24
communication, understanding, and collaboration among diverse disciplines and
traditions. Berry and Gordon [ 5 ] argue convincingly that the antidote to the boundary problem is problem-oriented, systems-based thinking. Effective environmental
leaders assess the extent of a challenge by the spatial and temporal scale of a physical or biological process, as well as its cultural, social, and institutional elements,
rather than trying to destroy or redefi ne boundaries. Environmental challenges
appear to be limitless, while the resources used to meet these challenges are limited.
Therefore, leaders must be able to set clear priorities among the needs and demands.
Uncertainty is a major challenge for leaders in many circumstances, but most especially in those related to an environment of ignorance, variability and complexity. If
leaders are certain beforehand, they can lead more effectively, but the truth is that
environmental leaders must constantly act in the context of uncertainty and change.
The connection between leadership and action is described as change. Successful
leadership depends on a clearly stated vision and goals as well as models that connect the action that drives change.
Berry and Gordon [ 5 ] stated that leadership, at least in terms of environmental
leadership, is not yet suffi ciently congruent with any theory for it to provide a reliable
basis for thought and action. In this view, experience, observation, and individual
thinking must substitute for a theory as the basis for teaching. For classroom education, they included four elements: (1) a vision on the characteristics of leaders, which
is produced from the practice of thinking ahead using all available data, and testing
predictions and insights, and thus it becomes learnable and teachable; (2) leadership
skills, such as ethics and personal values, communication, management, confl ict
assessment and resolution, infl uencing legislation and policy, and fundraising; (3) an
observation of leaders themselves, knowing that effective environmental leadership
very much depends on the context, e.g., organizational culture, geographic location,
variability in the natural environment, etc.; and (4) the construction of leadership prescriptions for real organizations and real situations, which includes the current status,
challenges and problems, as well as options for the solutions, and indicators to monitor and assess the solutions. The traditional model of a hierarchical leader with strong
authority was replaced by the leader who worked in a participatory team environment
where goals were created in a collaborative and shared decision-making process.
Environmental leaders who promote environmental sustainability infuse
their desire to protect the natural environment into their decision-making and
action processes [ 15 ]. Although the traditional focus of environmental leaders
has been on individual development, today it involves two levels of influence:
individual and institutional. So, in this regard, leadership can be found as both
individual and group-based change. This leadership skill is more likely to be
successful if leaders understand how to influence interrelated processes at all
levels. However, the process of converting one individual at a time is slow and
is unlikely to accomplish major change quickly, unless there are highly visible
indicators of progress in the form of policies, programs, and budgets. Therefore,
leadership development is a process of creating change agents in society, which
is a complex psychological and social process. Describing the change process for individuals participating in environmental leadership development
T. Akiyama et al.
communication, understanding, and collaboration among diverse disciplines and
traditions. Berry and Gordon [ 5 ] argue convincingly that the antidote to the boundary problem is problem-oriented, systems-based thinking. Effective environmental
leaders assess the extent of a challenge by the spatial and temporal scale of a physical or biological process, as well as its cultural, social, and institutional elements,
rather than trying to destroy or redefi ne boundaries. Environmental challenges
appear to be limitless, while the resources used to meet these challenges are limited.
Therefore, leaders must be able to set clear priorities among the needs and demands.
Uncertainty is a major challenge for leaders in many circumstances, but most especially in those related to an environment of ignorance, variability and complexity. If
leaders are certain beforehand, they can lead more effectively, but the truth is that
environmental leaders must constantly act in the context of uncertainty and change.
The connection between leadership and action is described as change. Successful
leadership depends on a clearly stated vision and goals as well as models that connect the action that drives change.
Berry and Gordon [ 5 ] stated that leadership, at least in terms of environmental
leadership, is not yet suffi ciently congruent with any theory for it to provide a reliable
basis for thought and action. In this view, experience, observation, and individual
thinking must substitute for a theory as the basis for teaching. For classroom education, they included four elements: (1) a vision on the characteristics of leaders, which
is produced from the practice of thinking ahead using all available data, and testing
predictions and insights, and thus it becomes learnable and teachable; (2) leadership
skills, such as ethics and personal values, communication, management, confl ict
assessment and resolution, infl uencing legislation and policy, and fundraising; (3) an
observation of leaders themselves, knowing that effective environmental leadership
very much depends on the context, e.g., organizational culture, geographic location,
variability in the natural environment, etc.; and (4) the construction of leadership prescriptions for real organizations and real situations, which includes the current status,
challenges and problems, as well as options for the solutions, and indicators to monitor and assess the solutions. The traditional model of a hierarchical leader with strong
authority was replaced by the leader who worked in a participatory team environment
where goals were created in a collaborative and shared decision-making process.
Environmental leaders who promote environmental sustainability infuse
their desire to protect the natural environment into their decision-making and
action processes [ 15 ]. Although the traditional focus of environmental leaders
has been on individual development, today it involves two levels of influence:
individual and institutional. So, in this regard, leadership can be found as both
individual and group-based change. This leadership skill is more likely to be
successful if leaders understand how to influence interrelated processes at all
levels. However, the process of converting one individual at a time is slow and
is unlikely to accomplish major change quickly, unless there are highly visible
indicators of progress in the form of policies, programs, and budgets. Therefore,
leadership development is a process of creating change agents in society, which
is a complex psychological and social process. Describing the change process for individuals participating in environmental leadership development
T. Akiyama et al.