Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008 - (Page 19)

the green As I observe the accelerating growth of the Green Movement, it is becoming clear that the key to future success will be leadership. And while in the past I have written on lots of important Green issues, this article is not about the past. This article is about the future. This past year, we witnessed exponential growth in how Green has been embraced in the marketplace. But while this is obvious to us, it may still be under the radar to many of the presidents and other top-tier decision makers. And if they need proof, they do not need to look far. For example, in just the past couple of months, we have attended the annual conventions of I.E.H.A., ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association), IFMA (International Facility Management Association), and GreenBuild (the conference for the US Green Building Council), and at each, Green was everywhere! The recent GreenBuild conference was attended by almost 25,000 people, which was almost double from just last year! This is remarkable in a day when most conferences are struggling just to maintain their attendance. And their flagship LEED® Rating System has been adopted by 12 federal agencies, 25 states, over 100 municipalities, and numerous big-named private organizations. They currently have over 10,000 certified and registered projects and over 40,000 people who have received the designation as LEED Accredited Professionals. Amazing. Simply amazing. So what does all of this have to do with leadership? Everything! a Now is the Time for You to Lead! by Stephen Ashkin scene The reason this article is about leadership is because it is time for the people actually involved with the daily, hands-on work—the facility managers, executive housekeepers, and janitorial staff—to use their knowledge of Green cleaning to position yourselves as leaders. Many times, organization’s presidents, Board of Directors, and owners are often out-of-the-loop in the daily activities of how the building really runs. The challenge with this rapid change to Green is these people at “the top” often can’t see the rapid change in their own buildings. Your job as a leader is to tell them, and show them. Now is the time for you to be outspoken. Yes, Green is the right thing to do—not only for doing good for good’s sake—but for the betterment of the organization. For you to succeed, you must get out in front of this issue. You must know more than your customers and even bosses. And, ultimately for you to succeed, you must lead your organizations by helping those who are not in daily contact with their customers to anticipate and prepare for the future. You must ensure that your organization isn’t left behind. I have often used the metaphor of a train running down the track to describe the Green Cleaning Movement. In this metaphor, I give three simple options: Either get onboard, get out of the way, or get run over. But perhaps instead, we need to think of the Green Cleaning Movement as the “great train race.” Lots of organizations have now hopped on the train, and many have become highly-sophisticated and focused. These organizations may have gotten a head start and are barreling out of the station; while others are less committed, still doubt that Green cleaning is real, and continue to see it as a passing fad. And others are so committed to traditional technologies, they are intentionally working to establish barriers and create doubt and confusion. But I can tell you after attending the I.E.H.A., ISSA, IFMA and GreenBuild conferences that, if anything, we need to be doing even more. Green is happening and there is no going back! You must lead your organization. Please speak up. Please let your organization know that this is not a passing fad, it is the future, and the success of your organization depends on it. And while I know that there are many issues that will continue to be important, it is also clear that this is (continued on page 25) January 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 9

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008 Contents Executive Corner How Hand-Held Computers Benefit Quality Assurance Programs Shining the Light on ATP Detection Frugal Housekeeper MRSA: Myth or Monster? The Impact of New Laundry Technology I.E.H.A.’s 41st Educational Conference and Convention Wrap-Up Board Briefing 2007 Audit Report The Green Scene 2007 International Housekeepers Week Celebrations! Inside the Industry Product Highlights Advertisers' Index Joint IEHA/ISSA Members New Members Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.