Key Concepts Overview
1 Reflexivity – Humans Make History
We are conscious, sense-making beings and changes in thinking go hand in hand with changes in being, doing and relating
2 Great Mindshift – The Transformative Power of Ideas
Freedom and enlightenment lie in putting up red flags when claims are made that there is no alternative or that the end of history has been reached
3 Repurpose – The Challenge of System Innovation
High leverage for change lies in reassessing the ideas and intentions built into the design of institutions and solutions
4 Ironcage Economics – The Need for a New Paradigm
Economic ideas developed in the feudal 19th century – when our planet counted of 1 billion people and nature seemed endless – cannot guide sustainable development
5 Radical Incrementalism – Strategies for System Innovations
Heroic humbleness is key, as wanting transformation without re-imagination is a pipe dream but wanting too much change too quickly will often backfire
6 Transformative Literacy – Competencies for System Innovations
Understanding and shaping transformation processes requires system leadership and the courage to strategically and profoundly embrace the unknown
7 Recoupling – New Imaginary for Sustainable Prosperity
For the foreseeableforseeable future, production and consumption will be coupled with nature, and economizing that way is key to safeguarding human wellbeing