Prelims

Half Title Page

EVOLVING LEADERSHIP FOR COLLECTIVE WELLBEING

Title Page

EVOLVING LEADERSHIP FOR COLLECTIVE WELLBEING

Lessons for Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Edited by

SEANA LOWE STEFFEN

Restorative Leadership Institute, USA

JAMIE REZMOVITS

Restorative Leadership Institute and Scheitler & Rezmovits, USA

SHANAH TREVENNA

Conscious Leadership Institute, USA

SHANA RAPPAPORT

GreenBiz Group, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2019

Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited

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Contact: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-78743-879-8 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-78743-878-1 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-78743-998-6 (Epub)

ISSN: 2058-8801 (Series)

Dedication

In loving memory of Seana Lowe Steffen who is still lighting the way.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to all those whose support helped me to edit this book. As with most things in life, the people walking the path beside me on this journey have made all the difference (and there were many, without whom, this book would not exist).

I am grateful to my co-editors Shanah Trevenna and Shana Rappaport for birthing the possibility of this book into existence alongside Seana Lowe Steffen. It is a true delight to know you in such a deeply meaningful way. Thank you for creating the opportunity for me to carry the torch.

I am grateful for the contributions and extraordinary time and effort given by the authors in this volume. I learned from every one of you.

Thank you to Sierra Brashear, Mary Adams, and Juliet Biagi for your love, support, and willingness to step in to support this project at all hours of the night and day.

Thank you to Debra DeRuyver, at the International Leadership Association, for your invaluable and patient guidance and enthusiastic encouragement. Without you, this book would have never seen the light of day. I am also grateful to Emerald Publishing for seeing the potential in this book.

A special thank you to Martha Lang for your brilliant assistance and expertise with editing, and for walking me through this process in such a kind and compassionate way.

To Mom, Dad, and Matt for taking such good care of me when it was down to the wire!

And most importantly, thank you to Seana Lowe Steffen for inviting me on this journey with you. Working on this project has helped me to heal my broken heart from losing my best friend.

Jamie Rezmovits Co-Editor

About the Editors

Seana Lowe Steffen, PhD, deceased, was the founder and CEO of the Restorative Leadership Institute (RLI), which cultivates leadership and enterprise that fulfills humanity’s potential to thrive in balance with all life. As a certified B Corp, RLI received “Best for the World” recognition among all certified B Corps globally in 2017, 2016, and 2013. Seana brought nearly 25 years of experience in strategic consulting, capacity building, and leadership and organizational development. Her client community spanned sectors and continents including Tostan, The Sustainability Consortium, National Civilian Community Corps, Hewlett Packard, Denver Water, and the Carter Center. For her positive impact, Seana was invited to be a delegate at the prestigious Skoll World Forum.

Jamie Rezmovits, JD, as the Chair of the Restorative Leadership Institute, supports purpose-driven organizations and planet-minded leadership to increase their positive impact. With specialties in environmental conflict transformation, education, and community development, her heart-centered work spans from university classrooms in the United States to rural communities abroad. As an educator at the University of Colorado, she worked as a faculty member for the INVST Community Studies Department where she trained community leaders to work for the benefit of humanity and the environment. Jamie is a practicing attorney at Scheitler & Rezmovits, PC in Denver, Colorado.

Shanah Trevenna has been leading and guiding leaders of companies and non-profit organizations in the impact space for over 15 years. Shanah’s unique style as an executive and leadership coach bridges her broad academic and professional experience with a honed intuition that helps leaders connect with their true nature and create their most fulfilling life and business. Her PhD focused on evolving business and the global economy, so she speaks and consults globally on diverse topics such as B Corps, women’s empowerment, blockchain for good, and conscious entrepreneurship. Shanah currently works with 100 global coaching clients.

Shana Rappaport has worked actively for over a decade as a cross-industry convener to advance sustainability solutions. Over the last five years, as director of strategic programs for GreenBiz Group, Shana has helped build and scale the VERGE global event series, focusing on how technology accelerates the clean economy. Shana previously served as Director of Education for Bioneers, and as a nationally recognized community leader during her time as an undergraduate and graduate student at USC.

Preface

Seana Lowe Steffen was the creative and strategic visionary behind this book and a beautiful soul. Tragically, she was killed in car accident near Longmont, Colorado, on September 16, 2017, before it could be published, but her light has shined bright as a guide through my completion of this project on her behalf.

I remember Seana calling me in the fall of 2016 with the news of her book proposal having been selected for publication. She was giddy with excitement and pride – enough so that just the tone of her voice made me giggle, too. She had a way of doing that – of sharing in such an authentic and embodied way that I couldn’t help but want to get involved. That was one of Seana’s most powerful gifts – the ability to inspire those around her to work with her in service to the possibility of a better world.

Before she died, Seana was on a mission to answer the guiding question, “How do we bring out the best of our diverse humanity to ensure a sustainable future?” She believed in humanity’s potential to meet the environmental and social challenges facing our planet in a way that would result in wondrous outcomes. This book and the process for its creation are a reflection of all that Seana held good and true, from the collaborative nature of the writing process to what she believed in the core of her being would be the impact of having this resource exist in the world. She was very proud of it.

Seana intended that this book empower individuals, organizations, and communities with practical tools and actionable insights to manifest the vision of a future where all life can thrive. Specifically, she hoped to:

• Awaken the world to the potential of this pregnant moment in global history – inspiring recognition that our generation is the first, and possibly last, with the ability to meaningfully address these pressing global challenges.

• Inspire belief in what’s possible in and for our world – bridging the divide between urgency and agency.

Seana celebrated her 50th year of life just a couple of weeks before her untimely passing. She spent the week of her birthday in the same way she lived her life every single day, expressing delight and profound gratitude. The last words of her birthday reflection convey the very essence of her being:

Infinite blessings to name and celebrate […] I am so grateful for the gift of my life every moment of every day, and wish the deep contentment of a fulfilled heart to all. Onward.

I hope you will find this book as meaningful and relevant as Seana knew it could be.

Jamie Rezmovits Co-Editor