40] – Can Middle Managers Drive Leadership Sustainability?
To wrap up, Maisie offers advice for middle managers who want to make an impact. She encourages listeners to start with what they can control and build momentum from there. Leadership sustainability doesn’t have to start at the top—you can lead change from wherever you are.
Connect with Maisie Ganzler:
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