Professor of Practice & Engagement
Sustainability Leadership Development
What You'll Learn
- Analyze the unique challenges and opportunities of sustainability leadership
- Assess and critique traditional leadership theory through the lens of environmental problems
- Reflect and build on your personal leadership strengths and weaknesses to identify opportunities for growth
- Prepare yourself for professional and volunteer opportunities in sustainability
5 Modules
25 Hours
5 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Sustainability Leadership Development
How organizations and society respond to declines in environmental and social capital is the defining issue of our times. “Sustainability Leadership” explores and analyzes the concepts and application of leadership to empower you to be a positive change agent during this critical time.
This course prepares current and future sustainability professionals to tackle “wicked problems” — challenges that are difficult to solve due to incomplete, contradictory, or changing information and that stem from simultaneously addressing environmental and interrelated social and economic issues. This requires a rethinking of how people and organizations exert leadership. Each module will explore how power structures, social justice, and equity impact organizations and how leaders can utilize ethics and values to set and achieve goals. You'll learn to apply sustainability leadership to real-world situations through lectures, conversations with key leaders, case studies, self-assessments, readings, videos, and podcasts. By the end of the course, you’ll draft a personalized action plan that can help begin or advance your career in sustainability and provide a sound basis to start transforming your organization for good.
This is the third course in “Green Skills for a Sustainable and Just Future," a course series dedicated to shaping the next generation of sustainable practices and leadership.
Skills You'll Gain
- Corporate Sustainability
- Ethical Leadership
- Leadership
- Strategic Thinking
- Sustainability Initiatives
- Sustainable Leadership
- Systems Thinking
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Sustainability Leadership Development, part of the Green Skills for a Sustainable and Just Future series. This course develops leadership competencies needed to address complex environmental and social challenges through reflection, case studies, and a personal leadership action plan.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Sustainability Leadership as 21st Century Leadership
- Video: Welcome to the Course
- Reading: Meet Your Instructor
- Reading: Syllabus
- Discussion Prompt: Meet Your Fellow Global Learners
- Reading: Help Us Learn About You
- Reading: Why Sustainable Issues Are Wicked Problems
- Video: Foundations: Sustainability as Wicked Problem & Leadership Challenge
- Discussion Prompt: Wicked Problems
- Reading: Introduction to the Personal Sustainability Leadership Plan
- Reading: Preview of the Leadership Interview and Reflection
- Reading: Selections from The Outdoor Leader
- Video: Outdoor Leadership Interview with Jeannette Stawski
- Reading: [Optional] Leadership Matrix from Humanergy
- Discussion Prompt: Outdoor Leadership Reflection
- Reading: Holding the Fire Podcast: Ancient Wisdom with Anne Poelina
- Discussion Prompt: Ancient Wisdom with Anne Poelina
- Video: Insider View of Environmental Leadership Conversation with Conan Smith
- Reading: [Optional] Guns or GPS Units?
- Discussion Prompt: [Optional] Guns or GPS Units?
- Reading: Conduct Your Leadership Interview
- Reading: Introduction to Gamut Workbook
- App Item: Personal Leadership Plan, Part 1: Leadership Interview
- Video: Complexities of Sustainability Leadership: Lessons from the Conservation Movement
Module 2: Values & Vision
- Reading: How to Turn Climate Anxiety into Action
- Video: Values and Competencies
- Reading: Wayfinding Leadership: Wisdom for Developing Potential
- Discussion Prompt: Wayfarer Leadership Reflection
- Video: Lifelong Sustainability Leadership Conversation with Lana Pollack
- Reading: [Optional] Wolf Wars
- Discussion Prompt: [Optional] Wolf Wars
- Reading: Envisioning a Sustainable World by Donella Meadows
- Video: Vision
- Discussion Prompt: Envisioning a More Sustainable World
- App Item: Personal Leadership Plan, Part 2: Internal Assessment of Your Vision & Values
- Graded: Module 2 Quiz
Module 3: Equity, Relationships & Power
- Video: The Power of Inference & Assumptions
- Reading: Ladder of Inference
- Discussion Prompt: Ladder of Inference
- Video: Community Leadership on Water Conversation with Erma Leaphart
- Reading: Science of Productive Conflict
- Discussion Prompt: Science of Productive Conflict
- Reading: Indigenous Voices at the Intersection of Environmental & Social Justice
- Reading: [Optional] Guardians of the Forest
- Discussion Prompt: [Optional] Guardians of the Forest
- Video: Dialogue, Relationships & Conflict
- App Item: Personal Leadership Plan, Part 3: Self-Assessment Using the Michigan Model of Leadership
- Graded: Module 3 Quiz
Module 4: Cultural & Systems Change With Organizations
- Reading: VUCA Leadership
- Video: Sustainability Leadership Frameworks
- Reading: Global Leadership for Sustainability
- Reading: Policies for Adapting to the New Normal of the Anthropocene
- Video: Organizational & Cultural Change for Sustainability Conversation with Andrew Hoffman
- Reading: Holding the Fire Podcast Episodes
- Reading: [Optional ] Line 5 Oil Pipeline Controversy
- Discussion Prompt: [Optional] Line 5 Oil Pipeline Controversy
- Reading: Five Value Propositions for Sustainability for Companies
- Video: Corporate Sustainability, Philanthropy & Systems Change Conversation with Neil Hawkins
- Reading: Systems Shift By Increment
- Reading: Places to Intervene in a System
- Video: Organizational Advocacy: Systems Intervention & Change Models
- App Item: Personal Leadership Plan, Part 4: Constructing an Action Plan
- Graded: Module 4 Quiz
Module 5: Sustainability Leadership Competencies
- Reading: Leadership for Sustainability Podcast and Guides
- Discussion Prompt: Leadership for Sustainability Podcast and Guides
- Video: Sustainability Leadership Competencies: View from the Field
- Reading: Leadership Capabilities for the 21st Century
- Video: Making Change within Government & Philanthropy: Conversation with Elizabeth Cisar
- Reading: [Optional] Women Walking with Water
- Discussion Prompt: [Optional] Women Walking with Water
- Reading: Sustainability Leadership Programs: Emerging Goals, Methods & Best Practices
- Video: Building Leadership Competencies Conversation with Lindsey MacDonald
- Reading: Sustainability Skill Set Podcast
- Discussion Prompt: Sustainability Skillset Podcast
- App Item: Personal Leadership Plan, Part 5: Implementing Your Sustainability Leadership Plan
- Discussion Prompt: Share Your Leadership Plan Implementation with Other Learners
- Video: Consolidating Knowledge, Implementing Your Sustainability Leadership Plan
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Graded: Complete Your Personal Leadership Plan
- Graded: Module 5 Quiz
Grading Policy
Learners must earn an overall grade of 80%. There are five module quizzes, each worth 15% of your final grade. There is also a Personal Sustainability Leadership Plan assessment worth 25% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
There are no specific prerequisites based on knowledge, skills, or experience.
