In my book The Secret Green Sauce, I label this convergence between new media and sustainability as “Know it, Embrace it.” Concerned caregivers who are focused on wellness and members of the millennial generation who see both sustainability and new media as their future are searching for what to buy and whom to buy it from. They are changing their buying behavior through social media by sharing experiences to gain information (“know it”) and then “embrace it.”

The path to success in this new media environment is fraught with both risk and opportunity. as illustrated by two case studies from the cereal industry.

Smart Choices, a private branding campaign involving such companies as Kraft Foods, ConAgra Foods, Unilver, General Mills, PepsiCo and Tyson Foods, demonstrates the risks created by this convergence of sustainability and new media. Three days after the FDA announced plans to review the health claims of Smart Choices–followed by an explosion of conversations within new media–the program’s sponsors “postponed active operations.”

This post by Carly Smolak on Triple Pundit is representative of the power produced from the convergence of new media and sustainability awareness:  “The truth is their guiding principles are as fictitious as the labels’ health claims…Smart Choices had nothing to do with the dietary or health interests of consumers but instead was a marketing gimmick.”

Kashi is a case study on how to capture the opportunity that can be realized by the convergence of sustainability awareness and new media. Steven Addis and John Creson of Addis Creson have been managing Kashi’s branding and marketing strategy since 2002. During this time, Kashi has seen a quintupling of its annual revenue. Kashi’s perspective on the new rules for building brand equity are:

1. Think like an entrepreneur. The world is in flux and entrepreneurs are skilled at thinking outside the box of legacy products, brands and business units. What is communicated and how it is communicated are rapidly and radically changing.
2. Invest early. There is never a second chance with a brand. Investing in a brand is as important as investing in people or technology. Brand investment is the result of a corporate culture that values branding as a form of equity to be measured and reported in importance comparable to such financial metrics as ROI or cash flow.
3. Successful brands have a senior-level champion. Consumers expect companies from which they purchase products to have integrity. A key role of the champion is to ensure that brand integrity is maintained. A champion is often critical to ensuring that the development of the brand is viewed as a strategic asset and not as a discretionary expenditure.
4. Authenticity and transparency. Audiences internal and external to the company should see the genuine value of the product and the company. As the coalition that created Smart Choices learned, the convergence of the sustainable economy with new media and its estimated 20 million mommy bloggers demands that a company place a heightened focus upon “Know it, Embrace it,” and the requirement for authenticity and transparency. As Addis and Creson pointedly note, “There is no place to hide.”

So how should a company approach a branding environment so intensely scrutinized by the convergence of sustainability and new media? Addis and Creson advise honesty. Describing their campaign for Kashi, they said, “We helped them achieve brand leadership by crafting designs reflective of their honest, transparent and authentic product for enhancing healthy lifestyles.

“That same opportunity is in place for every business and product in our economy, as consumers redefine what it means to live in a sustainable environment.”

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After hiring both senior-level team members, I felt confident that I had a team that could go the distance and help grow the company. My mentor, however, warned me it wouldn’t be long before my thinking would shift. “One is always weeding the garden,” he said.

Weeding the garden, ideally, means creating an environment where people with great potential can bloom into peak performers. If you’ve weeded your garden expertly, you should never have to fire a peak performer.

The words were ringing in my ears when the mismatches became apparent. One of the new senior level team members–who we’ll call Jeff–was insistent on firing a member of his team he was struggling to manage. I explained that his team member needed to be made aware of the issues and given a chance to mend his ways. After all, we don’t automatically send people out the door saying, “Thanks for your seven years of service.”

When the problem employee came to me to discuss his challenges, Jeff couldn’t believe he had the right to do so. Like a lot of managers, Jeff found transparency threatening. My response was that employees at all levels can talk to the CEO if they have a beef with a supervisor; there’s no retribution because things usually get better once a dialogue is started. This was all too much for Jeff and he left the company.

The other new hire, a director in a key department, began implementing great ideas, but at a pace that made people feel threatened and uncomfortable. She was receptive to coaching, but was never able to strike a fit for our environment. The culture mismatch was felt by the whole team and decreased morale.

Tips for Weeding the Garden

1. Take time to hire for fit
   It’s tricky to strike a balance between skills and fit, but I’d say that more than 50 percent of your decision to hire should be based on fit. Even when your business is experiencing rapid growth, don’t let the pressure to hire quickly push you to employ the wrong person. You could end up paying the price in employee morale and ultimately customer service.
2. Make your interview process dynamic
   Screen for a fit at multiple levels using behavioral-based questions, social get-togethers (e.g., a friendly lunch), and personality assessments to gain insight into how a candidate will handle a variety of professional situations.
3. Respond quickly to a bad hiring decision
   Don’t postpone a discussion with problem employees. Give them a chance to make necessary changes, or be more proactive and hold coaching sessions to work through an issue. Address this early and often before negative effects possibly start to ripple through your business.
4. Keep the lines of communication open
   If you’re too impatient to notice incompatibility, workers in transparent organizations will let you know if things have gone wrong. You should also go out of your way to let employees know it’s okay if they wake up one morning and decide they’re not on board with what you’re doing.

My mentor called the other day and asked about my weeding. Humbled by recent events, I responded with his second favorite catchphrase: “The task is never done.”

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