1. small Big
actions
Foundations
impact
of the
Personal Sustainability Project
T Positive Psychology Informs
he nATuRe of woRk is fulfillment. Positive individual traits encompass
changing. The world is experiencing Behavior Change strengths in character, talents, interests and
disruptions in society, technology values. finally, positive institutions consist
and natural resource availability. employees Prior to the introduction of Positive of families, schools, businesses, communities
are searching for meaning from work, not Psychology in the 1990s by then-President of and societies. Influenced and supported by
just a paycheck. employers are increasingly the American Psychological Association Martin these three phenomena is an individual’s own
responding to this changing context by Seligman, theory on human behavior was experience of personal happiness.
engaging their employees to ensure long-term principally understood from a ‘disease model’
survivability of the corporation. (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008). This model,
which still permeates the general and popular
The popular, narrow definition of understanding today, views human nature Positive Subjective
sustainability (or sustainable development) as inherently flawed and fragile (Peterson, Experience
is, “meeting the needs of the present without 2006). from this perspective, areas of in-
compromising the ability of future generations depth attention include “poor performance,
to meet their own needs” (world Commission low motivation, unwell-being, ill-health, and
on environment and Sustainability, 1987). disengagement” (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008). Personal
This definition is frequently shortened to Although great strides were made toward
Happiness
Positive
mean “protecting the environment.” But in Positive
understanding and reducing human suffering Institutions
Individual
recent years, sustainability has been recast as through the application of the disease model, Traits
a broader concept, encompassing the social, Seligman legitimized a new way of framing
economic, environmental and cultural systems human behavior (Peterson, 2006).
needed to sustain any organization (werbach,
2009). A sustainable organization is prepared The ideas behind the field of positive
to thrive today and in the future. Similarly, a psychology are not completely new (Peterson, The Power of Happiness
sustainable person is prepared to thrive today 2006). There are underpinnings in the
happiness has long been considered worthy
and in the future. philosophical and theological traditions of
of pursuit, but is frequently viewed as an elusive
both the past and present which addressed the
In response to the dual needs of engaging concept (Peterson, 2006). Many positive
meaning of life, happiness and virtue. Positive
employees and creating innovative solutions to psychologists have focused their emerging
psychology is also rooted in the work of the
today’s pressing challenges, Saatchi & Saatchi research on the development of happiness and
20th century humanistic psychologists, Carl
S developed the Personal Sustainability Project its associated outcomes. These experts discern
Rogers and Abraham Maslow (among others),
(PSP). PSP is based on a broad clinical and that happiness can emerge from different paths,
who studied human potential and well-being.
academic research foundation in behavior including: hedonism (pleasure), eudamonia
change, health and grassroots organizing. There are three central tenets of positive (finding purpose; human flourishing), flow
psychology that are particularly germane to (engagement in activities), or victory (winning
This paper provides an overview of the personal sustainability: what is important to us). each of these paths
major theoretical influences that support the
• Individuals are at heart full of goodness can contribute to a life of meaning and toward
Personal Sustainability Project. The approach
and excellence (Peterson, 2006) helping individuals thrive.
stems from three primary content areas:
• People are agents of their own change however, increased happiness has impacts
• Positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000; far beyond the positive subjective experience
• Social cognitive models of Bandura, 1986; Bandura, 1989) of the individual. happiness has been shown
behavior change • Individuals thrive in positive to lead to greater success in areas of life such
• Social network theory environments (Joseph & Linley, 2006) as friendship, employment, marriage, income,
The applied model of “The 4Cs” will These principles are observed to operate in and work performance (Peterson, 2006).
