Articles with tag "Transformative Change"

Understanding the Architecture of Transformations

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.


Mindshifts Needed for Collective Stewardship of Transformations

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.


Why Patterns are Key to SDG Implementation

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.


How Can we Build Transformation Systems for Sustainability?

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.


A Pattern Approach to Transformations

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.


Overcoming Silo-thinking is paramount for Transformations

We have built a world in which silos – nations, companies, people – compete with each other and world leaders and many of their followers act accordingly


Can we learn from natural ecosystems for successful transformative change?

There is much to learn from natural ecosystems for complex and transformative change in multi-stakeholder settings. An important feature of biological (including human) systems is that relationships, and the patterns in which they occur, are ordered in the form of networks with constant internal communication


Co-Creating a Paradigm Shift

Donella Meadows’ article: Leverage Points – Places to Intervene in a System is an inspiring reminder, a timeless contribution that I believe needs to be unearthed again if we look at the state of the world, humankind’s many attempts and mediocre results to take us on the road to sustainability. This is an article that makes you think – and hopefully act. You will recognize how many aspects of sustainability initiatives are stuck in regulatory approaches that – according to her – are very low on the list of effectiveness of leverage points. The second highest effective leverage point, she suggests, is the power to create a paradigm shift.


Creating a collaborative field

The world has changed. Collaboration is high on the Agenda 2030 and a cornerstone for implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. One aspect is clear: multi-stakeholder collaboration between business, NGOs, government, the UN and communities will be essential to achieve the goals and they will be needed at a scale and quality that dwarfs current levels of collaboration.


Engaging With Future Possibilities is a Way of Life

What would you expect, if you read a book written by a 95 year old lady? If you are like me, you would expect that she looks back at her life. What if you read her book and, apart from a few analyses on what she had learned from life, she is actually looking forward, inspiring you to engage with a future full of possibilities?