🧐 How do you create a respectful, inclusive and sustainable environment?

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Solution Focus in Organisations Unconference on Sustainable Leadership in Land aan Zee, the Netherlands last week and all of this happened so fast!
I was reflecting on why this experience felt so inclusive and we felt part of a community instantly.
Here are some insights:

🌳The retreat centre was in a beautiful environment.
🌳 The retreat centre was so thoughtfully created situated in old barns that were carefully renovated thinking of its long-term sustainability.
🌳 Creating a space that balances many elements where it sparks creativity, collaboration and community. Liselotte and Mikhill (the owners) need to be congratulated on thinking holistically about all the needs of people who attend this centre, taking into account the environment, the local community and the community of the retreat workers in the design of this retreat.
Profitability is not the only measure, social responsibility and environmental responsibility were key to creating a balanced environment.
🌳 We were invited to play our role in helping the retreat centre run. Taking our dishes to the kitchen after meals. Doing one chore to help with the running of the centre (like youth hostels). Preparing our rooms for the next guest by cleaning bathrooms, changing sheets and vacuuming. This certainly changed the way I interacted with the shift from being a guest to co-creator and partner.
🌳 Our conference hosts John Brooker, Annie Bordeleau and Marika Tammeaid designed a very thoughtful program that was semi structured using open space format so participants had the chance to offer sessions and utilise the expertise in the room.

I can’t wait to start implementing the learning into my programs and share more insights with you! So many tips around what Sustainable Leadership is, with the key being how do you define it in your organisation as it will look different for each context.

And so wonderful to catch up with so many solution focus practitioners from around the world who I normally just see on zoom!