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International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Sustainable and Effective Leadership: Navigating
Decision Making for Management Success
Babasola Osibo
University of Dallas, Northgate Drive, Irving, Texas
United States of America.
Email: basola.osibo[at]gmail.com
Tel. No.: +1 (469) 970 - 7949
Abstract: This article delves into the concept of sustainable leadership within the contemporary global society, emphasizing its role in
integrating ethical and sustainable business practices, diversity, and inclusion. The emergence of the Sustainable Development Goals
SDGs highlights the need for leadership that addresses economic, social, and environmental challenges. Sustainable leadership
transcends traditional models, steering organizations toward long - term objectives that align with societal, economic, and
environmental domains. The article explores the fusion of sustainable leadership and effective decision - making, advocating for an
ethical and collective approach that empowers stakeholders. Drawing from expert’s insights, it discusses the importance of
incorporating ethics into leadership to foster strategic decision - making and highlights real - world examples of leadership failures due
to the lack of ethical considerations. By providing a platform for inclusive decision - making, effective leaders facilitate adaptive
responses to adversity, driving sustainable relations and long - term gains for all stakeholders.
Keywords: Effective Leadership, Sustainable leadership, Effective decision - making, Ethical leadership, Sustainable development,
Diversity, inclusion
1. Introduction
Effective leadership in the contemporary global society goes
beyond generating profits to integrating sustainable business
practices that include diversity and inclusion. It is more than
achieving an organization’s objectives for a certain quarter
to achieving long - term objectives. When the world ushered
in the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, it also
introduced into the limelight a budding concept for
leadership that would help to solve challenges crosscutting
economic, social, and environmental spheres. Sustainable
leadership, therefore, emanates as the kind of leadership
style that should be incorporated in every business model as
it helps businesses to be versatile in adjusting their
regulatory and policy frameworks relative to social,
economic, and environmental domains. Sustainability
leadership moves past basic transformational and
accountable organizational leadership to one that steers the
development of society, the environment, and the economy.
It is being perceived as the kind of leadership the society
wants as it not only promotes organizational success but
national progress as well by ensuring that businesses thrive
amidst dynamic and versatile economic, environmental, and
societal changes. As a result, it is pertinent for organizational
leaders to have the needed sustainable leadership skills
required to attain the SDGs. It is recommendable that
businesses should now consider sustainable leadership as the
governing business model because of its holistic nature as
the world gears to attain the SDG’s. Sustainable leadership is
effective in promoting employee commitment, motivation,
job satisfaction, organizational trust, acceptability to change,
and overall productivity and performance. Sustainability
leadership is yet to mature as a concept, and as there are
intensified calls to embrace this model, those in management
must understand how they can adopt it and why. While there
is so much advocacy on effective leadership, what happens
in practice is different, leading to a need for insight into the
different leadership styles relative to driving sustainable
practices, inclusion, and diversity. Sequentially, leaders need
information on the kind of leadership styles they display and
understand their organizational cultures. They also need to
know how to transition to the desired culture and leadership
style in driving sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion
as a way of supporting the attainment of the world’s SDGs.
Effective Leadership and Decision - Making
The topic of effective leadership in decision - making is
debatable as different researchers and scholars differ in what
they regard as effective leadership to drive effective decision
- making. While some scholars believe that a hierarchical
approach where the leader dominates the process is the most
effective, others believe that a collective approach is the
ideal one. However, in seeking to attain sustainable
development, a more collective approach is needed, as
indicated in this article. Effective leaders in contemporary
society should seek to empower their followers to aid in
strategic decision - making. What matters is not what leaders
think but their ability to incorporate a range of views from
all concerned stakeholders to facilitate effective and strategic
decision - making leading to sustainable development.
Effective leadership to guide strategic decision - making
should be ethical. Even though some business leaders have
great business ideas, the failure to integrate ethical
implications is a major setback. The Law School of Harvard
has given a detailed description of effective leadership in
steering decision - making through an interview with Don A.
Moore, a professor at the University of California, and Max
Bazerman, a professor at Harvard Business School,
moderated by Deepak Malhotra, who is also a professor at
the Harvard Business School. There was an emphasis on the
essence of ethics throughout the interview (Shonk, 2023).
