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Brain Circuits
How not to talk about climate change: agency, not urgency
Corporate messages about the climate crisis can evoke feelings of helplessness. In contrast, life-affirming narratives can help drive constructive climate action. Use this checklist of dos and don’ts to ensure you are sending out the right signals.
Don’t:
- Use language centered on urgency and catastrophe.
- Highlight collapse and loss, such as the disruption of ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, and supply chain breakdowns.
- Use metaphors oriented around surviving in a hostile environment.
- Put out messages that can inadvertently cultivate resignation, leading to inaction.
- Use mechanistic terminology with regard to business models.
- Go into denial about the challenges.
Do:
- Use language that cultivates a sense of purpose, interconnectedness, and hope.
- Highlight business models that align with the life-supporting systems of the natural world.
- Use metaphors of stewardship and growth within a thriving ecosystem.
- Communicate the potential for business to be part of solutions rooted in collaboration, regeneration, and creativity.
- Talk about ‘becoming’ (versus change), as this implies agency of the individual, group, or organization.
- Hold open, honest, and heartfelt conversations about sustainability.
- Talk about redesigning systems for long-term flourishing,
- Use the language of the Inner Development Goals to encourage individuals to align their actions with a deeper sense of purpose.
Key learning
Corporate leaders can inspire their teams by acknowledging the significant challenges and then focusing on the positive actions that can be taken today, emphasizing agency and accountability. This approach helps people reconnect with their purpose, encouraging a mindset of possibility rather than fear.
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