What Type Of Person Thrives In The Decarbonization Industry, According To An Equitable Decarbonization Advocate At Natural Resources Defense Council
Successful equitable decarbonization advocates are "open-minded" and "the best listeners," effectively connecting diverse work areas to create impactful advocacy beyond a narrow focus. The most effective individuals also possess an inspirational quality, motivating colleagues through their exemplary work and serving as role models that demonstrate "doing it really, really well."
Open-minded, Good listener, Able to connect different areas of work, Inspirational, Highly motivated
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Olivia Walker
Equitable Decarbonization Advocate
Natural Resources Defense Council
Yale University, 2016
UCLA FEMBA
Environmental & Related Sciences
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Climate, Environment and Sustainability
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. A strong work ethic is essential for success in this field.
2. Open-mindedness, active listening, and the ability to connect different areas of work are crucial for effective advocacy.
3. The ability to inspire and motivate others is a valuable asset in this career path.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
This gets back to what I mentioned about the skills and challenges of this role. The people I've seen who are most successful, first of all, want to work. That probably goes without saying.
However, there are many people who don't really want to work that much. The ones who are really going for it are the ones who will end up being most successful.
It's also the people who are most open-minded and are the best listeners. It's not necessarily the loudest or most convincing people, but those who are best at listening to others. They can then make connections between different areas of work, and those are the people who will be the most effective advocates.
Otherwise, you'll just focus on your piece of the pie and not pay attention to what's going on around you. You won't write the policy and you won't be an effective advocate. Those are the people who do really well.
The last thing I'll say is there's a little bit of a secret sauce in someone who can really inspire others. I don't know how to articulate it; I've just seen it. When you see it, you know it.
Without those inspiring people, it's difficult for everyone else to stay motivated. But when you have people to look to, to guide you, or to hear their story and know that you want to keep doing the work because you see an example of someone doing it really well, that's priceless.