“Living successfully in a world of complex systems means expanding not only time horizons and thought horizons; above all it means expanding the horizons of caring.”
DonellaMeadows,ThinkinginSystems
“This is not a moment to fix a machine, this is a moment to compose new cultures… This is that moment, when the doctor says that without a drastic lifestyle change, your odds are not good. The old patterns, the logic, the history, have to be harmonised into what is possible.”
NoraBateson,InstituteforSystemicLeadership
Ourmoment,ourimperative Weliveinapoly-crisisofinterconnectedchallenges.
Despitedecadesofwarnings,emissionsarerising,biodiversityiscollapsing, andnaturaldisastersareintensifying.Socialsystemsmeanttosupporthuman thrivingarefracturing,withdeepeninginequality,decliningmentalhealth,and erodingtrustininstitutions.Intensepolarisationescalatesriskofviolentconflict, withtechnologiesincreasingratesofchangeandinformationflows
Thisisaprecariousmomentinhumanhistory.
Thepoly-crisisisawebofinterconnectedchallengesthreateningthevery foundationsoflifeitself Everypartofthisemergentsystemisrelatedtoevery otherinwaysbothobviousandimperceptible.Considerthepotentialof climatechange,artificialintelligenceoranotherglobalwar
Notonlyarethechallengeshistoricallylinkedthroughaneconomicandsocial orderrootedindominance,accumulationandextractionbuttheyarelinkedin ourcurrentmomentthroughamplifyingandreinforcingfeedbackloops Climatechangeimpactsinequality,mentalhealthdeclinestemsfromand increasesdisconnection,andthehousingcrisisislinkedtogenderedviolence
Inthiscontext,itisclearthatiterativeapproachesandsiloedsolutions,while nodoubthavingthepotentialtoreduceimmediateharm,canachievelittle regardingdeep-rootedsystemicchange Newapproachesareneeded
WhatisSystemsLeadership? Ourcurrenteconomicsystemhasbeenbuiltontheassumptionthatthe economyisamachinetobeoptimisedandtheworlditselfisaresourcetobe puttouse.Thislogicassumesthat,likeamachine,thepartsofoureconomyfit togetherinanefficientorderandcanbecontrolled,separated,andoptimised inisolationtoimprovetheoverallfunctioningofthemachine.This‘machine’ paradigmisincrediblyeffectiveatproducingprofits,growth,andlinear outcomesinaneconomythatexternalisescomplexity
However,ourworld(andoureconomy)isnotamachinetobe optimised.
Instead,itisacomplexandbeautifulecosystemofactorsswimminginan ever-changingsetofconditionsandintangiblerelationshipsthatactand produceoutcomesinnovelandnon-linearways.Themetaphorofaforest mightserveusbetterifwewanttounderstandtheworldandourrelationship toit.
Systemsleadershiprequiresadeepunderstandingofthenatureof interconnectedness,thepowerofpositiveandnegativefeedbackloops,going beyonddirecteffectsandtowardsmulti-orderimpact,andappreciatingand takingresponsibilityforexternalities Alloftheseideasrequireustounderstand notjustthepartsbutalsotherelationshipsbetweentheparts-howthetrees andthesoil,thefungusandthefauna,therainandthesunallworktogetherto createtheforest.
Systemsleadershipistheartandscienceofleadingacrosssectorsand disciplines,acrossbothspaceandtime,buildinguniquecoalitions,and identifyingandactingonleveragepointsfortransformationalchange.
We’vebroughttogethersomeofthemostbrilliantthinkersattheforefrontof systemschangetoco-designaprogramasambitiousasthemoment demands.Thisisnotjustaboutunderstandingcomplexity;it’saboutstepping intoitfullyanddistillingouruniqueagencywithinit It’saboutmovingbeyond thecollapsingparadigmsofourtime,forgingboldnewpathways,and cultivatingthewisdomtoleadinwaysthatregenerate,reframe,andreimagine whatispossible.
WhoistheMSLfor? Theprogramisforleaders,change-makers,andinnovatorsreadyto navigatecomplexityanddrivesystemicchange.
Whetheryou’reinbusiness,policy,philanthropy,orcommunityleadership,this programequipsyouwiththetools,mindsets,andnetworkstobeeffective acrosssectors.
