You’re in a sustainability career and need to balance competing priorities. How can you make it work?

Balancing competing priorities in a sustainability career involves strategic prioritization, stakeholder engagement, and holistic thinking. Establishing clear goals and criteria helps prioritize actions effectively, considering both short-term imperatives and long-term sustainability objectives. Engage stakeholders early and transparently to foster buy-in and collaboration. Employing systems thinking allows for understanding interdependencies and identifying win-win solutions that address multiple priorities simultaneously. Regular evaluation and adjustment of strategies based on feedback and changing circumstances maintain alignment with overarching sustainability goals while navigating competing interests.

Competing priorities are a common challenge in sustainability! Take for instance, Sustainable Development Goal #7 among the UN's 17 SDGs, which advocates affordable *and* clean energy. Recent global macro-economic and geo-political events have underscored the challenge within: when there's a demand for affordable energy, it often entails heightened reliance on fossil fuels, contradicting efforts to combat climate change. We can seek to redress that balance by accelerating the adoption of cleaner energy technologies like solar and wind.

In addition to what’s been said already, I think that establishing a flexible roadmap for achieving the outlined vision is important. This approach recognises that while the end goals are fixed, the path to achieving them may need to adapt to changing circumstances. It involves setting short term, achievable milestones that contribute to the long term objectives, allowing for adjustments as new information or challenges arise. This method ensures progress is continuously made towards the vision, even as it allows for the incorporation of innovative solutions and responses to unforeseen events.

Balancing competing priorities is a common challenge in sustainability careers, where the urgency and breadth of issues can be overwhelming. Making it work requires strategic planning, clear communication, and personal resilience. Start by defining clear, actionable goals that align with your organization's sustainability vision. This helps in identifying which priorities contribute most significantly towards achieving these goals. Regularly take time to reflect on how your work aligns with your personal values and the broader sustainability goals of your organization. This can provide motivation and clarity when facing complex decisions.

Prioritizing has become one of my defining strengths as an operator. I admit that I will not get everything done on the list and that even if I did, it would likely be replenished with more things to do. I then focus on categorizing my remaining priorities into the Eisenhower matrix of prioritization which categorizes items by urgency and importance. Finally, I confirm my understanding of my priorities with my leadership and make my peers aware of my prioritization list. I then take the Eisenhower matrix of priorities and transform that into foundational projects (what has to get done to keep the lights on, wheels running) and into P1 or top priority projects, followed by P2, P3 and so on.

Evaluate the potential impact of different projects or tasks to prioritize those that offer the most significant benefits towards sustainability goals. Employ project management tools and techniques, such as the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent vs. important), to categorize and prioritize tasks effectively.

It's really useful to link your actions to the relevant sustainability topic, framework or even materiality assessment outputs. This let's you relate the big picture priorities to your individual actions and can change your perspective on urgency and importance.

As I mentioned, in my previous contribution on prioritizing, it is important to gain the buy-in and understanding of your leader on your prioritized list and projects. But it is equally important to share that with peers on the team so they are aware of your work. Taking it a step further, I will also set-up regular reporting on my project progress and risks, so that if a high priority project or effort faces a blocker I don't have the authority or control to resolve, I can reprioritize.

Keep stakeholders informed about your projects' statuses, challenges, and successes. Effective communication ensures that everyone has realistic expectations about timelines and outcomes. Regularly seek feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and other stakeholders. This can provide new insights and help adjust priorities as needed.

Having a stakeholder map that relates their importance to the organisation and your importance to them helps prioritise communication. Going a level beyond and finding out the level of communication they want and preferred channels helps you be effective. Getting feedback and reviewing these assumptions periodically will help your effectiveness.

Strive for a balance that allows you to be productive at work while also taking care of your well-being. Remember, sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. Incorporate stress management techniques into your daily routine, such as mindfulness, exercise, or hobbies, to maintain your mental and emotional health.

The field of sustainability is constantly evolving. Stay informed about new research, technologies, and strategies to enhance your effectiveness. Regularly reflect on your successes and challenges. Consider what worked well and what could be improved, and use these insights to guide future actions.

Networking internally and externally helps informal learning, but also helps signpost you to useful resources. It's easy to stay in your comfort zone, but proactively reaching out and touching different circles provides different perspectives and insights.

Balancing competing priorities in sustainability requires strategic prioritization, clear communication, and flexibility. Focus on initiatives with significant impact and alignment with organizational goals, manage stakeholder expectations effectively, and adapt strategies as needed. Utilizing data for informed decision-making ensures a harmonious integration of sustainability into broader objectives, achieving a balance between economic, environmental, and social responsibilities.