Bazerman stated that some renowned business leaders, such
as Uber’s Travis Kalanick, WeWork’s Adam Neumann, and
Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes, failed to thrive because they
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
839
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
did not factor in the element of ethical leadership in their
business models (Shonk, 2023). The experts were
advocating for decision leadership that goes beyond
changing the hearts and minds, what is termed as persuasion,
to creating cultures, norms, systems, and environments that
facilitate effective decision - making through empowerment.
Decision leadership, nonetheless, is seemingly integrated
into sustainable leadership, which seeks to incorporate all
aspects leading to sustainable development for which
decision leadership is part.
Effective leaders will provide their associates and followers
with the platform needed to make effective decisions that
can benefit the business, and this is explored further in this
article in subsequent sections. The discussion by Moore,
Bazerman, and Maholtra showed that effective leaders will
not just seek to change the mind, but the they also need to
draw in usable tools to effect the change. For example,
during the need for covid - 19 vaccines, employers did not
just need to convince employees to get the jab but they also
needed to bring the vaccine closer to the employees. An
effective leader, thus, should make critical decisions in the
event of adversity when there is urgency and limited
information to act as a guide, mainly by creating the
platform to effect the needed change. As a result, the
contemporary leadership paradigm is recommended because
it entails liaising with enlightened stakeholders to make
quick and effective decisions within the shortest time
possible. Effective leadership ensures that the decision -
making process is not based on theinterests of a few but
targets the needs of all stakeholders to establish sustainable
relations for long - term gains.
Influence of Leadership Styles on Organizational
Decision - Making
There are different types of leadership styles which can be
grouped into three levels as indicated in table 1 shown
below. The first level consists of those leadership styles that
do not accommodate sustainable practices, diversity, and
inclusion. The second level are those that are partially
aligned with sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion,
while the third level encompasses those that fully integrate
these elements. Ineffective leadership is linked to high
turnover that evidently leads to
A wastage of resources due to a demanding recruitment
process. Nowadays, as more attention is focused on effective
leadership, there is a remarkable shift in leadership styles
from a transactional approach to a transformative one to
attain strategic effective decision - making. The latter focus
on developing subordinates to achieve short - term
organizational goals. Perterlin et al. (2015) state that there
are three traits that effective leaders should have to make
strategic decisions, namely:
Consideration of others’ interests
Focus on long - term effects
Utilization of leadership as a steward of available
resources
The table below is an analysis describing the leadership
styles, their skills.
Table 1: Analysis of Leadership Styles and Level of Suitability to Sustainable Leadership
Leadership style Leadership skills Suitability to sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion
Authoritarian or Autocratic
Decision - making
First level
Problem - solving
Communication
Time - management
Stress - management
Risk - takers
Democratic leadership
Transformational leadership
Transactional leadership
Charismatic leadership
Situational leadership
Team player
Second level
Communication
Transparent
Embraces diversity
Mentor/Coach
Active listener
Inspirational
Emotionally intelligent
Sociable
Upholds governing policies, rules, and procedures
Static
Influential
Visionary
Humble
Courageous
Adaptable/flexible
Directional
Pro - active
Sustainable leadership
Motivational
Third level
Pro - active
Promotes personal development
Adopts diversity and inclusion
Governed by a shared vision
Not limited to organizational
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
840
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Figure 1: Management Style Tree
An autocratic/authoritarian leadership style does not
consider the views of the members, although the decision -
making process is fast. Leaders do not have to engage in
lengthy decision - making processes because they make
instant decisions as needed. On the flip side, these decisions
do not reflect the interests of all members likely to be
affected. Vladimir Putin is an example of an authoritarian
leader because his word is final, and he does not accept input
from anyone. Instead, such a leader compels individuals to
do what he wants to achieve his goals (Huang et al., 2023;
Linden & Wilkes, 2022). Such leaders make significant
decisions on their own even though the outcome does not
always result in successful ones, as in the case of Putin,
whose initial thoughts were that he would capture Ukraine in
a month. These leaders have clear goals and do whatever is
necessary, including indulging in unethical actions to pursue
their interests. The success of organizations run by
authoritarian leaders is not guaranteed since it is dependent
on a leader’s intelligence and wisdom.
Democratic leadership style is participatory because
followers are given a chance to share their views.
Democratic leaders involve their subordinates in making
decisions, where leaders can either collect ideas and make
decisions after evaluating them or engage stakeholders in
making a collective decision facilitated by the leader.