Ifyou'rereadytoembracenewmodalitiesofleadershipformeaningfulimpact andmovebeyondsiloedsolutionsandunhelpfuldichotomiessuchasleftand rightormindandbody,thisprogramisforyou.Reachouttoourprograms teamtoexplorealignmentwithyourbackground,expertiseandgoals
ProgramStructure TheMasteryofSystemsLeadership(MSL)isaone-yearcomprehensive programdesignedforasmall,committedcohort.Itfeaturestwoin-person retreats,bringingparticipantstogetherfordeepexplorationand connection,complementedbyongoingvirtualsessionswithleadingglobal practitioners
Thisblendedstructureallowsforbothimmersivelearningandreal-time application,ensuringparticipantscanintegratesystemsleadership principlesintotheirworkthroughouttheyear
MeettheTeam Theprogramisdevelopedbyateamofdistinguishedfacilitatorsandguest speakers,includingKajLöfgren,CEOofRegenMelbourneandDirectorof ActionLabsatSmallGiantsAcademy;EleanorGammell,Executiveand creativeDirectorofTEDxSydney;TamsinJones,HeadofProgramsatSmall GiantsAcademy;AlexanderBeiner,author,journalist,facilitator,andcofounderofRebelWisdom;DannyAlmagor,co-founderandCEOofSmall GiantsAcademy;andAnneRammi,CEOofBeTheEarthFoundation.
Eachbringsextensiveexperienceinsystemsthinking,leadership,and transformativechange,providingparticipantsdiverseperspectivesand deepinsightsintonavigatingcomplexsystems.
Whatyou’llcultivate Seeleveragepointsothersmiss Developcapacitytoidentifywhereinterventionscreatedisproportionate change Understandfeedbackloops,multi-ordereffects,andwheresystems arereadytoshift.
Applytransformativeframeworks LearndirectlyfromthecreatorsofDoughnutEconomics,warmdata approaches,InnerDevelopmentGoals,andWellbeingEconomics.Seehow they'rebeingappliedtorealchallengesacrosssectors.
Buildcoalitionsacrossdifference Developtherelationalcapacitytoworkacrosssectors,disciplinesand worldviews.Practiceholdingmultipleperspectivesandbuildingtrustamid disagreement
Navigatecomplexitywithconfidence Cultivateresiliencetoworkinuncertaintyovertime.Holdparadoxwithout beingparalysed.Actmeaningfullydespiteincompleteinformation. Discoveryouruniqueagency
Findwhereyourgiftsmeettheworld'sneeds Identifyyourdistinctivecontributiontosystemstransformationandbuild strategyaroundit.
Joinalifelongcommunity Connectwithacuratedcohortof40leaderscommittedtoregenerative futures.BecomepartoftheSmallGiantsFellowsnetworkofchangemakers collaboratingglobally.
Whatparticipantssay “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”
Name
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“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” ArchbishopDesmundTutu Curriculum PARTONE | OurContext&SystemsThinking Inthisimmersiveretreat,we’llexplorethediverse paradigmsandsystemsthatweareallapartof Wewill starttomapourpersonallandscapesanddelveintoour foundationalstoriesandtheconditionswemightneed fornewsystemstoemerge.
Systemicleadershipstartswithunderstandingour context,andtheinterrelationshipsbetweenthevarious challengeswearefacinginthepolycrisis We’lldiveinto socialandenvironmentalchallenges,analysingwhere andwhyweareoutofbalance,andidentifyingthe opportunitiesemergingfromcracksinthesystem.
Systemsthinkingisamindset,approach,andtoolkitfor understandingandinfluencingchange Thismodule exploresitscoredimensions,nurturinganintuitiveand practicalsystemspractice.We’llbridgesiloedthinking withholistic,relational,andemergentapproaches
Asourcurrentsystemfractures,newmodelsforsystemic changehaveemerged.Thismoduleexploreskey frameworkslikeDoughnutEconomics,Wellbeing Economics,GrossNationalHappiness,Challenge-Led Innovation,andtheInnerDevelopmentGoals—examining eachthroughreal-worldcasestudies.
PARTTWO | ShiftingSystems Inthismodulewewilldeep-diveonplace-based examplesofsystemschange,includingDoughnut Economics Wewillalsoexaminetheimportantroleof democraticrenewalandthrivingcitizenship.
Tounderstandhowsystems-changeprocessescanbe appliedtodifferentsectorssuchashealthcare, technology,foodandenergy,wewillhearfromsectorbasedexpertssharingcase-studiesoftheirjourneyto uncoverpatternsandactionableinsights.
Wewillhearfromleadersinfinanceandeconomicswho areactivelypursuinganewparadigmforthepurposeof capital.Throughmultiplemodelsandexamples,wewill interrogatewhatthistransitioncanactuallylooklike
Byidentifyingandanalysingexamplesofculturalchange throughsocialmovements,media,mythologiesand innovation,wewillhoneinonsomeofthekeyelements ofculturalchangewithinasystem.
PARTTHREE | SystemsLeadership Oursecondretreatwillfocusonthewisdomneededto understandthesystemandtheagencyandresilience requiredtotakepositiveactionstoinfluencethesystem.
Thiswillbeaweekofintegratingpersonalreflectionwith systemicstrategies,withanemphasisontherelational andinvisiblenatureofsystems.
