FINDING ENERGY IN THE GREY: LEADERSHIP, CHANGE AND HOPE

I recently had the pleasure of working with a group of dedicated senior leaders from the Environmental sector. Our inner-city Birmingham venue – on a cold, grey, wet January day – could easily have set the tone. But instead, it was transformed into an oasis of passion, positivity (with a healthy dose of realism), and collective power.

Our time together centred on what it really takes to lead through change. Not just the theory of transformation, but the lived experience of responding to it, shaping it, and supporting others through it - all against a backdrop of ambitious strategic plans and a rapidly shifting world.

We explored the realities of modern organisational life:

• change stacking,

• change fatigue,

• the relentless pace of change,

• the challenge-and necessity-of navigating uncertainty.

Together we looked at how leaders understand their own responses to change, how they support their teams, and what’s required to not only develop the right mindset for change but also bring people with them in a meaningful, human way.

A recurring theme was control — what’s within it, what’s outside it, and how to maintain perspective when the “big picture” feels overwhelming. And inevitably, with a group so engaged and thoughtful, our conversations spilt into the national and global context. There were moments when we all shook our heads in despair and incredulity at the world around us.

Yet despite that, the energy in the room remained firmly channelled in the right direction.

Because for these leaders, the mission is clear: recovering nature and creating better places for people and wildlife matters most. And spending a day with them was a reminder that despite the challenges, there are extraordinary people doing critical work with humility and determination.

I left feeling hopeful - and grateful.

If this is who’s leading the way with nature, we’re in good hands.