be introduced in the final portions of this a social world that includes positive subjective There are health-related outcomes of
paper. The Personal Sustainability process experiences, positive individual traits, and happiness as well: happy people do more and
has succeeded in generating ongoing behavior positive institutions (Peterson, 2006). are healthier (Peterson, 2006). In a study of
change and sustained action in thousands of Positive subjective experiences include feelings 216 people, Steptoe, wardle and Marmot
individuals. This paper reveals its roots. of happiness, pleasure, gratification and (2005) found that greater levels of happiness
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 1

2. were associated with reduced neuroendocrine, social support (Munro, Lewin, Swart, & specific behavior that individuals feel both
inflammatory and cardiovascular activity, Volmink, 2007). The Personal Sustainability motivated and capable of integrating into
as well as a reduced presence of the stress Project focuses on increasing these three their lifestyles. They routinely experience
hormone cortisol. All of these factors are interconnected areas of cognition to generate the perception that they are creating positive
physiological indicators of health, lower levels greater happiness, improved health, and a more change for themselves and the world. This
are indicators of improved health. sustainable community. effect becomes self-reinforcing; for instance,
happiness interacts positively with social eating healthier meals with organic vegetables a
Self-Efficacy few times a week improves energy level, which
relationships and institutions. The world
Values Survey, conducted four times since The psychological concept of self-efficacy fosters continued adherence and ultimately,
1981 and comprising 90,000 people in was originated by Albert Bandura, the eminent strengthens the belief in one’s ability to achieve
46 countries, found that satisfying family Stanford social psychologist and one of the desired goals.
connections, meaningful work, trusted early champions of the ability of psychology to
support positive change. The concepts he has Self-Management
friendships and community involvement
can provide a strong sense of individual developed continue to be applied by him and while self-efficacy is the belief individuals
well-being; and in combination can even many others to generate positive impact on a have in their ability to achieve an outcome, self-
neutralize a downturn in financial security global scale (Bandura, 2006). Self-efficacy is management includes one’s actual ability to set
(Layard, 2005). described as the degree to which individuals goals, achieve those goals, and change behaviors
believe they can reach a desired outcome. that get in the way (Sawyer & Crimando,
Its impact can also be observed in the whether the behavior in question is quitting 1984). Self-management embraces the idea
workplace acting on both individuals and smoking, taking public transportation more that by assuming an active role in their lives,
organizations. In one study, individuals regularly, or adhering to a health regimen, individuals have more control over their daily
evaluated as happier had a higher income after Bandura (2004) asserted that efficacy beliefs activities. As part of the goal-setting process,
five years compared to those evaluated to be influence goals and aspirations: they engage in continuous self-reflection,
less happy (Graham, eggers, & Sukhtankar, problem solving, and emotion management.
2004). At the organizational level, positive “The stronger the perceived self-
efficacy, the higher the goals people The result is that they become increasingly
employees have been shown to achieve self-motivated, happy and healthy.
higher organizational performance (Ramlall, set for themselves and the firmer their
2008). Those employees who feel their life commitment to them. People of low Self-management programs have been
purpose aligns with their role at work show efficacy are easily convinced of the utilized for condition management in the
higher levels of satisfaction, commitment, futility of effort in the face of difficulties. health care system for decades. A recent study
and output. Positive organizational cultures They quickly give up trying. Those of over 700 elderly individuals illustrated the
have in turn been linked to retention and of high efficacy view impediments as type of tangible results a self-management
reducing turnover costs. These outcomes are surmountable by improvement of self- approach to health care can produce (Meng,
underlined by fortune’s “100 Best Companies management skills and perseverant et al., 2009). Those who were selected to
to work for” consistently outperforming their effort. They stay the course in the face participate in the program reduced their
competition (edmans, 2008). of difficulties.” (p. 145) physical function decline by 54% over a
There are additional factors affecting how 22-month period compared to those who
The outcomes noted here, as well as the did not participate. They also decreased their
inherent value of happiness, make the case individuals approach their goals that figure
importantly prominently in their experience healthcare expenditures by 11%.
that it is worth pursuing in both personal
and professional life. however, authentic of self-efficacy (Bandura, 2006). These include Compared to traditional education (Table
happiness must be cultivated. Significant action thinking optimistically or pessimistically and 1), a self-management approach teaches skills
must be taken by individuals to encourage, feeling more or less motivated toward a goal. to address identified problems and focuses on
generate, and support their personal happiness. They also read their emotional responses to instilling people’s confidence in their ability to
Inevitably, happiness means changes in patterns challenges (e.g. stress, excitement, fear) as make positive change (Lorig et al., 1999).