Democratic leadership is deemed an ideal leadership style
because it supports creativity and innovation, which are
pertinent in steering sustainable practices (Fang et al., 2019;
Salma, 2023). Advanced forms of democratic leadership are
shared and inclusive leadership styles, where leaders gather
diverse opinions and allow individuals to be actively
involved in implementing ideas. Han Seong - Sook adopted
an inclusive leadership style as the former CEO of Naver
because she allowed employees to present their opinions and
implement them (Fang et al., 2019; Salma, 2023).
Nonetheless, without specific goals engrained in sustainable
development, it is limited in its efficacy to promote
sustainable practices geared toward the achievement of long
- term goals. The decision - making process takes time
because the leader has to consider all suggestions alone, and
it is also time - consuming and tiring when directing a large
group.
The paternalist leadership style is similar to the
autocratic/authoritarian one but differs in that whereas
authoritarian leaders are dictators, paternalist leaders act like
parents. The paternalistic leadership style incorporates
benevolence to authority and morality so that the leaders
show concern for the well - being of the followers in their
decision - making process. The paternalistic leadership
approach is mainly relevant to communist societies, which
have a high regard for parents (Harvard Law School, 2022).
Paternalistic leaders make all the decisions on behalf of their
subordinates based on what they perceive to be the needs of
others, although these may not be a true reflection of what
subordinates need.
The transactional leadership style is similar to the autocratic
one because the leader asserts that subordinates should
follow the existing standards, policies, and laws, although it
is not clear whether these legal entities are developed
collectively or individually. The two can be linked to the
trait theory, which states that leaders exhibit their leadership
styles based on their characteristics and competencies
(Sethuraman & Suresh, 2014). Transactional leaders adopt a
transactional approach relative to the subordinates’
adherence to the already governing laws and associated
procedures through a reward/punishment system.
Transactional leaders are task - oriented; hence, they do not
involve others in making decisions about the rules, policies,
and policies but act as implementers of what exists.
Transformational leadership entails engaging the followers
to achieve long - term objectives. Transformational leaders
develop goals with their subordinates and promote
innovation and change to achieve these goals. Bass and
Avolio (cited in Güngör et al., 2016) highlight four traits of
transformational leaders in running their operations. The
first trait is that these leaders are influential and charismatic,
such that they earn respect and trust from their subordinates;
hence, they can easily drive them toward reaching the
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
841
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
desired goals. The second trait is that they are inspirational
and motivational by encouraging followers to embrace
success. The third trait is that they steer personal
development instead of filtering members. Transformational
leadership is seemingly engrained in trait theories and
participatory theories with the former applauding the
combination of personal characteristics and competency. The
latter advocate for the integration of the views and input
from subordinates to engage in a collective decision -
making process (Sethuraman & Suresh, 2014). Therefore,
such leaders understand the strengths and weaknesses of
their employees and work towards improving their
inadequacies so that they do not act as impediments to
attaining desired goals. The fourth trait is that
transformational leaders are supportive of their followers’
innovative and creative thoughts to steer positive change.
Charismatic leadership entails the inherent nature of an
individual to get his subordinates to obey every command
based on the Greek meaning of charism as a divine gift. As a
result, charismatic leaders have exceptional qualities to steer
progress and make effective decisions, which they can
persuade their followers to embrace. Charismatic leadership
style is engrained in the great man theory, which dictates that
leadership is inherent and not acquired (Sethuraman &
Suresh, 2014). It can be deemed to be the positive aspect of
an authentic leader, while authoritarian/autocratic leadership
can be considered to be the negative dimension. Authentic
leadership is a display of genuineness to one’s predisposition
(Center for Creative Leadership, 2020). Unlike
transformational leadership, charismatic leadership seeks to
create a kind of dependence on the leader in making
decisions. Transformational leadership, on a different note,
seeks to empower followers through training and related
activities so that individuals gain the confidence they need to
be self - efficacious, as discussed by Mittal (2015).
There is also situational leadership, where leaders’ task -
oriented approach, power, and relationship with subordinates
tend to change based on the situation. Situational leadership
is the one kind of leadership style that comes close to
comparing with sustainable leadership but lacks the
consistency that is required to run organizations. Employees
are still dependable on the leader to solve issues as they are
not sure which leadership approach will adopt in various
situations (St. Thomas University, 2014). Sustainable
leadership supersedes situational leadership, which is
deemed to be better than transformational leadership,
through sustainable practices, where flexibility is part.
