PowerPoint Presentation Understanding Sustainability Award

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Collaborative Leadership and Sustainability
SLRD Regional Growth StrategyIdeas
SymposiumSeptember 15, 2004David
MarshallExecutive DirectorFraser Basin Council
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Presentation Overview

• What Do We Mean By Collaborative Leadership?
• The Fraser Basin Council Collaborative
  Leadership In Action
• Collaborative Leadership Key Ingredients
• Conclusion

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What Do We Mean by Collaborative Leadership
Collaborative Leadership is a more effective,
potent and sustainable kind of leadership that
emerges when diverse interests coalesce around
core values, and when consensus and joint action
are chosen over confrontation and inaction. -
Jack Blaney, Fraser Basin Council
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Collaborative Leadership Rationale

• Multi-disciplinary and multi-interest
  collaboration is mandatory in order to resolve
  sustainability problems and capitalize on
  opportunities including Regional Growth
  Strategies!
• Capitalizing on existing competencies of others
  is more cost-effective than developing such
  competencies internally
• Transparent and inclusive decision-making that
  seeks to address concerns of those affected
  typically
• Gives rise to more complete and enduring
  solutions
• Reduces the likelihood of conflict and
  interventions later
• Promotes more harmonious communities
• Enhances public trust in governments and the
  private sector

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The Fraser River Basin

• Headwaters commence high in the Rockies
• 30 of the land mass of BC
• Home to 2.7 million people - and growing!
• Economically significant to BC and Canada
• Undammed on its main stem and major tributaries
• One of the largest salmon producing river systems
  in the world

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What is the Fraser Basin Council?

• A fully autonomous not-for-profit,
  non-governmental organization
• Trans-partisan and non-political
• A unique organization with a unique governance
  model
• Formed in 1997 to implement the Charter for
  Sustainability
• Board makes ALL its decisions by consensus

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The Fraser Basin Council

• Not-for-profit NGO to advance sustainabilty in
  the Fraser Basin
• Board of Directors (36) includes four orders of
  Canadian government, private sector and civil
  society interests.
• Catalyst and educator.
• Impartial role as convenor and facilitator of
  inclusive and constructive dialogue.
• Instrumental in solving complex,
  inter-jurisdictional sustainability issues.
• Mandate to measure and report on progress towards
  sustainability in the Fraser Basin.

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Fraser Basin CouncilBoard Structure
36 Director Board
Federal Government (3) Provincial Government
(3) Local Government (8) First Nations
(8) Regional Civil Society Representatives
(10) Basin-Wide Civil Society Representatives (4)
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Practical Applications
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Strengthening Communities
Issue Communities in decline or transition
The Squamish Downtown Waterfront
Initiative Creating a Concept Plan for the
Squamish downtown waterfront based on
Sustainability and Smart Growth Principles
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Cleaning Up Britannia Issue The worst point
source metals contamination problem in North
America Britannia Beach residents in
environmental purgatory
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The Fraser River Debris Trap Issue Funding
uncertainty threatens continued operation of a
critical facility.
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Getting Ready for The Big Ones Issue We are
unprepared for major floods
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River Management
Issue Established an integrated,
inter-governmental approach for gravel
management
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Nechako Watershed
Issue 50 years of conflict over water use in the
Nechako River Watershed
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History of Marsh Thistle Invasion
Marsh Thistle 1971
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History
Marsh Thistle 1981
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History
Marsh Thistle 1997
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Present
Marsh Thistle 2001
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Future?
Marsh Thistle Projected 2016
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Hounds-tongue
Field Scabious
Marsh Thistle
Spotted Knapweed
Canada Thistle
Scotch Broom
These represent only 6 of over 40 species
currently threatening B.C.
6 out of over 40 invasives threatening BC
resources
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Collaborative Leadership Key Ingredients
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Key Ingredients of Collaborative Leadership

• All parties willing to come together in good
  faith
• Key interests involved early in the process
• Hard positions replaced by informed perspectives
• Egos parked at the door
• Common interest in achieving sustainable
  solutions
• Commitment to delivering on the outcomes and
  decisions
• Commitment to dialogue and win-win outcomes

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Moving from Debate to Dialogue

• DIALOGUE
• 1. Assuming that others have something to add to
  the process
• 2. Listening with empathy as a basis for
  understanding and respect
• 3. Bringing up your assumptions for discussion
  and examination. Helping others to surface their
  own assumptions
• 4. Re-examining all points of view, looking for
  common ground
• 5. Acting creatively. Finding/discovering new
  possibilities, creating new opportunities

• DEBATE
• 1. Assuming that there is only one right answer
  and you have it
• 2. Listening only to try to find flaws in the
  logic of the speaker
• 3. Defending your assumptions (louder if they
  are weak)
• 4. Criticizing the other persons point of view
• 5. Seeking an outcome that agrees with your
  position

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ConclusionCollaborative Leadership and the RGS

• Emphasize being complementary, not competitive
• Develop clear principles for collaboration, then
  vision, mission and goals
• Ensure early buy-in from governments, business,
  community groups and the general public
• Building enduring relationships based on trust is
  essential
• Regional diversity is not an obstacle it is an
  opportunity!

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Thank You
Fraser Basin Council 1st Floor - 470 Granville
Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1V5, CANADA Tel.
[phone] Fax. [phone] www.fraserb
asin.bc.ca