"The Sustainable Mindset: Connecting Being, Thinking, and Doing in Management Education"

Abstract

The authors present a novel definition and model of ‘Sustainability Mindset’ that can help educators frame curricula to facilitate broad and deep systemic learning among current and future leaders. A Sustainability Mindset is intended to help individuals analyze complex management challenges and generate truly innovative solutions. The Sustainability Mindset breaks away from traditional management disciplinary silos by integrating management ethics, entrepreneurship, environmental studies, systems thinking, self- awareness and spirituality within the dimensional contexts of being (values), thinking (knowledge) and doing (competency). We first review related literature, then propose a definition and model, exploring the content areas and dimensions of the proposed mindset, and finish by reflecting on how educators are facilitating this mindset in the context of management education and leadership development.