We are used to working through networks but not within the philosophy of partnerships in which holistic, and multi-subject approaches force organizations to reshape their working codes internally and externally. All partnerships: political-citizens, private-public, leaders-society, habits-rules, innovation-traditional codes, NGO´s-consultants, etc. need to be addressed from a different focus. Especially after pandemics is imperative to build alliances on solidarity, cooperation, and knowledge exchange as an agent to renew the current status quo coming from a not updated system.
The current working codes challenge the capacity for making successful and innovative partnerships. In addition, institutions are not prepared to build bridges openly, and flexibly but to work towards SDGs individually considered. This new stage of the world demands not just work for it, but innovate, change, and create new rules for new relations and new mechanisms of delivering. Is it not just about working more but also about how we do it and how we feel towards transforming structures and people´s attitudes.
Working without emotional bias, and sense of competition, and closed groups is a true challenge that demands a different attitude, and structures that enable trustworthy relations. The current bureaucratic organizations are just prepared for making specific alliances on a delimited space, timing, and subject. Doing differently is perceived as chaos and a threat to their “institutional stability”.
Re-educating leaders -institutions- towards the fulfillment of Global Goals by building values around interconnection, openness, and flexibility is the main principle towards the maximization of each member when one supports another and climbs to the top only because are all aligned. Like the photo, a steep wall to climb harmonically and resiliently. A true change of the traditional idea of North-South cooperation, or/and public-private partnerships.
Is indeed a new focus: the public sector responsibility as a part of a wider stage from diverse stakeholders becoming only one more pillar within SDG17: Partnerships for the goals. Is under this framework that the public sector should adopt the role of a panoptical structure making sure that the process becomes inclusive and open.
A solid Sustainability strategy must be a kaleidoscope for whom each color flourishes only by the color of the rest, building a system around nuances based on diversity and a strong sense of generosity. Lessons learned from the negative experiences of the political sector. Investments from the public sector do not necessary represent progress and are been diluted by bad management, corruption, and extremely biased political partisan interests. The political sector becomes a contradictory pillar: is essential and at the same time a threat to moving forward. When ideological aspects become part of the strategy there is no possibility for joint action, and any effort on financial aspects is completely useless.
Is it all about good governance? Maybe yes, but without political systems that function under 100% reliability, accountability, and transparency toward citizens´ interests there is no chance for reliable partnerships. In the end, the SDGs are interconnected under the big umbrella of political institutions and leaders which is why public reforms are strongly needed.
Let’s faced it, the main obstacle is the engagement from society to enter into a new road on system change, created by a traditional mindset that rejects transformation. Not supported by a consistent global system, the main weakness is a status quo centered on vertical relations. Is through these lenses that we realize the tremendous power of institutions as a threat to get into the goal: of “strategic and sustainable”. It supposes an intercross process of innovation that moves through different levels: public, private, and individual with multi-stakeholder partnerships, and partnerships platforms.
The good news is that we have a powerful strength delivered by the negative -although positive by these means- impact from a multiple crisis state that boosts an idea of emergency, and the need to find solutions. A great opportunity to push creativity from private initiatives under innovative citizens’ leadership. The latest on an exercise of democracy leads us to state that Good Governance is paramount for SDG 17.
We need to wake up from the constraints that deliver a centralised system that is preventing us to get into the very essence of a global model. One of the actions to be taken at the public, and private level are re-educating leaders, and institutions around traditional although adapted values on interconnection, openness, and flexibility. At the global level boosting different models of cooperation as with the South-South.
We need to learn from the past and see that is not possible to get toward sustainable goals if we move through unsustainable political systems, and within citizens that do not trust each other.
We need to dream of a kaleidoscope of alliances in which each color shines only by the color of the rest, building a system around nuances based on diversity strong senses of generosity, and will to exchange.
Weak up, learn, and …dream!
thesustainabilityreader 