{"id":7220,"date":"2022-04-19T18:41:06","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T23:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/?p=7220"},"modified":"2022-04-20T15:51:45","modified_gmt":"2022-04-20T20:51:45","slug":"success-in-sustainability-the-most-important-business-trait-for-your-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/success-in-sustainability-the-most-important-business-trait-for-your-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Success in Sustainability: The Most Important Business Trait For Your Market"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>\u2013 April 20, 2022 \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Why press the easy button? Challenge the status quo!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, a call to \u201cchallenge the status quo\u201d seems played out \u2013 and honestly, what does it even look like? In a highly competitive market and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20211014005090\/en\/Recent-Study-Reveals-More-Than-a-Third-of-Global-Consumers-Are-Willing-to-Pay-More-for-Sustainability-as-Demand-Grows-for-Environmentally-Friendly-Alternatives\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sustainably minded world<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, does challenging the status quo mean you need to be a rebellious company leader, constantly pointing out flaws in your organization, or be a manager who zigs when everyone else zags? Maybe. But what if challenging the status quo was more positive than negative and more exciting than daunting, all while being achievable?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To begin, let\u2019s review three key perspectives you can have as a leader if you make challenging the status quo a staple in your business.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>An Outside-In Look<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most executives spend their time looking at the world from where they sit\u2014an inside-out look. While this vantage point is certainly valuable, it\u2019s equally as important to look at things from the outside-in to achieve sustained growth in the marketplace. This means starting at<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7225 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Blog-ChStQuo_450x600-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"QuestRMG Challenging the Status Quo\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Blog-ChStQuo_450x600-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Blog-ChStQuo_450x600.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/> the ending and working backward to understand the difference between what you make and what your customers need. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, an outside-in perspective can lead to substantial questions, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where are the growth markets available for my business? <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can I tap into available opportunities?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the modern trends, and how can I meet them?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why does my company only recycle [X] when we could also recycle [Y] and [Z]?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps there are good reasons you\u2019re unaware of, or maybe it\u2019s because \u201cthat\u2019s the way it\u2019s always been done.\u201d The answers may lead to further questions, problems, or solutions that you maybe haven\u2019t considered. That\u2019s why staying inside your own internal box is not a formula for success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>An Openness to Innovation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7223 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"QuestRMG Innovation\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" data-wp-editing=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Innovation_a_1200sq.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2016\/10\/let-your-workers-rebel\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, about 72% of leaders say they \u201cnever\u201d or \u201crarely\u201d challenge the status quo or their employees to think outside the box. However, true growth requires change. It takes innovative thinking and keen insight to keep up with current market trends, foresee where it&#8217;s going and have tabs on what\u2019s coming in and going out for businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why do I need to change?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A new analysis by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/global-energy-review-co2-emissions-in-2021-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International Energy Agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> showed that the world economy rebounded strongly from the pandemic. As a result, global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose to 40 billion tons in 2021 \u2013 their highest level in history. Additionally, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling\/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environmental Protection Agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> estimates that 75% of our national waste stream is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30% of it. Business leaders need to act now to meet the demands of science, government, investors, and society at large \u2013 and the pressure to act will continue to grow exponentially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Does it need to be a big change? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. That\u2019s a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/2022\/02\/17\/sorting-truth-from-trash-common-waste-myths-debunked\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">common misconception<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when it comes to challenging the status quo. Sustainable solutions call for new ways of thinking about existing systems. Everything doesn\u2019t need to burn down to start fresh. Sometimes, it\u2019s the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/2022\/01\/17\/setting-small-sustainable-new-years-resolutions-can-have-a-big-impact\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">small, incremental steps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can put your business on an efficient path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do I sustain growth?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You need <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ssir.org\/articles\/entry\/engaging_employees_to_create_a_sustainable_business\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a culture that embraces innovation across all levels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It requires a structural mechanism to enable ideas to flow to decision makers from anywhere within the organization. And if you make a change, and it pays off, you\u2019re not all set. To remain relevant, you must consistently welcome unconventional thinking. These elements are more crucial today than ever as businesses redefine how they respond to constantly evolving requirements and consumer needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Knowing the True Risk: Doing Nothing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7222 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Risky-Business_b-300x100.jpg\" alt=\"Risky Business Challenging the Status Quo\" width=\"360\" height=\"120\" srcset=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Risky-Business_b-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Risky-Business_b-768x256.jpg 768w, https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Risky-Business_b.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/>Our Achilles heel is that we see something new as inherently risky while something familiar as safe. But waiting to implement ideas such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">continuous data analysis and recycling solutions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> could come at a much greater cost, putting your business at a disadvantage that may ultimately leave you reeling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What are the benefits of <em>doing something<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/2021\/09\/17\/construction-demolition-recycling-how-contractors-can-profit-from-sustainable-work\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">economic neutrality<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add brand value and attract new customers<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better focus on your operations (rather than stretching your responsibilities)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boost workforce morale and attract valuable talent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Societal impact and sustainability success stories<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Change is inevitable for any company striving to create a competitive advantage, and staying stagnant is far riskier than implementing new techniques or technologies to improve old processes. For this reason, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable can drive your organization\u2019s operations toward a more efficient and controlled environment with a strong sustainability position.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One way to ensure success is by creating an environment to challenge the status quo. Instead of letting your conditions and circumstances be the driving force of your decisions, allow your values to determine your choices!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":7228,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,75,76,77,78,79,3825,5134],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automotive-solutions-blog","category-fleet-efficiency","category-manufacturing-solutions-blog","category-retail-solutions-blog","category-construction-solutions-blog","category-property-management-solutions-blog","category-restaurant-solutions-blog","category-circular-economy","category-covid-19"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7220\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/questrmg.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}