I read this article today and it left me feeling disheartened.
It also reminded me of Daniel Kahneman's book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" in which he described two types of thinking.
Type 1 is fast thinking. It is easy, automatic and reactive. It relies on the experience of the past, to predict the future. And, when the world around us becomes ambiguous, Type 1 thinking uses generalisations and biases to construct stories that sound coherent.
Type 2 thinking is slow thinking. It takes work and a willingness to sit with the discomfort of ambiguity. It requires curiosity and an ability to let go of the false certainty that comes with strongly held beliefs.
The "Climate Coal Conflict" is an example of an issue that's stuck in the status quo. Getting 'unstuck' will take Type 2 thinking.
This means openly considering questions like:
*What is the evidence telling us about our customers and how they are thinking about value?
*If another industry were showing the same trends as ours, what would we advise them to do?
*What would it take for us to reconsider our current position?
*What business are we really in and is that sustainable?
What other questions do you think could help unlock complex issues like this one?