The Conundrum of Systems Change Work

Some reflections on sticking to long-termism in the face of it all as we enter 2024

I've been reflecting quite a bit on the nature of my work recently. Working on issues of sustainability, climate change and equity is difficult and requires perseverance in the face of gigantic society-wide barriers and predominant short-termism. The most challenging aspect, especially when you're focused on systems change versus performative back-slapping, is that we may never know if we've achieved our goals, with time horizons for success exceeding our lifespans. This can be inspirational, but it is also a tough one to navigate in an era of Instagram and instant gratification.

How do we combat this?

1) Believe in our plan. The TF team has worked hard over the last two years on a new Strategy 2030 and Organisational Action Plan, which will be signed off end of January. Although this work is solid, it is ultimately built on a theory of change foundation which is filled with hypotheses about the role we will play in catalyzing long-term change which will improve the overall impact of travel and tourism on communities and the environment.

On the one hand, believing in a theory of change does require leaps of faith, but it's critical to point out that our collective intelligence and instinct was built on decades – more than a hundred years, when combined --?of lessons learned, collectively culled from the amazing group of professionals we have assembled. In the coming year, there will inevitably be moments where we each individually or collectively have to make some decisions about what to do?– what to prioritize, how to respond, how to overcome a challenge. We'll use our new strategic framework as our guide but, most importantly we'll have to trust our own well-honed instinct.

2) Celebrate wins along the way.?You know that feeling? You've just had a professional win of some capacity and you're feeling pretty darn good about yourself. Minutes later you come across a doomsday message about how climate change is worsening or the industry is doing very little, and you think – have?we accomplished much of anything at all? In truth, we are doing amazing work every day and inspiring others as part of a movement to catalyze systems change.?

For this reason, every milestone matters – every finished report, every new blog post or webinar delivered, every relationship through which lessons are learned and inspiration is shared. When I look back on the last 10-15 years, and even the last 4 since COVID, there is real evidence that our little wins are adding up to something larger, and that while things are too slow yet, seismic shifts are occurring thanks to everyone's hard work, passion and belief in a better way. We have built and accelerated an entire movement and we are preparing for the inevitable sea change (intentionally bad metaphor). So it's critical that we recognize and celebrate all the little individual wins and both personal and collective achievements -- even taking the time to brag about them on this here platform.

3) We can't do it alone. I've made this point many times, but the scale and severity of the current challenges require systematic alignment and true collective action, that which leverage a shared agenda to get things done which would otherwise be impossible. This is not only true of those we work with on the ground, who we facilitate a community of practice for and help connect to one another, but to ourselves and our extended family of aligned partners and collaborators.?

So while we may not have any way to know if our relationships will ultimately yield the desired long-term outcome, our individual and collective relationships are at the core of everything we do. As an organization with an increasingly flat structure, we make a point of learning from our dynamic teammates or asking for support when we need it. We don't worry too much about staying in our "lane". And we take time each day to think about how our key professional relationships in our networks strengthen and complement us. It's just as important to consider the gaps we might have and challenge ourselves to meet someone new or have a conversation outside of our comfort zones – you never know what sort of role that person may play or impact they might have on you.

WIshing everyone a wonderful 2024 full of personal and collective sucesses of all shapes and sizes!