Flexibility is the main principle that defines situational
leadership, and as a result, a leader adopts different
leadership approaches to suit a momentous development
process. Situational leadership entails adopting an array of
styles, as indicated by various theorists. Nonetheless, the
latest theoretical approach, according to Blanchard and
Hersey, relies on the development of both the leader and the
followers (St. Thomas University, 2014). More information
on linking leadership to employee developmental
level/readiness can be accessed here https: //online. stu.
edu/degrees/education/what - is - situational - leadership/ or
"Effective leadership styles" by Sethuraman and Suresh
(2014).
It is evident that all these leadership styles tend to overlap in
one way or another, but sustainable leadership is grounded
in all the positive elements of these leadership styles. While
autocratic leadership is a quick decision - making process,
sustainable leadership seeks to apply relevant platforms to
facilitate effective decision - making through a culture that
empowers followers and delegates leadership roles.
Sustainable leadership supersedes the charismatic leadership
style in effective decision - making because the leader does
not strive to sell a particular agenda but creates leadership
roles through which a leader gains solutions representing the
interests of all in various groups. Sequentially, the leader
does not have to spend a lot of time making decisions, which
is the case for transformative, shared leadership, and
democratic leadership styles.
Leadership and Sustainable Practices
It is evident that it is only sustainable leadership that adopts
a dynamic approach to address the environmental,
economic, and societal needs; hence, it can be summed up in
an interconnected gears, as indicated below.
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
842
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Figure 2: Sustainable Leadership System
An effective leader is innovative in driving sustainable
practices that help to promote sustainable development.
According to the International Institute for Sustainable
Development [IISD] (2018), an effective leader needs to
adopt living processes which include creativity, awareness,
resiliency, and adaptivity to drive sustainability. Therefore,
an effective leader should embrace innovation and creativity,
which are better obtained through diversity and inclusion by
giving individuals space to tap into their talents and
potential.
The role of an effective leader is not to offer solutions but to
create platforms on which everyone will work towards
sustainable development, and in the process, hasten the
decision - making process. The IISD (2018) notes that
effective leaders should not be afraid of the conflict, tension,
and uncertainty linked to diversity but should see it as a
means of devising viable solutions. As a result, effective
leaders who seek to drive sustainable practices should first
understand their character in relation to the world to devise
how to work effectively with others. The essence of self -
evaluation is to comprehend one’s belief and associated
cultural system and position it in the context of others to
embrace inclusion.
While sustainable leaders must integrate the views of others
in the decision - making process, it is pertinent to identify
the relevant stakeholders. Effective leadership leading to
sustainable development entails including belief systems
from various communities across geographical zones and
diverse political and cultural networks (Peterlin et al., 2015).
Decision - making effects are not limited to an organization
only, but to the wider society. The IISD (2018) states that an
effective leader has a vision and long - term objectives. As a
result, it is important to ensure there is harmony across
stakeholders and that the organizational goals are aligned
with the environment and larger society.
Three levels of sustainability practices define sustainable
leadership, and they are hierarchical. Each level of these
sustainability practices promotes and supports the practices
that are next along the hierarchy. The first level is made up
of basic practices or foundation practices, and as the name
suggests, are the basic practices that set the pace for
subsequent practices (Liao, 2022). These practices dwell on
people development relative to both internal and external
stakeholders. Sustainable practices seek to establish long -
term relationships and not merely seek to gain profits. An
example of a sustainable practice is choosing to sponsor a
long - term supplier to bolster them in the event of a crisis
instead of always seeking the lowest bidding supplier, which
is likely to impede innovation and progress. The second
level is the high - level practice that entails the exchange of
information and collaboration. The third level entails key
performance drivers that consist of the outcomes, such as a
technology that helps to minimize carbon footprint.
Another sustainable practice is behaving ethically by
respecting and heeding the interests of all. Such sustainable
practices tailored to empowering others create a synergistic
relationship where individuals seek to give back relative to
what they get. Hence, customers become loyal while
investors re - invest in the business using their dividends,
and employees are even willing to go the extra mile for their
companies. Shonk (2023) highlighted the essence of
upholding ethical principles as they guide leaders in
developing sustainable policies in line with the morals of
society. Leaders who adopt ethical principles are mindful of
the effects of their actions on others.
