On Sustainability, Adaptability, & Change

Adaptability: The Overlooked Superpower in Sustainability Leadership

One of the most underrated skills in building a sustainability strategy?

The ability to re-evaluate and change direction.

Too often, I’ve seen leaders stick rigidly to their original plans, despite clear signals that conditions have changed.

- Markets evolve.

- Policies shift.

- New technologies emerge.

- Crises disrupt everything.

And yet, some strategies remain frozen in time. Why? Because admitting a course correction is needed is uncomfortable. It requires courage, humility, and strong governance structures that encourage strategic agility, not rigidity.

But here’s the reality:

A sustainability plan that cannot adapt is destined to become irrelevant, or worse, counterproductive.

Leaders who succeed in sustainability are not those with the perfect plan on Day 1. They are those who: 

- Constantly listen and learn.

- Embrace feedback, even when it hurts.

- Aren’t afraid to pivot when the world shifts.

Sustainability isn’t a straight line. It’s a dynamic path, one that must respond to complexity, uncertainty, and transformation.

Let’s stop glorifying unwavering commitment to outdated plans, and start celebrating those who dare to evolve.