Inthismoduleweexplorethetensionbetweenpersonal, localandglobalimpactinscalingandshiftingsystems whilebalancingthequalityanddepthrequiredto maintainintimacyandrelationships
Thisfinalmodulewillbringtogetherthecontextandtools welearnedinPart1,withtheexamplesofshiftingsystems inPart2andthenatureofleadershipinPart3
Wewillsharpenourskills,nurtureourcommunity,and findthecourage,strategyandagencytoholdthe realitiesofthepoly-crisiswhileactivelybuilding pathwaystowardsamorehopefulfuture.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
BuckminsterFuller,inventorandsystemstheorist
AdvisoryCouncil AglobalnetworkofguestfacultysupportthecreationanddeliveryoftheMSL Theseincludeworld-leadingsystemsthinkersandpractitioners,wisdom keepersandlegendsofthenexteconomy.
Ourfacultyandadvisoryincludes
KateRaworth EconomistandAuthor CreatorofDoughnut Economics
NoraBateson AuthorandFilmmaker Founder,International BatesonInstitute
IndyJohar Socialentrepreneur& Architect Founder, DarkMatterLabs
DanielSchmachtenberger Socialphilosopher,Founder TheConsilienceProject
JohnBlackburn Chairman,Institutefor IntegratedEconomic ResearchAustralia
IngridBurkett Co-Director TheGoodShift
SatishKumar FoundingDirector, SchumacherCollege Editorinchief,Resurgence
HelenaNorbergeHodge AuthorandLinguist Founder,Economicsof Happiness
JuliaKim ProgramDirector, GrossNationalHappiness CentreBhutan
KatherineTrebeck Co-FounderofWellbeing EconomicsAlliance(WEALL)
CharlyKleissner Co-FounderofToniic ExecutiveDirectorofthe TransCapInitiative
DominicHoffsteder
Theexperience TwoImmersiveRetreats
UnitedKingdom—September2026
Australia May2027
Week-longimmersiveexperiences.
Notconferencesbutcarefullydesignedcontainersfordeepconnection, reflectionandembodiedlearning.Accommodationandmealsincluded.
WeeklyLiveSessions Three-hoursessionswithglobalfacultythroughouttheyear.Guestspeakers, casestudies,peercollaborationanddialogue.Scheduledforinternational participation.Recordedforflexibility.
ACuratedCohort
Limitedto40leadersfromacrosssectorsandgeographies.Smallenoughfor deeptrustandauthenticrelationships.Diverseenoughfortransformative learningacrossdifference
AppliedLearning
Thisisnotpassiveeducation.You'llworkonpersonalorcollaborativeprojects, applyingframeworkstorealchallenges.Integrationhappensthroughpractice, notobservation.
LifelongFellowship
JointheSmallGiantsFellowsnetwork.Ongoingconnection,collaborationand co-creationbeyondtheprogram.Accesstoevents,contentandavibrant globalcommunity.
Theexperience TheMSLprogramisofferedatAUD25,800(incl.GST),approx.€15,100please checkthecurrentexchangerate
Weofferpartialscholarshipstoensuretheprogramremainsaccessibletoa diversecommunityofleaders.We'reheretosupportyouinfindingtherightpath forwardandansweringanyquestionsyoumayhaveabouttheprogram experience.
Co-CreatingPartner BeTheEarthFoundation BeTheEarthFoundationisaregenerativecapitalpartnerandco-creatorof theMasteryinSystemsLeadershipprogramme.Asasmall,values-led foundation,weexploreethicalwaystoredistributewealthandregenerate ecosystemsthroughablendoftrust-basedphilanthropyandimpact investment.
FoundedbySethTabatznikandRenataMinerboin2019,wearepartofaglobal movementofindividualsandorganisationscommittedtonurturinglifeand nature.Ourworksupportstheemergenceofneweconomicsystemsrootedin care,reciprocity,andecologicalrestoration placingtheregenerationofall lifeabovethepursuitofprofitandpower
Weareproudtohaveshapedthisprogrammeasthoughtpartnerandcocreator contributingtoitsregenerativecoreandboldvisionthatisneeded toignitesystemictransformation.In2025,ourfounderSethTabatznikjoined theSmallGiantsboardasGuardianofPurpose,reflectingourdeepalignment andsharedvalues.
Toexplorehowthisprogramalignswithyourbackground andexpertise,ourteamisheretoconnectwith msl@smallgiants.com.au Contactus
SmallGiantsAcademyisaglobalcentrethatnurtures&empowers consciousleadersforahopefulfuture.Acommunityofleadersand change-makerscommittedtocreatingajust,inclusiveandsustainable futurewherepeopleandplanetcanflourish–anideaweliketocallthe NextEconomy.
Throughourprograms,storytellingandlabs;weempoweremerging andestablishedleaders,fromallwalksoflifeandsectorswiththetools, knowledgeandcommunitytorespondmeaningfullytothemetacrisis ofthe21stcentury.
www.smallgiants.com.au
