Amory Lovins was once considered an eccentric—someone whose ideas were interesting yet radical. But with the recent shocks to the global economy from wild swings in oil prices, the world is beginning to catch up with Lovins and the vision he’s been espousing since the 1970s. “I’m getting painfully respectable,” he said. Corporate America and U.S. and foreign government officials have been turning to Lovins and his institute for help, and he and his staff have been working long hours to provide advice and assistance. In fact, in the nearly 30 years since the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute was established, the organization has grown to a staff of nearly 100, with offices in Snowmass and Boulder. The organization has also spun off three for-profit businesses. Of the growth Lovins said, “We thought we’d just grow from a handful of people to at most a dozen.” Which companies have RMI staffers been assisting? Faced with the decision to build its next computer-chip fabrication plant in the United States or overseas, Texas Instruments sought RMI’s expertise. Together, client and consultant generated ideas for building and operating the plant more efficiently. Texas Instruments used those ideas during construction of its $300 million state-of-the-art U.S. facility, saving nearly $150 million in construction costs alone. Moreover, the facility is designed to use 20 percent less energy and 35 percent less water, with only half the nitrous oxide emissions of conventional facilities. Walmart also sought RMI’s help to improve the energy efficiency of its global truck fleet. RMI’s recommendations enabled Walmart to retrofit its fleet. The fleet’s fuel efficiency, once a paltry 6 miles per gallon, will get 16 to 18 miles per gallon by 2015. The changes will save Walmart an estimated $500 million a year. In addition, RMI’s $13.2 million retrofit of New York’s landmark Empire State Building is expected to reduce its energy consumption by 35 to 40 percent, saving more than $4 million a year. RMI currently works with 10 of the world’s top 50 companies, helping them create environmentally sustainable business strategies. Its work in recent years has helped clients redesign more than $30 billion in projects for more energy efficiency. In 2009 Lovins was named to Rolling Stone’s list of 100 people who are changing America and Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. The National Design Awards recently bestowed its Design Mind honor on Lovins. Despite the recognition, Lovins maintains that he is motivated by public service.

• Would you consider Amory Lovins to be a charismatic leader? A transformational leader? Explain. 

• RMI staff and clients say Amory Lovins is a consensus builder. How does consensus building make a leader more effective? Does the recent world focus on global warming and the environment enhance Amory Lovins’s leadership capabilities? Explain.