Change agents were also cautioned that, while they needed to inspire their CEO with their passion and commitment to sustainability issues, they needed to steer clear of emotional pleas that could erode their credibility.

"We had a team that was investigating these issues. I think it was a mixture of their competence, and more their enthusiasm to be honest - their passion for the subject, which made me more curious. But if you are passionate and not competent, that's a non-starter. It is in that order - people who are confident that have passion. ...Once you've established that confidence piece and then you're seeing that they're honing in on a particular issue with energy that somehow makes it more intriguing. You have to believe that, first of all that they're being objective" (CEO)

"Look, you've got to bring me more than emotions, it's important to you sure, great, that's why we have you in this position, but channel that. When it comes to me, it needs to be about the business." (CEO)

"I've just found that business doesn't provide for space to express feelings and emotions, so it's almost about finding a comfort zone in the logical, the left brain type of approach to business. I haven't seen any leader who's stood up and said, "This is how I really feel about it" and really just throw himself behind that feeling such that it's the feeling that's driving me to this action to get this result and these are the expected outcomes. It's almost to say if I push something because of how I feel about it, I'm being biased." (Change Agent)