Experts Aren't Leaders. Leaders Aren't Experts.
We don't need more experts talking about climate, we need more leaders.
Every day I think about the climate movement. I live in Connecticut and we’re in the middle of our 3rd or 4th heatwave this summer. In my state, if you have three days over 90 degrees it’s an official heat wave. I know…we’re soft when it comes to heat, but it’s the northeast so give me a break. I also think a lot about the meteorologists who report on the weather but never mention climate. If you doubt my commitment know this, I’m currently listening to Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” while I run. It’s almost punishing to listen to that audio book while I’m trying to motivate myself to finish my 4-mile run in 90-degree heat. Motivation is a funny thing…
So…my point. What is my point today? I want to talk about this climate movement. I know many of us want to celebrate the amazing work we’re doing to minimize plastic, use biomaterials or divert waste from landfills. That’s all great and I don’t want to discourage anyone from celebrating those milestones. While we have some good things happening, I still believe the climate movement is struggling, especially in the building and commercial furnishings industry, who is responsible for 40% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. We have been for 20 years.
We are struggling because this movement needs leaders. And, as previously stated, leaders aren’t necessarily experts, and experts aren’t necessarily leaders. In our industry we have a very bad habit of talking to ourselves a lot. We also put the same people up on the podium over and over again. Go to a tradeshow or conference and you’ll find, inevitably, the same basic cast of characters talking about sustainability. We seem to feel that only designers or architects should be speaking about sustainable design. Occasionally we include a manufacturer. These speakers are great, don’t get me wrong. They spend their own time preparing their message and usually use their own funds to travel to deliver it.
These talks and presentations are always factual, helpful, informative and educational. But are they motivational? Are they getting people out of their seats? Or are they attracting the same group of supporters to listen and cheer them on? Are we filling the seats with new butts? I attend many of these conferences and workshops and shows, and I can speak from personal experience. I don’t see a lot of new faces. I believe it’s because the experts are the only ones talking. And they are teaching but they are not leading. I would argue that they are really only teaching design solutions. They are not teaching our industry about the climate crisis itself. Why are we worried about 1.5 degrees? Why are we worried about Tipping Points? Why are there still big problems with compostable materials and bioplastics? Why can’t we break from fossil fuels? Our industry does not talk about this. We talk about methods of measuring embodied carbon or effective window glazing. They are not motivating.
I may find a conversation around bio plastic interesting, especially because I’m a material nerd. But if I’m not a material nerd, and don’t even necessarily think climate change is a big deal, am I listening? Am I tuning in? Naw. We have to compete with so many other messages out there. We need to be more interesting. We need to be entertaining. Informational is not enough. Let’s face it, we aren’t fun enough.
So…we need leaders. I’ve done some research on leaders. I’ve looked into movements. There’s an interesting 3-minute video below about a leader. I recommend it. It uses this simple dancing man to illustrate how a leader can create a movement. He starts it, which is important, but the keystone in the movement is the first follower, who shows he’s not crazy and may be on to something. The first follower is taking a big risk.
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And so, I worry because we speak to the same choir every Sunday and I don’t think that choir is getting a whole lot bigger. Our choir doesn’t need technical applications as much as it needs motivation. I believe we’ll get that from new voices. Anyone who’s a parent knows that if you want to teach your children something, they do better learning it from someone new.
In my podcast, Break Some Dishes, we look outside of our industry for inspiration and motivation. I believe, as does my partner, Verda Alexander, that we need to hear from new voices. We recently had a Houston man on our podcast. His name is David Rivers aka Bayou Dave. He’s no expert. He’s no environmental scientist, but he goes out every day to clean the Buffalo Bayou. His mission is to rid that body of water of all the ocean bound litter floating in its current. He knows that if he doesn’t get to it, the garbage will float out into the ocean to become part of the unsurmountable ocean plastic phenomena. His story doesn’t teach me how to manage climate change. It gets me off my ass and makes me want to help. David Rivers is a leader, but he doesn’t even know it.
Next week we’ll drop our latest episode about Domingo Morales. A young man growing up in the public housing in Harlem. Nineteen years old with two babies, he discovered a way to transform his life and his community. He hasn’t gone to college yet. He’s not a scientist or engineer. He’s a leader. He inspires us. We need his story. Information is good, inspiration can be even better.
So, let’s find inspiration, shall we? Let’s find new voices from unexpected sources. Let’s grow this movement by getting it the attention it deserves and needs. Let’s stop boring people with all the science and application and let’s start entertaining them so that they want to come over and dance with us. Afterall, one person dancing might look crazy, but three people dancing looks like a party.