The defining element of sustainability leadership is
sustainable development. While ethical leadership governs
the leader - follower relationship, sustainable leadership
examines the essence of ethical principles in promoting
future prosperity through sustainable development.
Sustainable leadership gives everyone the power to
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
843
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
challenge what is not aligned with economic, social, and
environmental prosperity. As a result, sustainable leaders
will never make decisions alone due to the limiting bounded
rationality effect when decisions are made by a single
individual (Schwarz et al., 2022). When individuals make
decisions on their own, they fail to integrate varied options
to guide them in making rational decisions. Therefore, an
effective leader who promotes positive change and strategic
decision - making should craft goals and objectives on how
to attain the vision and mission, as well as the strategies to
aid in achieving these goals.
Instead of imposing the desired goals and associated
outcomes on stakeholders, and especially subordinates, an
effective leader promotes strategic decision - making by
ensuring that all stakeholders are on the same page. Hence,
everyone needs to understand the philosophy of the
organization and its goals concerning the ecosystem, as
implied by Dawson and Carlsson (2022). Effective leaders
will not take it upon themselves to direct and implement
change; rather, there are delegates to represent the needs of
everyone so that all stakeholders’ interests are addressed.
Therefore, a decision - making team will guide the leader in
making effective decisions geared toward sustainability.
Given that sustainable leadership seeks to empower present
and future generations to enhance their potential, the leader
assigns specific roles to different individuals according to
their potential. Effective leadership is about empowering
others so that they are aware of their potential and use their
skills for greater business success. McQuerrey (2023) notes
that sustainable leaders identify individuals with leadership
abilities and mold them to become effective leaders. Given
the dynamic triple - bottom - line model of sustainability
leadership, an effective leader must delegate leadership
responsibilities to potential individuals as a sustainability
measure that promotes collective gain. When individuals are
given leadership roles, they promote quick decision -
making by heading groups at various levels because
sustainable leadership oversees the sustainable development
of a complex system.
The decision - making process is no longer about the short -
term effects but long - term ones. An organization that
thrives amidst disaster is likely to run under sustainable
leadership that ensures an organization continues to thrive
financially, socially, and in an environmental - friendly
manner. The typical example of the changing climate should
be the pinnacle for which all businesses should strive to
adopt sustainable leadership. Strategic decisions should now
be geared toward preventing further damage to the
environment while still ensuring that organizations and
businesses continue to enjoy their profits.
The decision - making process in every organization is
mainly directed by the prevailing organizational culture,
which is synergistically linked to sustainability leadership.
Therefore, given the three elements of sustainable
development, a leader should seek to adopt an organizational
culture that promotes innovation that sustains the
environment through collaboration. Sequentially, the
innovation element involves activities geared towards
economic growth, while environmental sustainability
ensures the preservation of green spaces, and collaboration
advocates for harmony and cohesion needed in societal
development.
Leadership and Diversity
A business is not merely about the employer and employees,
but it is a system of entwined relationships of involved
parties. Customers/clients, suppliers, investors, political and
community representatives in towns, states, and nations
where the businesses are located, as well as future
generations in the form of students pursuing business -
related courses, are part of the stakeholders’ fraternity
(Peterlin et al., 2015). Obtaining the diverse views of others
helps a leader to reflect on the efficacy and pitfalls of their
thought processes. Ultimately, an effective leader will level
the playing field by putting their biases away and make fair
decisions (Bradfield Group MENA, 2022).
Diversity is important in forging a favorable organizational
culture that upholds sustainability practices and also
represents the interests of various groups of people.
Effective leaders should know how to handle diverse teams
in the current era of globalization. The leader should
understand, accept, and value differences across individuals
based on age, gender, disability, nationality, race, ethnicity,
and class (Social Talent, 2023). Marriott International has
been ranked number one by the largest annual study, Great
Places to Work, which offers inclusive services to its guests
and extends an inclusive culture to its workforce (Social
Talent, 2023). Ultimately, the company can thrive in any part
of the world as it highly regards diversity, which represents
the face of the world.
