What makes good leadership? We know that poor leadership usually consists of simplistic thinking or fundamentalism. In contrast, balancing pros and cons — and preserving balance and choice — is key to effective leadership.
In training sessions, I usually ask the participants “yes” or “no” questions — but I rarely get commitment to either response. Maybe people are afraid of suffering the disapproval of the group. There’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answer, but asking yourself the question is what’s most important. Good leadership is about constantly asking good questions.
Here’s a question worth asking. In Ontario, we have a surplus of off-peak electricity and challenges with fresh water supply and waste treatment capacity. What could be the best way to manage our energy and water needs and reduce CO2 emissions? For the answer, let’s look to the Low Carbon Home Builder Coalition (LCHC).
The idea behind the LCHC is to annually benchmark as many homes as possible to see how progress in new home construction is stacking up against federal commitments — a type of report card for residential builders. In 2023, the coalition effectively got 527 cars off the road and saved their home buyers 1.6 million dollars in energy costs annually. With respect to local green building standards, the coalition is working to preserve a builders choice on how they meet local requirements. For example with Pickering’s Green Building Standards, HERS energy ratings and HERS H2O labels are mentioned directly. Please think about joining the coalition for a Fall dinner meeting, Tuesday September 19th 2023 at Thornhill Golf and Country Club to find out more.