IDG Edinburgh
Resilience Hub
Individual and collective inner development to navigate complex challenges and systemic change with high resilience.
Join the Conversation
Individual and collective inner development to navigate complex challenges and systemic change with high resilience.
Join the ConversationThe IDGs are a framework of cognitive, emotional and relational capacities that enable collective action on complex and systemic challenges. Cultivating these 23 inner qualities, abilities and skills, grouped in 5 dimensions, can help us build a sustainable future for people and planet and address any complex or systemic challenges we face in the workplace, in society, and in life in general.
The founders started the IDGs in response to recognising that the world already has all the knowledge we need to tackle the climate crisis and the challenges facing democracy and peace—yet we continue to focus on marginal changes. The framework is still evolving after the initial crowdsourcing from 1000 experts to derive the 23 capacities within five dimensions of development.
The IDGs are relevant for developing the inner and collective capacity to navigate any complex challenge we face in the workplace and life, as well as for addressing global sustainability challenges. They are a starting point to encourage addressing how we think, relate and collaborate which is at the core of our ability to address any challenge. Personal, leadership and group or team development is about more than raising your abilities and becoming happier or more effective. Inner development is a vital part of understanding, caring about and acting on complex challenges.
This framework for systemic change is not just about the ‘inner’ in individuals, it’s also about the ‘inner’ in teams, organisations, communities and societies. The name ‘goals’ might seem misleading, as there is not necessarily an endpoint. The IDG name reflects the history of this framework emerging through exploring what is needed to encourage or enable action towards addressing the complex global challenges identified in the SDGs. The framework is relevant and useful for addressing all kinds of complex adaptive challenges, making it a valuable resource as we navigate the storm of accelerating change and uncertainty.
Inner Development Goals: Inner Growth for Outer Change. Inner development unlocks our power to build a flourishing future. 
The IDGs help us close the gap between knowing and doing. Very often we know theoretically, or intellectually, what we could or should do towards resolving a challenge. Yet still, there is something missing. We hesitate to take action and implement what we know or have learned and continue doing what we're comfortable doing. Doing things the way we always did them before. Feeling resistance to change.
All 23 IDGs can be considered collective qualities of any group or society, and can be cultivated at a collective level as well as by individuals. By developing at scale these skills, qualities and capacities in managers, leaders, changemakers and people throughout an organisation - and empowering those who already have the skills required - we increase our chances of tackling the complex, adaptive and wicked problems humanity now faces. These capabilities are a means to an end, where you are better able to reframe complex challenges and problems to see more options and opportunities, collaborate effectively with others, and achieve your personal, team, organisational and wider goals in a rapidly changing environment.
We create a generative space where we explore how the IDGs support us to close the gap between "knowing" and "doing" so that we thrive and are resilient through complex challenges and difficult situations. Our focus is on challenges we experience directly - in work and in life – as well as larger scale and sustainability challenges. When we address our immediate problems and challenges, we put ourselves into a better context to have the capability internally – as individuals, as teams, and as an organisation as a whole – to address the global scale and sustainability challenges as well.
This hub creates a community of likeminded people with a safe, positive space where we draw on IDG approaches to explore challenges together. Through the events and conversations we develop connections, and come away feeling inspired and optimistic along with ideas that can be relevant in our personal life and work, in our teams and organisations and in wider communities, society or politics.
So often when we face complex challenges that stretch our inner capacity to deal with them (whether personally or within our team or organisation), we can feel alone in our struggles. Yet when we come together in a constructive, safe space and engage in open conversation exploring these difficult challenges, we discover that we’re not alone – in fact many others have similar struggles. When each of us brings an open mind, chooses to be curious and receptive to different ideas and perspectives, and also chooses to share a bit more of ourselves, it changes the dynamic.
Together we make this hub an inclusive, co-creative and generative space that creates a powerful, inspiring environment. It sows the seeds for the confidence, courage and perseverance to act on our insights even when facing difficulties. It helps us to see more options in our challenges and build more agency to make a difference and influence the system.
Change-makers, managers and leaders, including aspiring managers, leaders and change-makers of tomorrow, who
Dr Sue Mitchell is an author, executive coach, keynote speaker, facilitator and director of Aeona, a coaching and leadership consultancy delivering masterclasses, coaching and leadership and team development programs with a focus on resilience, mental strength and mindset approaches to achieve positive outcomes with high wellbeing and high performance. Her book is "The Authority Guide to Engaging your People". Aeona is hosting the IDG Edinburgh Resilience Hub online community.
Sue is a former evolutionary ecologist and expedition leader and recently qualified as a practitioner of equine shiatsu. Sue brings a unique blend of science, leadership and coaching to her virtual and in-the-room engagements with a focus on insightful and interactive think-tank sessions, masterclasses and keynotes. Her unique perspective combines a spirit of adventure with the rigor of scientific thought and the value of emotional and sensory perception.
“As a scientist, I was trained to take the person out of everything, to focus on the science and the task to get properly objective results. However, over the years, I’ve come to realise that no matter what discipline or sector you work in, you can only be your best and inspire high performance (for yourself and others) when you put the person into everything. I help you do this through a mindset approach to inner sustainability, self-leadership and leading others that gives you tools to raise wellbeing, engagement AND performance.”
Alice Paterson is a coach, facilitator, trainer and director at Zing Coaching, a life coaching and wellbeing consultancy, delivering coaching and resilience training, along with wellbeing workshops and retreats. Her holistic approach is supported through certifications in emotional intelligence for leaders and mental fitness through positive intelligence. She has experience working a variety of organisations ranging from small environmental non-profits to multinational management consultancies. She now shares what she's learned along the way in order to help others unlock their potential and find their zing - energy and enthusiasm.
Alice is a board trustee of several organisations, and until recently was Joint Acting COO of Changing the Chemistry, which aims to improve board effectiveness through diversity of thought.
Take part in one of our in person events in Edinburgh. Join the online Hub for free to get the latest updates on the next event as well as other online events.
Get to know more about our hub and meet like-minded people in the free online hub, which is operated via Aeona's Adaptable Leadership, Inner Sustainability platform on Heartbeat. You have access to online resources, forums and events. A calendar of IDG Hub planned events will be posted here after the founding event on 27th March. You can leave the online community anytime.
This Hub is for you!