Diversity promotes innovation and skills because it taps
talent from diverse backgrounds. While it is one thing to
have a diverse workforce, it is another thing to ensure that
the diverse workforce is adequately engaged in decision -
making processes. According to Larson (2017), diverse
teams make decisions with better results by 60%. Moreover,
a team makes better decisions compared to individuals by
66%. While a team consisting of males only makes better
decisions 58% of the time compared to individual decision -
makers, teams that are gender diverse make better decisions
73% of the time (Larson, 2017). Therefore, not only is the
use of diverse teams sustainable and ethical, diverse teams
make better decisions. Professor Francesca Gina from
Harvard Business School acknowledges the biases
associated with individualized decision - making, and the
use of a team improves the architecting process of decision -
making through diverse perspectives of a situation.
Leadership and Inclusion
An effective leader ensures that subordinates are aware of
the organization’s business strategy, including the kind of
leadership approach currently applied. When employees
understand the operations of an organization right from how
management should function, it enables them to raise issues
and concerns when things do not run as expected. Given that
sustainable leadership is an advanced form of
transformational leadership, it can be perceived to be the
most effective; hence, leaders should incorporate the views
of all their employees.
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
844
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Sustainable leadership entails involving various
stakeholders; hence, the element of inclusion is pertinent
because each individual needs to develop healthy
relationships with others and develop a sense of belonging.
Inclusion entails acknowledging that a business consists of
diverse teams, and there is a need for all to appreciate each
other’s differences as strengths through which individuals
can learn from one another. Sustainability leadership adds
the concept of sustainability to inclusion by encouraging
individuals to work positively as teams to promote a green
environment to achieve carbon neutrality and halt the
deterioration of climate (Laker, 2022). Nonetheless, given
the essence of long - term relations, it is important to gain
feedback through stakeholder interviews and surveys to
understand a situation and how to address it.
Moreover, sustainable leaders should be committed to
employing a diverse workforce. Sequentially, sustainable
leaders should organize training and development
workshops where employees will learn to work in a diverse
workforce while focusing on organizational survival.
Moreover, the leader will also need training to understand
the essence of and how to integrate the needs of all
employees and provide the needed support. Sustainable
leaders should understand the dynamics of the changing
environment and continually provide resources that enhance
organizational learning that empowers individuals to address
emerging challenges. For example, during the recession,
sustainable leaders will be able to draw relevant stakeholders
through the element of long - term relationships to save on
costs and reduce wastage. Inclusion entails putting the
relevant measures in place to ensure the needs and interests
of every stakeholder are addressed to exploit their full
potential and sequentially provide extra support when
needed.
Strategies to Integrate Sustainable Practices, Diversity,
and Inclusion
The integration of sustainability practices, inclusion, and
diversity cannot happen without changing the organizational
culture because even with all the supportive structures in
place if the culture does not uphold these elements, then the
existing culture will thwart their integration. Therefore, the
first step in integrating sustainable practices, diversity, and
inclusion is creating a favorable culture that upholds these
aspects. A favorable culture helps an effective leader to lead
by example as it sets the pace for others, as indicated by
Laker (2022). The culture should seek to empower
employees so that they are motivated to take ownership of
the organization’s success. Sequentially, they are likely to
report any deviation or miss from an organization’s vision,
mission, and values (Shonk, 2023). A leader should engage
in self - reflection practices regarding their efficacy as
effective leaders in an era where sustainable leadership
seems to override all other leadership styles. Effective
leaders accept counsel from their subordinates and should
keep up with the latest research on sustainable leadership as
the most effective leadership approach that has regard for
sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion. The success of
Google is based on effective leadership that seeks to be
better each time. Sequentially, the company conducts
numerous tests annually, and it is no wonder it presents new
products now and then to meet the emerging and pre -
anticipated needs of its customers.
There is a need to understand one’s biases and prejudice
regarding diversity and search for ways to address them
because a diverse team is more beneficial as opposed to one
that is not diverse. Moreover, through this introspection,
leaders can delve into their leadership styles and work
towards enhancing their leadership skills (Feyes, 2018).
Laker (2022) also notes that sustainable leaders need to
understand their successes and failures, a process that is
possible through self - evaluation and should involve
verifiable metrics.
Leaders, therefore, need to undergo training on cultural
competence to gain the needed skills to manage diverse
groups without prejudice. Al - Zawahreh et al. (2019) talk
about the importance of organizational learning to help
employees focus on the bigger picture of employing
sustainable practices. Individuals grow engrossed in distinct
beliefs and values that are not easy to change. However, with
organizational learning, individuals can gain useful insight
to aid in the application of sustainable practices in reference
to collaborative engagement, systemic thinking, and
business philosophy (Iqbal et al., 2020). While some leaders
have inherent leadership capabilities, others acquire them
over time through education (United Nations Global
Compact, 2023), and that is why organizational learning is
pertinent to guide the integration of sustainable practices,
including diversity and inclusion. Employing a diverse
workforce is part of sustainability practices because a
community can choose to be supportive or unsupportive of a
company. The community’s reaction depends on its ability to
address community interests based on populations recruited
as part of the workforce.
