ABSTRACT
A sustainable future will not be achieved through the actions of one leader, organization, industry, institution, or government. Rather, sustainability will be achieved through system leadership, with multiple actors simultaneously influencing and exerting collective leadership within and across multiple channels. This chapter explores why system leadership is an appropriate method for providing sustainability leadership and identifies the benefits of development and application of system leadership to promote a sustainable future. Systemic change can only be accomplished through a collaborative global effort, with participation from public, private, and nongovernmental organizations. No single entity can respond to the sustainability issues we currently face, because no single entity owns or controls the required resources. This chapter examines three propositions supporting system leadership as a method for accomplishing sustainability leadership. These three propositions reflect a naturally structured, boundaryless, holistic approach to leadership.