of thinking and behavior. clues toward their abilities or vulnerabilities. once developed, self-management can
fundamentally, most people tend to monitor be applied to a variety of settings (Sawyer
Social Cognitive Approach to and adjust their progress toward achievement in & Crimando, 1984). Developing self-
Behavior Change: Self-Efficacy, large part based on their expected outcome. management skills is an integral component
Self-Management and Social Although our belief in ourselves is not of the training Saatchi and Saatchi S uses
Support consistent across all tasks (Maddux, 2002) to educate participants in the Personal
– one may feel more able to cook a good Sustainability Project. Participants self-
A cognitive approach to behavior change meal than sing an opera – people do have a select goals that have deep personal meaning
encompasses a range of theories, all of which general level of belief in their ability to achieve and are provided with a variety of tools to
maintain that attitudes, beliefs and expectations a desired outcome across multiple situations support their progress. By producing on a
influence future outcomes. Cognitive theories (Latham, 2007). Trusting that one does large scale some of the outcomes of traditional
assert that peoples’ perceptions of themselves possesses what is needed to complete a task, self-management education, the Personal
and their world are important, that confidence including one’s own skills and capabilities, is Sustainability Project can have significant
in themselves is vital, and the perception of often as motivating as believing that a desirable health and cost-saving benefits. one of the
the support of others is a key ingredient for outcome can actually be achieved. foundational self-management principles of
personal success. These assertions orient PSP is peer-to-peer learning and support.
around three primary constructs: (1) self- The Personal Sustainability Project
efficacy, (2) self-management, and (3) promulgates the selection of a positive goal-
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 2

3. Table 1: Traditional vs. Self-Management Educational Approaches
Traditional Self-Management
What is taught? Information & technical skills how to approach and act on problems
What is the approach to Problems come from inadequate control of Individual identifies problems they are experiencing,
problems? current state perhaps unrelated to immediate situation
What is the theory of learning? Situation-specific knowledge creates behavior Individuals’ confidence to make life-improving
change which produces better outcomes changes (self-efficacy) yields better outcomes
What is the goal? Compliance with taught behaviors Increased self-efficacy improves outcomes
improves outcomes
Who does the educating? Qualified professional Professionals, peers, or ones’ self
(adapted from Bodenheimer et al., 2002, p. 2471)
Social Support Mobilizing Social Networks
The number and types of relationships an The central concept of social networks is likelihood of quitting is notable. If a spouse
individual has in addition to the tangible that the majority of individuals do not exist quit, it decreased an individual’s likelihood
(money, material possessions) and intangible in isolation. In social networks people and of smoking by 67%. This result was 36% if
(advice, praise) support offered through those their actions are considered interdependent; the quitter was a friend and 34% if it was a
ties comprise the concept of social support and individuals both gain information and co-worker in a small organization. The more
(Martin & Brantly, 2004). As a cognitive are influenced through their ties with others education people had, the more likely they were
construct, social support is typically measured (Smith & Christakis, 2008). This concept is to influence the quitting behavior of others.