Competent leaders will be able to set articulate goals
highlighting diversity, such as promotion rates of different
individuals on the basis of diversity. There should be a
checklist to hold leaders accountable for their efforts to
integrate sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion in the
workplace. Laker (2022) states that effective leaders should
set measurable goals by indicating what they want to
achieve and how they will determine if they have achieved
these goals. For example, when targeting proportionate
promotion of individuals across racial and ethnic
orientations after three years, leaders can set goals by
determining the ratios.
Benefits of Sustainability Leadership
Sustainability leadership signals to the employees that the
business cares for them and their progress, and by so doing,
employees trust their employers more and are more satisfied
with their jobs. Sustainable leadership is the epitome of
effective leadership because it does not dwell on the leaders’
interests but on collective gain (Shonk, 2023). Moreover,
through diversity and inclusion, it formulates a shared
philosophy that sets the pace for enhanced morale and
motivation (Pavithra, 2021). Sustainable leadership also
seeks to support the employees/stakeholders and ensures that
the interaction between the management and other members
is characterized by effective communication and open
dialogue.
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
845
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Sustainable leadership adopts sustainable practices, for
example, by embracing diversity which enables them to
obtain an array of opinions when devising long - term
solutions meant to benefit subsequent generations.
Sustainable leadership seeks to involve everyone and
incorporate all views aimed at benefiting the business,
society, and the environment over the long term and not just
in a certain fiscal year. Iqbal et al. (2020) assert that
sustainable leadership entails sustainable practices tailored
towards collective benefit through valuing employees so that
they develop a sense of belonging. It also entails capacity
building by empowering employees so that they learn to be
self - independent in dealing with issues instead of having to
wait for the leader. As a result, this helps to prevent
procrastination and helps to solve issues immediately as they
arise since employees have developed a sense of ownership
in the company’s success. Moreover, through sustainable
leadership, the leader creates connectedness through a
shared vision so that employees’ actions are inclined toward
achieving the vision.
Overcoming Challenges and Driving Change
A major challenge is varied definitions of sustainability that
range from Brundtland’s et al. environmental sustainability
approach to the triple bottom line approach. As a result,
leaders might ignore the social and economic approaches
that are pertinent in driving sustainability change. These
variations in the conception of sustainable leadership and
associated practices can be addressed using scientific
literature to understand the effects of incorporating some or
all the three elements of sustainability (Laker, 2022).
Leaders need to seek maximal benefits that can be attained
from a holistic approach to sustainability instead of a partial
one.
Another challenge of incorporating sustainable practices is a
poor organizational culture. The article asserts the essence of
aligning leadership style with organizational culture. Acar &
Acar (2014) note that it would be difficult to exercise
inclusion in a hierarchical culture, where worker alienation
is salient. Nonetheless, to integrate sustainable practices,
diversity, and inclusion, it is necessary to have more than
one type of culture to realize effective leadership. The clan
culture is participatory and flexible, but the level of
participation from employees is not certain and does not
promote innovation and creativity, which are enlisted in the
adhocracy culture (Acar & Acar, 2014). When there is a poor
perception of sustainability and the culture is not favorable
in promoting sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion,
it becomes difficult to mentor and coach the employees.
Moreover, time management becomes an issue due to a lack
of focus and precise direction, as implied by Benteh Rahman
(2019). An effective leader will need to understand that there
is a need for change, which begins from the top.
Sequentially, the leader can take effective measures to
manage the change process in transitioning to a favorable
organizational culture.
Various change models have been proposed to help drive
change while addressing emerging challenges. These models
can serve as a basis for effective leaders in successfully
guiding and driving both planned and unplanned changes.
