Getting Others on Board with Going Green at Work: Storytelling (post 3 of 5)
It can be a challenge to inspire your colleagues to go green at work, which is why I have dedicated five posts to this topic and truly, I could write a book on the subject. In the first of this blog post series, I addressed the importance of leading by example. The second post looked at answering the 'WIIFM' that your colleagues are asking - either openly or silently - about your sustainability project or actions.
In this blog post, the third in the series, we will discuss the what, why and how to use storytelling to help your colleagues see the importance of sustainability and going green, and to inspire them to take action. Here are some questions you may have around storytelling in the context of sustainability at work. This will serve as guidelines - then it’s your turn to think of the topic and craft your story:
What is storytelling?
Stories, or anecdotes as they are sometimes called, can be used to help people identify with an issue you're talking about. When a problem - or solution - is personalized and we see it happening in real life, then it becomes more tangible and achievable for us to take action on.
Why use storytelling to inspire your colleagues around sustainability?
When you use storytelling, it can help people relate to the issues around sustainability. We all respond better when we hear personal stories versus just facts about an issue. For example, you can talk about reducing waste to landfill at work and how that impacts the local waterways, but this is not as tangible as explaining how a little girl named Ashley in a neighboring community is now in the hospital as a result of playing in the contaminated water by her house and drinking some of it by mistake.
How to get started telling stories around sustainability at work?
Start by asking yourself these three questions:
What are my goals related to going green at work? What action do I want my colleagues to take?
How does this fit into our responsibilities as an organization (to employees, stakeholders, etc.) and within my job description?
What will success look like when I'm done?
Once you've answered those questions, it's time to review the stories you have and find a few that fit your goals.
What kind of narrative should I use? Is there a specific way to tell a story that will inspire my colleagues?
There are many ways in which to tell a story--some focus on actions, events, and what happened, or on the protagonist. The most effective way to frame your story so that your colleagues will listen is by showing the benefits of taking green actions. How does it help them at work? Does it save time or money for the company? Is there a moral obligation to care about our planet and its resources?
A great way to start is also by reflecting on how your own sustainability journey began. Do you have a personal anecdote? Or did an event change the course of your life in some meaningful way?
Whatever it is, think about what values or beliefs you hold that will get others on board with going green and use those values or beliefs as inspiration for stories. Sharing these experiences can help people see things from another point of view and show them why sustainability matters so much to us all. By telling our stories we are able to make sustainability more relatable while inspiring each other at work.
What are some storytelling ideas related to going green at work?
If you want to talk about the benefits of sustainability at work, then one way is through sharing anecdotes of how others have been positively impacted by sustainability initiatives at work. These examples can focus on the personal and be brought back to the individual within the organization. The more details you provide to make the story relatable and real to your listener, the better. Here are some examples of starting points:
How a company's decision to go green impacted their employees' personal life or lifestyle (and details on what those impacts were)
How going "zero waste" positively affected you or someone else in your community
Stories of employees (in other companies or yours) who've achieved success by living a sustainable lifestyle (e.g., an employee whose asthma cleared up by using eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products and by coming to work in an environment with low indoor pollution)
A story about what happened when everyone in a particular organization turned their lights off for Earth Hour, even though they were not required to do so.
What else can be done with storytelling?
You could tell stories about how different cultures approach environmental issues and make it clear just how universal these problems are. This approach helps show solidarity between colleagues based on common values rather than geography, which makes collaboration much easier.
You can also research competitors or partners and find out what their sustainability stories are and how these have benefitted them, and use these to show the benefits of sustainability.
What are the best resources for finding stories to share?
You can find powerful sustainability stories all around you if you look! For example, you may have learned that an employee at your local coffee shop took it upon himself to start composting the coffee grounds from his store. He gained recognition not only from his boss but also from the local community. This (and in even more detail) is something that could be shared if you want to promote a composting program at work, for example.
You can also do an internet search, tap into social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. These are full of inspirational pictures and stories. And finally, there's books! Check out bookstores and libraries in your community or online for sustainability case studies that could be turned into stories and more.
Sharing inspiring stories about real people can help break down misconceptions around sustainability being too difficult or costly and they might find that taking the next steps in environmental sustainability is easier as a result - even if that is at work.
Be sure to check back here next week for the third in this five-part blog series around how to get others to go green at work.
P.S. If you are currently working within an organization and are looking to grow your skill set and knowledge around sustainability by starting with where you currently work, be sure to download our free Beginner’s Guide to Going Green, with 50+ low-cost and low barrier to entry projects and much more to get started with. If you are looking at becoming a consultant, this could also be helpful in providing you will additional information around potential projects and the business case for going green.
Anca Novacovici
Anca is an author, speaker and founder of Eco-Coach Inc. She is passionate about supporting individuals and organizations around going green and environmental sustainability. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.