Every day I see more posts about ‘back to normal’ activities. But as we reopen, let’s not get ‘back to normal.’ One of the most common and frustrating experiences people have when trying make positive changes is to encounter the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality. I recently spoke with a mentee who works at a hotel. The hotel is not reopening, it’s opening. None of the employees have worked for this brand before, yet she is constantly encountering “[hotel x] says we have to do it this way.”

Sustainability, like any major change initiative, is dependent on executive sponsorship, but the focus on top leadership buy-in can be skewed. Executive sponsorship is no doubt vital. Projects without it have lackluster results and high resentment. Much time is invested wooing executives, but initiatives become watered down by the time they reach managers and frontline employees. Don’t just make it a “because I said so” exercise.

I’m always talking about the importance of empowerment. And just to prove how much such messages need reinforcement, here’s a story about how my own doubts and good intentions got in the way… or almost did. It’s such an awesome story of what can happen when you give people just a little freedom to try out their ideas.

The COVID-19 crisis has caused the restaurant industry to call out abusive behavior, racism and sexual harassment. Every industry and workplace can be home to this type of behavior, but a restaurant seems to be a special breeding ground for this. In this blog, we offer some tips for overcoming jerks in the workplace when trying to drive sustainability - not just restaurants but any workplace.