I was at an event this afternoon, focused on the skills individuals and organisations need to thrive in the transition to a net zero, resilient future. One of the things that stood out for me was the use of the term ‘soft skills’ to describe the non technical skills needed…

Sometimes our biggest challenges are internal. Life can be overwhelming. Work. Family. Friends. Adulting. It can often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. And when you get some time to yourself to relax… Guess what? There you are. Which can be quite hard to live with. But…

As a sustainability professional our job is to make change happen and people don’t like change. So you need to keep yourself psychologically safe. Which means you need ways to understand your situation. So let me introduce the Tempered Radical This framework from Meyerson and Scully, way back in 1995, seems to describe our position perfectly. A…

Consistency is the key to mastering anything. We all know it. I have the best of intentions but the initial enthusiasm often fades quickly and then things drift. As someone with ADHD (diagnosed just over a year ago), it can even be as soon as I’ve bought the stuff! But…

I have always been a change agent. Wanting to make a better world for people and nature. And most of the time I thrive on it. But I have also burnt out badly multiple times. Being a change agent can be hard and lonely. Especially if you’re challenging sacred cows. Which you will if tackling climate and ecological breakdown…

Most people think permaculture is about gardening. But it can be valuable to every change agent too. Here’s why. It’s a design framework: That enables us think systematically about problems or projects and how to create collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. I used Looby Macnamara’s design web to scope a social innovation programme. This enabled…

In the 21st Century, growth is the name of the game. The economy. Profits. Wealth and possessions. Ourselves — we must strive to be our best, or life has not been worthwhile. Our culture is relentless. …

I often find myself feeling like there are no grownups anymore. Many adults, including myself, seem stuck in adolescence much of the time. Our legacy will be a burning planet stripped of resources where it is difficult to thrive, if we don’t rethink this grownup business fast. …

New Office for National Statistics (ONS) research shows that people diagnosed with potentially terminal health conditions are twice as likely to commit suicide than others. As an ex-nurse and palliative care ward link, I have first hand experience of good end of life care and of prolonging life when it…