with respect to an individual’s perception different from social support in that it is not a healthy behavior is not the only positive
that it is present. when individuals perceive determination of the level of support received change that spreads through social networks
themselves as supported, it serves as a buffer from those friends and family. Instead, the ties (fowler & Christakis, 2008). happiness does
against stress (Peterson, 2006). It also themselves are the subject of interest. Social as well. In their recent study, fowler and
influences the perceptions individuals have of networks are examined with respect to their Christakis (2008) found that happy people
their own ability to set, reach and maintain size, the relationships among multiple people tended to be found in clusters, as did unhappy
their behavioral goals (Maes & karoly, 2005). through different contacts, direct and indirect people. Their study reinforces some common
Social support plays a significant ties, types of relationships, homogeneity of sense ideas, including that individuals who are
role in behavior change and health. for individuals, degrees of distance from one connected to many happy people tend to be
example, research has shown that successful individual to another, the extent to which happier in the future. It also demonstrated
management of illness is largely influenced by connections rely on only a few individuals, some surprises. for example, people three
social support (Martin & Brantly, 2004). A and the degree of resistance to established ties degrees away from an individual (e.g. a friend’s
study of 35 postcoronary patients showed that being severed. Social networks represent an sister’s friend) can significantly influence
those individuals with greater social support under-utilized area of opportunity for creating the individual in question’s happiness. The
were more successful in maintaining positive the type of large scale behavior change needed same result pervaded the study on smoking
health changes (finnegan & Suler, 1985). to face today’s challenges. cessation (Christakis & fowler, 2008). The
Social support facilitates hope, confidence, health research over the past decade has effect is greater the closer the happy person
and resilience (hanna, 2002). It can be drawn specific attention to the impact of social or nonsmoker is to the individual (fowler
enhanced by: networks (Berkman & Glass, 2000). Social & Christakis, 2008; Christakis & fowler,
1. Minimizing contact with those networks have been posited to affect health 2008), and speaks to the far-reaching power of
who have a negative impact on the through five mechanisms: increasing just one person’s happiness or healthy
individual around the change 1. Social support actions. having a tangible understanding of
2. Increasing the number of relationships 2. Social influence how people are connected in a social network
with those who support the change 3. Access to resources provides access to interdependencies and opens
3. expanding existing relationships in the 4. Social involvement up opportunities to use these social networks
direction of the change 5. Person-to-person contagion to mobilize people for behavior change.
PSP builds new relationships and activates In their study on smoking cessation spanning
existing relationships around the values of over 30 years, Christakis and fowler (2008)
sustainability. These actions allow individuals found that groups of people stopped smoking
to experience a greater sense of social support at the same time. People who continued to
regarding the change they are personally smoke slowly moved to the periphery of a
undertaking and for the important expansion social network. The level of influence various
of their social networks. types of relationships had on an individual’s
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 3

4. The SAATCHI & SAATCHI S Model:
Increasing Individual Capacity for Change
PArTICIPATIoN IN PSP DEvEloPED CAPACITIES SUSTAINABlE BEHAvIor CHANgES
Sample employee Benefits
Coherence ✓ Better health:
My PSP
is ... eating and exercising
✓ Increased community
Control PSP Challenge involvement
Sample Corporate Benefits
Connection ✓ Increased engagement
✓ Improved Performance
S Coherence
AATChI & SAATChI S has organized
the diverse content from the theories
Coherence refers to the “meaning making” (Mlonzi & Strümpfer, 1998). They are able
discussed above into a simple-to-
people engage in around the work they do to make sense of a challenging situation, and
remember model, the 4Cs: Coherence,
and the situations they face. healthy, happy perceive themselves or someone they trust as
Challenge, Control and Connection. The model
people believe that their work and actions are being in control of the situation. In other
identifies personal capabilities that must
meaningful (Jaffe, Scott, & Tobe, 1994). They words, they possess perceived self-efficacy and
be activated to achieve an effective applied
have a sense of purpose, and an awareness of self-management resources. They see a reason
behavior change program for sustainability
what is important to them (kobasa, 1979). to apply themselves, and they take action.
(Jaffe, Scott, & Tobe, 1994). The 4Cs also
with this awareness they are committed to their As with Dionne (see insert, below), a person
build on the literature concerning what
values, their goals and themselves. They create with a PSP acquires a renewed sense that what
enables people to remain healthy under stress
a personal balance, and believe in their ability they believe and act upon counts for something
(kobasa, 1979), and represent capacities that,
to make decisions and realize their purpose. meaningful. The recognition and alignment of
when enhanced, empower people to act upon
a broad range of sustainability promoting Meaning making also occurs when values and actions between a person’s work and
behaviors. They also provide a framework for individuals face challenging situations. happy, how he or she lives out those values facilitates
reporting and measuring impact. healthy people are able to appropriately the creation of meaning. Coherence can occur
recognize and manage a challenging event in personal life, work life, and community
Never Underestimate the when one presents itself. They have personal life. The process of identifying, adopting and
Power of a Story resources available – a belief in themselves, or sustaining a personal sustainability practice
Stories are a critical pathway for information problem solving skills, for example –to draw provides a platform for the creation and
transfer and retention. People remember upon, and they actively use those resources support of coherence.