Jalagat (2016) notes that effective change management is
needed in the pursuit of sustainable practices because it
entails addressing both internal and external factors to attain
long - lasting positive effects. Therefore, in the current
global society, the leaders who have been labeled as
ambassadors of sustainable development have a
collaborative approach that seeks to address issues at the
local and global levels to fit in the current era of
globalization. The adoption of change models, such as
Lewin’s change model, Kotter’s 8 - step model, and
McKinsey’s 7 - model, is necessary as they seek to address
resistance by involving the members in an organization
(Jalagat, 2016). However, in the pursuit of sustainability, the
models should be tweaked to integrate long - term goals.
Nowadays, businesses should not steer change without
having an outward view of the effects of this change across
the world to attain sustainable development.
Successful leaders can navigate through challenges and
implement sustainable decisions by integrating the three
defining elements of sustainable development: economy,
environment, and society. Andrew Griffiths, a director at
Planet Mark who previously worked at an electronic
company as a business developer, overcame the challenge of
resistance and lack of support from management through a
buy - in approach that is part of Kotter’s 8 - step model
(Jalagat, 2016). Griffiths did not have a leadership role while
working at the electronic company, but he demonstrated
effective leadership skills in advocating for a recycling
project and proved that one does not have to hold a
leadership position to display effective leadership skills.
Griffiths garnered support from like - minded colleagues and
approached the manager to implement a recycling drive in
the company (Macleod, 2023). Thereby, the case of Griffiths
justifies the need for sustainability leadership which
embraces inclusion because it helps to draw quality views
and ideas from others even though they do not hold positions
where their views matter.
Effective Leadership and Organizational Culture
Sustainable leadership currently stands as the only
leadership style that is effective enough to attain sustainable
development through sustainable practices. According to
Liao (2022), sustainable leadership was borne from the
concept of sustainable development by the Brundtland
Committee towards the end of the twentieth century. Later
on, various scholars, including Pearce and Turner as well as
Weale (cited in Liao, 2022) proposed models that
incorporated the environment. However, it was Elkington
and Rowlands, who created the tricycle of sustainable
leadership in the 1999 "Cannibals with forks: The triple
bottom line of the 21st - century business. " Hence, the first
phase in creating an organizational culture that adopts
sustainability practices, diversity, and inclusion is effective
communication and open dialogue.
Effective communication and open dialogue are pertinent in
creating a shared vision and associated objectives. An open
dialogue helps to eliminate power distance, which often acts
as a barrier to democracy due to bureaucratic and
conditioned practices that impede creativity and innovation
(von Peter, 2023). Therefore, the executive, which is often
the top management of an organization should begin the
change process by realizing that sustainability leadership is a
Paper ID: SR23808001233
DOI: 10.21275/SR23808001233
846
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 12 Issue 8, August 2023
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
win - win for the firm, environment, and society at large.
Nowadays, consumers are sustainability - driven, and they
factor in some sustainability factors when choosing their
brand. Therefore, the top management should begin the
process of culture change by understanding the concept and
aligning it with the organization’s values to facilitate its
permeation to the whole organization.
Drawing from the approach used in creating sustainable
development goals, it is not only about addressing
challenges but also ensuring there is equality. Equality is
attained by involving all stakeholders in deliberating and
solving issues. The mere process of involving all members
and communicating with them about the business strategy
and associated policies, as indicated by Dawson and
Carlsson (2022), sets the pace for developing a culture that
supports sustainable leadership. Organizational culture and
leadership must be synergistically linked as one reinforces
the other. The inclusion of all relevant stakeholders helps to
integrate all views into a company’s philosophy to ensure all
groups are equally represented.
2. Conclusion
For a long time now, attention has been on limiting
leadership styles that focus on the internal operations of an
organization without considering how an organization is
related to the environment and community at large. The
sustainability element, however, is seemingly misconceived
because some leaders focus on the environmental element
and overlook the social element. Effective leadership is that
which seeks to propagate the attainment of long - term goals
through sustainable practices engrained in ethical principles,
diversity, and inclusion. An effective leader embraces
diversity and adopts measures for inclusion to have a
collective effort, which will ensure that a company gains
success. Collaboration is meant to steer the development of a
shared vision and sequential objectives. Moreover, a leader
can identify areas for personal development through
organizational learning. Effective leaders will also ensure
that the workforce is adequately empowered to solve
emerging issues without waiting for the leader. Additionally,
they will assign leadership roles to potential individuals to
lead various groups within an organization as a step towards
embracing diversity and promoting inclusion through which
leaders can make strategic decisions.
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Paper ID: SR23808001233
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