How Inner Development Will Help Us Solve the World’s Biggest Problems

In 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created as a blueprint for a better world - a bold call to end poverty, tackle inequality, and protect the planet. They comprise 17 interconnected goals and come with a 2030 deadline.?

However, as each of us knows deep down, these ambitious external targets, while inarguably important, are not easily met.?

“I see from coaching CEOs and working with leaders in organisations that the SDGs aren't featuring. It’s as if they’re too overwhelming. Too insurmountable. And so, people don't do anything.” - Kate Clayton, accredited coach and facilitator and Associate at Aephoria.?

That inaction is dangerous. “It’s a survival issue,” says Lucille Greeff, Aephoria’s Chief Product Officer and a Chartered Organisation Development practitioner. “Think about the generations to come and the world we’re leaving for them.”?

To make a difference, then, we must address something much closer to home: the inner capacity for growth and change. The gap between what’s needed externally and what’s happening internally is where the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) come in.?

As Kate Clayton and Lucille Greeff explain, this is not just about the world we’re trying to save; it’s about the people we need to become to save it.

The Barriers to Achieving the SDGs

Despite offering clear targets, the SDGs often fall short due to gaps in individuals’ inner maturity and systemic readiness to face the changes needed. Even with the best intentions, decision-making at both individual and organisational levels often prioritises short-term gains, driven by outdated power structures or a lack of deeper self-awareness.

Aephoria has seen this first-hand. Large-scale initiatives, such as implementing new systems in manufacturing or IT, often collapse when leaders and teams cannot collaborate effectively or let go of rigid control structures.?

The scope of the SDGs adds to the challenge. With 17 ambitious goals addressing issues like poverty and climate change, many leaders feel overwhelmed and need help figuring out where to start. This enormity can lead to paralysis or inaction.

“We've got these big changes we need to make in the world - outer changes for sustainable development - but making the decisions that will support these changes, requires massive amounts of maturity and adjustment. So, how can we support the SDGs? By maintaining inner development momentum, which is not the maturation of individuals in isolation, but of society.” - Lucille Greeff.

In Western cultures, particularly, the illusion of individualism is pervasive. Leaders often feel disconnected from the collective impact of their actions, perceiving themselves as too separate or small to make a difference. This mindset fragments efforts and reinforces silos. And, by extension, it halts positive change.?

The IDGs and the Five Dimensions of Inner Growth

The Inner Development Goals emerged as a complementary framework to the SDGs. The IDGs focus on fostering the inner shifts - such as self-awareness, relational intelligence, and collective thinking - that can help us tackle the outer changes required for large-scale sustainability.?

“The IDGS can bring us together as leaders, coaches and organisation development professionals, regardless of what proprietary offerings or approaches we have. It can unite us through collective impact in service of humanity.” - Lucille Greeff.

The IDGs are structured around five dimensions - Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating, and Acting - and are deeply rooted in adult development theory. This philosophy highlights the importance of vertical development, where individuals move beyond basic skills and competencies to progress to later levels of maturity and complexity in thought and action.?

At later stages of thinking and action, leaders are finally equipped to tackle systemic challenges such as climate change and inequality.

1. Being: Cultivating Inner Clarity and Resilience

The dimension of Being focuses on self-awareness, presence, and emotional balance. It encourages individuals to cultivate a strong inner foundation by nurturing clarity about their values, purpose, and emotional states. This inner work equips leaders to navigate uncertainty and complexity with greater composure, reducing the tendency to react impulsively to challenges.

For example, leaders grounded in their "Being" can better stay calm in high-stakes situations, allowing them to make thoughtful, ethical decisions that align with long-term goals.

2. Thinking: Embracing Complexity and Innovation

Thinking encompasses the cognitive skills required to process complexity, make sense of intricate systems, and innovate effectively. It involves capacities such as critical thinking, sense-making, and long-term orientation.?

In a world of rapid change and ambiguity, leaders must transcend conventional problem-solving methods and adopt systems thinking to address interconnected challenges like climate change and inequality.

This dimension aligns with adult development philosophies, where growth involves moving beyond linear, binary thinking to embrace more nuanced perspectives.

3. Relating: Building Empathy and Connection

The Relating dimension emphasises relational intelligence - understanding, connecting with, and valuing others. It includes skills like empathy, compassion, and active listening.?

Organisations that encourage "Relating" can transform hierarchical, transactional relationships into cooperative, inclusive partnerships. Leaders who excel in this dimension create environments where individuals feel valued and empowered, unlocking collective potential.

4. Collaborating: Fostering Collective Action

The dimension of Collaborating expands on relational intelligence by focusing on how individuals and groups work together toward shared goals. It involves capacities such as co-creation, trust-building, and conflict resolution.?

This dimension is particularly vital in tackling systemic challenges, where no single actor can drive change alone.?

5. Acting: Driving Meaningful Change

Finally, Acting involves translating inner growth into external action. It includes competencies such as courage, perseverance, and a commitment to sustainability.?

Acting bridges the gap between personal transformation and systemic impact. Leaders who embody this dimension are more likely to make bold, visionary decisions that prioritise the collective good over short-term gains.

Aephoria’s Approach to Inner Development Work

So, how do we, as coaches, guide individuals and organisations through the five dimensions of inner growth? At Aephoria, we believe in creating spaces where leaders can build authentic connections in service of humanity through purpose-led organisational leadership.?

Effective leadership requires purpose in action. Aephoria’s programmes provide safe, open environments where cross-functional leaders connect authentically and collaborate. By developing key relational intelligence and conflict-resolution skills, leaders transcend hierarchies and embrace collective problem-solving.

The Enneagram Assessment

The Enneagram is a powerful tool for cultivating self-awareness, empathy, and relational intelligence. It helps leaders uncover their habitual thought and behaviour patterns, allowing them to develop a more inclusive and compassionate leadership style.?

Through the Aephoria Enneagram assessment, participants gain deeper insights into their personality patterns, strengths, and blind spots. When each individual’s Enneagram type is mapped out, we have a clearer idea of the organisation as a whole and how everyone can effectively work together.??

A workshop using the Enneagram always sparks profound shifts in participants.?

The Maturity Framework

Aephoria’s maturity framework and assessment are rooted in adult development theory. They emphasise vertical growth. The assessment, when coupled with the Enenagram report, allows us to see how adaptable, mature, and inclusive an organisation is (among other things).?

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