information contained in stories in unique
ways, and they internalize the success of
individuals who are similar to them. our Developing Coherence
applied educational design leans heavily on Dionne is a PSP captain at her organization, and her PSPs are “healthier living, drinking
storytelling, anecdotes, and parables. To more water and spending more time with [her] son and godson.” Dionne has associated
spread transformational sustainability ideas, a healthier lifestyle with living longer and being present for her children as they grow up.
forums are created (online, video, and written) Through PSP, she has increased her water intake to six cups of 34 ounces of water a day, is
for people to share their personal stories related working out a lot more, and recently lost 15 pounds. She finds that the young people in her
to PSP. These stories enter the social networks life teach her as much as she is teaching them; together they are conserving energy by turning
of organizations and become viral instigators off lights and not running the water when brushing their teeth.
for change, challenging others to innovate and
Dionne is also ”pretty passionate about PSP as a project here in the workplace, because
sustain their actions.
it boosts morale...there’s nothing like being in an environment where everyone’s happy,
our experience with over 500,000 everyone’s having a good time enjoying what they do.” As a customer service representative
individuals participating in PSP efforts has in a health care call center, she explains that participating in PSP has significantly enhanced
been the laboratory for the theory and model the job she does with her clients – now each time she speaks to someone on the phone, she
described in this paper. To illustrate the 4Cs is not only is she helping them with their immediate condition, but she is able to help them
below, we have included stories from people “connect the dots” from taking care of themselves, to its impact on family, community and
on the front lines who are using PSP as a the planet. PSP has made her job go from average every day to “super.” having an outlet to
platform for personal, organizational and live her personal values has created a deeper level of meaning in Dionne’s role as a mother,
community change. godmother, co-worker, and leader.
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 4

5. Viewing change as a challenge is yet
Developing Control another characteristic of happy, healthy people
In early 2007, Susie was seeing a doctor for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. (kobasa, 1979). People who view change as
“we both knew I was overweight.” her physician put her first on blood pressure and then an opportunity for personal and professional
cholesterol medicine. Susie agreed to the regimen and to return to her doctor’s office for development are more likely to take action.
continued monitoring. field experience has also shown that PSP
participants go above and beyond what is
Then Susie attended to a PSP workshop. “Thinking about the things I could do on a defined in their job description, particularly
personal level to improve both my world and the world around me,” she decided that her first during times of difficulty.
PSP would be about her health. She determined that she “had to get healthy and wear my
seat belt.” wearing a seat belt was something that she had not done in 63 years of life. At the Challenge
same time that she committed to that simple behavior of self-protection, Susie overhauled nell (see insert, below) had desired outcomes
her diet, began exercising, and started to drop weight. At her next appointment, the doctor in mind when she first engaged with PSP: to
“was amazed“” at her progress - she had made so many positive changes to her health that he enroll everyone at her worksite with PSP and
was able to take her off all the new blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. Today Susie has to gain control of her personal health. As she
adopted a new PSP: using “squiggly” (compact fluorescent) bulbs. She says “for me, PSP has began to work toward those outcomes, she
become a new way of life.” grasped the opportunity to see the changes as a
challenge. PSP encourages participants to take
Control Their behavioral response to feeling powerless on small changes, what we call “nano practices,”
is to avoid the challenges through inaction. and to work toward and achieve mastery.
