ABSTRACT
It is very difficult to effect a positive culture change if the organisation's leadership is not on board. Good leadership inspires us and our inner elephants, makes us feel good about the work we do; bad leadership makes us cynical and resentful. The greatest green business leader is undoubtedly the late Ray Anderson of modular flooring giant InterfaceFLOR. Personal actions can help reinforce the idea that this commitment is not just skin-deep. Leaders can adopt green behaviour in their personal life by, for example, cycling to work, installing solar panels at home, or leading a group of volunteers to dig a pond. Mistakes that can damage personal reputation range from leaving lights on to turning up in a gas-guzzling company car. Many organisations have a very strong formalised company culture. Cultural norms can be less explicit than such a formal philosophy. Probably the most important factor in working with the elephant is trust.
