Our Philosophy
Our commitment to and belief in inner, personal transformation and systems change guides everything we do.
Four pillars for a hopeful future
Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that true human flourishing and connection are possible through integrating wisdom and action. By transforming both our mindset and our environment, we can guide ourselves towards joy, harmony, and connection.
Achieving this transformation requires aligning our economic, social, and environmental systems with the principles of sustainability and human wellbeing — a holistic approach nurturing both personal and communal growth.
We recognise our interconnectedness and use empathy to build systems that prioritise all aspects of society, from personal relationships to governance and business practices. Our learning methods reinforce this interconnected vision, with each principle feeding into the next, fostering continuous growth.
Together, these elements create the Small Giants Academy narrative for living and being. By integrating wisdom and action, fostering empathy, and committing to continuous learning, we can build a world where both humans and nature thrive.
We do this through our four pillars for a hopeful future: the healing vortex, next economy principles, empathy, and the way we learn.
The Healing Spiral: Wisdom & Action
In our current economic and social system, based on scarcity and competition, people are generally disconnected.
Disconnection is not wrong or evil; it is a natural response to fear, ignorance, distrust and greed. These things have served humanity well in certain times and have evolved within us to respond to circumstances of scarcity, stress and danger as a survival mechanism. However, it does not serve us well in bringing joy, harmony or connection to our lives. If we can agree that those are the preferred states of being, we must create a social system that guides us to that outcome.
The pathway to wholeness and love is through wisdom and action. This is the healing vortex. We need to do the work to integrate wisdom and action by journeying journey down the vortex, and the more nourishing the environment around us, the easier the work is.
The more nourishing the environment around us, the easier the journey down the healing vortex is. That is why the current consumerist economy, political divisions, global warming, social inequality, gender violence, poverty, and so much more are making the journey so hard. Despite almost everyone wanting to feel love and connection, so many people are living in fear and stress.
The duality of wisdom and action can be seen as the inner and the outer work (of course, it is not actually a duality — it is a three-dimensional integrated space). The inner work of raising our consciousness, wisdom and connection, and the outer work of creating the physical, social and economic conditions within which we as humans can thrive. Put simply, we need to create the right mindset and the right setting for humans to flourish and find connection and love in a thriving living ecosystem.
The Next Economy
We work toward building an economy and society that supports human flourishing while living in harmony with the natural world. We call this The Next Economy.
The Next Economy guides us as both a set of operational principles and a north star. It has been developed and informed by the foundational work of Kate Raworth’s pioneering concept, Doughnut Economics.
Self & Belonging (Our Human Foundation)
The change we seek begins in ourselves and our local communities.
We strive to nurture connection and belonging.
The Natural Environment (Our Natural Limits)
The climate and biodiversity emergency threatens humanity and the natural world.
We strive for a stable climate and thriving natural world.
Equality & Democracy (How We Govern)
The world remains unequal and our methods of governance are imperfect and fragile.
We strive for equality and a healthy democracy.
Business & Economics (How We Work)
The pursuit of profit over people and the environment must end.
We strive to create new systems that enable business as a genuine force for good.
The Built Environment (How We Live)
Our built environment can serve humanity whilst respecting the natural environment.
We strive for sustainable cities, including all infrastructure, buildings, energy, manufacturing and waste systems.
Empathy
The highest expression of the self is empathy.
When we understand that we are all connected, we feel another person’s pain and joy as if it were our own. This connection can also be described as love or wholeness and, at its most developed, extends to all living beings. We believe that in order to transition to the next economy, empathy needs to be centralised in everything we do, from our most intimate personal relationships to governance systems, business, economy, and, of course, leadership. Building empathy and emotional
Explore our flagship long-form program, Mastery of Business and Empathy.
The Way We Learn
Our programs are many and varied. However, they share a common philosophy and core principles of learning.
Self Actualisation
Know thyself, love thyself, love thy neighbour, love thy planet.
Wholeness
Integration of masculine and feminine, left and right, personal and professional.
Life-Long Learning
Yearning for wisdom never ends and learning can be found in any experience.
Human Connection
Dedication to the power of proximity, connection and empathy.
Hearts and Minds
Learning involves both the rational and the intuitive self.
Community
Our community teaches us, holds us, and can keeps us accountable to something greater than ourselves.