Control represents the way healthy, happy
using Personal Sustainability as a structural After reaching a certain level of success,
people perceive having choice in situations.
approach can provide a focus and the skills nell identified additional changes with
The concept includes three types of control
needed for people to mobilize and take action. which to challenge herself. A successful
(kobasa, 1979):
People begin to see how every action they take program for sustainable behavior change
1. Decisional control, or a person’s belief engages their family, their coworkers, and must support individuals to see challenges
that he or she can choose from multiple their greater community. They learn that by
courses of action. as opportunities for growth and in so doing
taking care of themselves and their physical reinforce experiences of self-management and
2. Cognitive control, or being able to surroundings, they are contributing to a
see challenges as part of life and perceptions of self-efficacy.
sustainable environment. Just as with Susie,
anticipating the need to adjust. they are able to see they have choices and can In any given situation, a person typically has
3. Coping skills, or the development and gain mastery in an area of their choosing. a desired outcome in mind. A belief that he or
application of personal resources. They increase their ability to skillfully navigate she can produce that outcome (i.e. self-efficacy)
Susie’s story (see insert above) represents challenges and learn to accept that obstacles is another strong determinant of whether or
someone who made a choice on a course of will be present in the future. however, they not action is taken (Bandura, 2006).
action, saw and adjusted to challenges, and now experience confidence in their ability
used the skills she developed to cope with to overcome those obstacles, to control their
those challenges. People who feel control behavioral patterns, and to succeed.
in challenging situations feel empowered,
whereas those who perceive there is nothing
they can do feel powerless. As determined Developing Challenge
by the concept of self-efficacy, this feeling
dramatically affects the degree to which people nell is a lifelong learner who was excited when she first heard about sustainability and how
pursue a desired outcome (Bandura, 2004). it can become a business driver. She volunteered for a leadership position as a PSP Captain
in her organization and enrolled almost everyone at her worksite.
As people attempt to make change,
they learn from their successes and failures At the program’s inception, nell was unhappy with some aspects of her life. She wanted
(Bandura, 2006) and they can be taught by to lose weight to control her diabetes, and she wanted to be closer to her only daughter, who
experience how to effectively manage failures had recently informed nell that she did not want to have children due to the terrible state
and persevere. Increasing a sense of personal of the world.
control frequently occurs through having nell chose recycling and losing weight as her PSPs. They served as the impetus to
experiences of mastery. Resiliency results challenge herself in the areas in which she wanted to create change. She started getting
from overcoming obstacles on a path toward control of her diabetes, and she and her daughter began connecting around her “cool”
change, and eventually mastery is achieved. A sustainability interests.
resilient individual knows that the effort pays
even as she worked on her own well-being, nell became an internal company spokesperson
off, and that they can make choices and adapt.
for the sustainability initiative. She accepted an unanticipated invitation to a clean-energy
They also have a greater ability to cope in the
investment conference at the Aspen Institute, where her vocal expression of the power of personal
face of challenge, and therefore experience
change and the possibility of a more sustainable future for her grandchildren engendered a round
more control in a situation.
of applause led by Vice President Al Gore (werbach, 2008).
Many of the messages we all absorb today
nell’s story did not end there. She has continued to embrace the changes in
related to health risk and the state of the world,
her life and challenged herself by recently returning to school to earn a degree in
including climate change, lead to people
sustainability education.
feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 5

6. Believing in our ability to succeed in different Personal Sustainability At Saatchi & Saatchi S, we believe that
environments can be enhanced through four authentic happiness, good health, and
In the face of current challenges, resilient
different strategies (Bandura, 2006): personal, organizational, and planetary
people and communities will fare best and
1. Drawing from past mastery experiences, sustainability are all possible. our approach
contribute more to the solutions we need.
or remembering past success in with PSP satisfies the conditions for positive
People who are happy and healthy believe
overcoming obstacles behavior change as outlined in this paper. It
in their ability to achieve the outcomes they
2. Social modeling, or seeing similar people supports subjective experiences, individual
desire, and they can receive and give support
succeed through persistent effort traits, and social institutions that are necessary
to those around them. They create change.
