1.   Being — Relationship to Self

Cultivating our inner life and developing and deepening our relationship to our thoughts, feelings and body help us be present, intentional and non-reactive when we face complexity.

Inner Compass
Having a deeply felt sense of responsibility and commitment to values and purposes relating to the good of the whole.

Integrity and Authenticity
A commitment and ability to act with sincerity, honesty and integrity.

Openness and Learning Mindset
Having a basic mindset of curiosity and a willingness to be vulnerable and embrace change and grow.

Self-awareness
Ability to be in reflective contact with own thoughts, feelings and desires; having a realistic self-image and ability to regulate oneself.

Presence
Ability to be in the here and now, without judgement and in a state of open-ended presence.

2. Thinking — Cognitive Skills

Developing our cognitive skills by taking different perspectives, evaluating information and making sense of the world as an interconnected whole, is essential for wise decision-making.

Critical Thinking
Skills in critically reviewing the validity of views, evidence and plans.

Complexity Awareness
Understanding of and skills in working with complex and systemic conditions and causalities.

Perspective Skills
Skills in seeking, understanding and actively making use of insights from contrasting perspectives.

Sense-making
Skills in seeing patterns, structuring the unknown and being able to consciously create stories.

Long-term Orientation and Visioning
Long-term orientation and ability to formulate and sustain commitment to visions relating to the larger context.

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3. Relating  — Caring for Others and the World

Appreciating, caring for and feeling connected to others, such as neighbors, future generations or the biosphere, helps us create more just and sustainable systems and societies for everyone.

Appreciation
Relating to others and to the world with a basic sense of appreciation, gratitude and joy.

Connectedness
Having a keen sense of being connected with and/or being a part of a larger whole, such as a community, humanity or global ecosystem.

Humility
Being able to act in accordance with the needs of the situation without concern for one's own importance.

Empathy and Compassion
Ability to relate to others, oneself and nature with kindness, empathy and compassion and address related suffering

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4. Collaborating  — Social Skills

To make progress on shared concerns, we need to develop our abilities to include, hold space and communicate with stakeholders with different values, skills and competencies.

Communication Skills
Ability to really listen to others, to foster genuine dialogue, to advocate own views skillfully, to manage conflicts constructively and to adapt communication to diverse groups.

Co-creation Skills
Skills and motivation to build, develop and facilitate collaborative relationships with diverse stake-holders, characterized by psychological safety and genuine co-creation.

Inclusive Mindset and Intercultural Competence
Willingness and competence to embrace diversity and include people and collectives with different views and backgrounds.

Trust
Ability to show trust and to create and maintain trusting relationships.

Mobilization Skills
Skills in inspiring and mobilizing others to engage in shared purposes.

5. Acting  — Enabling change

Qualities such as courage and optimism help us acquire true agency, break old patterns, generate original ideas and act with persistence in uncertain times.

Courage
Ability to stand up for values, make decisions, take decisive action and, if need be, challenge and disrupt existing structures and views.

Creativity
Ability to generate and develop original ideas, innovate and being willing to disrupt conventional patterns.

Optimism
Ability to sustain and communicate a sense of hope, positive attitude and confidence in the possibility of meaningful change.

Perseverance
Ability to sustain engagement and remain determined and patient even when efforts take a long time to bear fruit.