Authors:

  • Jane Nelson

Summary

Addressing complex challenges through systems change

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda includes 17 inter-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each representing complex systems – such as climate, food, health, cities – with myriad stakeholders. Achieving progress on this agenda requires a departure from traditional top-down, hierarchical and linear approaches to implementing change. Instead it requires innovative and adaptive approaches that engage broad networks of diverse stakeholders to advance progress toward a shared vision for systemic change. This approach is called Systems Leadership. 

Citations

Dreie, Lisa, David Nabarro, and Jane Nelson. "Systems Leadership for Sustainable Development: Strategies for Achieving Systemic Change." Research Report No. 80. CR Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, 2019.