3. Social persuasion, or being influenced structures for health and happiness. when
by others Just as positive psychology was emerging functioning robustly, these structures lead
4. Collective belief in capabilities, or belief as a driving force in studying human to an empowering belief in our personal
in a group or community’s ability to behavior, environmentalism was beginning and collective capabilities to create change.
reach desired outcomes to recognize that approaches to ‘green’ that Individuals who believe in themselves can
focused primarily on the problem were set, reach, and maintain goals, capitalizing
Through PSP we have observed all of these
coming up short (werbach, 2005). Most on existing skills and networks. Resilient,
factors at play. Members of a community
people have felt helpless to act. They lacked activated people working within supportive
begin to make progress and are encouraged by
a personal sense of meaning and control. The structures unleash our ingenuity. These
the success of others like them. As they make
Personal Sustainability Project was developed happier, healthier people are our world’s
progress, they also share their experiences with
with the idea that activating individuals greatest resource.
others in the social network and influence
around sustainability has the power to create
those people to take their own steps. finally,
sustainable change across many dimensions
a community reaches a tipping point where
by leveraging the contributions, wisdom and
a shared belief in the ability to truly make a
support of everyone.
difference on big issues as a group emerges. The
“ripple effect” of a single individual prepared PSP increases coherence, control, challenge SAATChI & SAATChI S is a
to seize on a challenge can be enormous, but it and connection to activate people to go above sustainability consulting firm that
is mediated by social connections. and beyond what is required of them. It helps organizations develop strategy,
provides them with the tools and support they leverage their brands, and
Connection need to manage challenge and to achieve the activate employees to be leaders
The concept of connection encompasses unexpected for themselves and within their in sustainability.
the degree to which people can call on the sphere of influence. These activated people
help and support of others. The literature on can then mobilize their social networks to www.saatchis.com
social support demonstrates that connected reinforce the spread of desired behaviors. www.strategyforsustainability.com
individuals are more likely to believe in They tug on the strings of an interconnected v12
themselves, and to set and maintain behavioral network, and that entire network shifts.
goals (Maes & karoly, 2005). effective
behavior change programs must stimulate and Developing Connection
support positive connection.
when walter was first asked to be a captain in his organization’s PSP program, he
Through connection, individuals engaged in emphatically declined. he had decided to work at his company because he needed health
positive action also improve their families and insurance and had no interest in taking on additional responsibilities. his store manager,
communities. They make meaning by way however, thought he would be ideal for the role based on his past experience as a teacher, and
of service to others, aspirational goal setting, cajoled walter into participation.
and gratitude in daily life. These patterns are
critical contributors to authentic happiness. Coworkers, especially younger employees, had always sought walter for answers. with the
Studies show that people are in fact happier introduction of Personal Sustainability, walter began encouraging coworkers to come together and
with positive family and friend relationships make a difference. his facility initiated a “walking Across America” program where they count
around them (Peterson, 2006). we gain miles walked outside of work and reflect the distance traveled on a u.S. map. not only are the
from being connected with our communities, employees improving their health, they are interacting and supporting one another along the way.
whether through work, religious affiliations, walter and his coworkers have spread the ethos of Personal Sustainability beyond the walls
sports teams or some other social group. of the job site, and have gone to school and community events to educate young people
The Personal Sustainability Project about sustainability. now kids say “hello!” to PSP participants when they come to the store,
creates cause for new relationships between and proudly tell their parents about sustainability.
individuals as they work toward personal and on a more personal level, PSP has spread to walter’s family. now each family member
collective goals. As they support one another anticipates his yearly, green, paper-wrapped sustainable gift under the Christmas tree. After
they bolster the hardiness of their peers, and all months of hard work, walter received a call from a senior vice president of his organization.
are more likely to stick with behavior changes. he was asked to teach PSP to other locations across the country. walter jumped at the
Just as walter did (see insert, right), people chance, and still maintains relationships with PSP leaders across the country. Together they
participating in PSP are forming relationships solve sustainability issues and support one another in their endeavors.
with multiple groups in their communities
walter is proud of his work and feels like his efforts are supported by his extended
and helping to educate and mobilize them
community. he had no idea that by accepting the PSP challenge, he would change his
toward creating a more sustainable world.
workplace, his community, and his life.
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Page 6

7. references Graham, C., eggers, A., Sukhtankar, S. function and health care expenditures. The
(2004). Does happiness pay? An exploration Gerontologist, 49(3), 407-417.
Bakker, A.B. & Schaufeli, w.B. (2008).
based on panel data from Russia. Journal of
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