The Global Goals require recognition of the complex interplay between systemic interventions for the different goals - as well as between the actors and networks they touch. Seeing the 17 goals not only as a technical and political implementation challenge, but also as an invitation to operate with a systems view of life, in a spirit of collective leadership (link to Compass), may advance new thinking and subsequently new practice – that could then become the unstated norm.

Building vital collaboration ecosystems of transformation initiatives around SDG implementation requires creating an emotionally compelling as well as strategically visible link between different initiatives, e.g. from local to global, local to national, or national to global change systems.

The advent of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals already shows that human consciousness has risen to the point that the globality of the challenges has been acknowledged. While negotiated at the UN level, the SDGs have gradually entered the political and administrative arena of every country, to a greater or lesser extent, with many activities and initiatives emerging from civil society to governments to business.

The advent of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals already shows that human consciousness has risen to the point that the globality of the challenges has been acknowledged. While negotiated at the UN level, the SDGs have gradually entered the political and administrative arena of every country, to a greater or lesser extent, with many activities and initiatives emerging from civil society to governments to business.

Our current sustainability challenges, such as climate change, environmental degradation, food insecurity, unsustainable human settlements or destructive consumption and production patterns, are all examples of large-scale complex systems challenges.

Leadership paradigms often refer only to individuals and the expansion of one person's skills. The challenges we face in sustainability initiatives require us to go beyond the individual and build the capacity of groups and systems to move important issues of common concern forward.