It’s easy to say that people are our most important resource.
But what does that actually mean in practice?

More and more organisations are beginning to realise that the ability to grow, adapt and perform in a complex world depends not just on strategy, but on the inner capacity of their people. That’s where the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) come in – as a framework for developing the human skills needed to succeed in a changing world.

One of the most inspiring cases right now is Icebug – a Swedish outdoor company that decided to walk the talk.

Icebug’s journey with Inner Development Goals

Over the past two years, Icebug has implemented the IDG framework across the entire organisation as part of a strategic development process. Their ambition? Not just to create a healthy and value-driven culture – but to make inner development part of how they do business.

They’ve worked actively with all five IDG dimensions:
???? Being – developing self-awareness and resilience
???? Thinking – cultivating long-term perspective and complexity awareness
???? Relating – strengthening empathy, humility and psychological safety
???? Collaborating – improving communication, co-creation and inclusion
???? Acting – encouraging courage, creativity and perseverance

But most importantly:
They didn’t just talk about development.
They measured it.

What they measured – and why It matter

Throughout the process, Icebug used regular assessments to track development in three key areas:

1. Psychological safety and trust
   Employees reported feeling safer to speak up, make mistakes, and challenge ideas. This led to more honest dialogue and a deeper sense of belonging.
2. Openness to Change and diversity
   By cultivating empathy and listening, Icebug experienced a shift toward greater openness, curiosity, and resilience when facing change – both individually and collectively.
3. Optimism and energy
   As people grew in self-awareness and meaning, the organisation as a whole gained momentum. Employees reported feeling more optimistic about the future and more engaged in the mission.

In other words: “When people grow, the business grows ”

Why this is not “Soft” work

Too often, inner development is seen as something nice to have – a luxury for when everything else is running smoothly.

But in reality, it’s the opposite.
Investing in human growth is a hardcore strategic move????

Because what really drives results in complex environments is not rigid processes or control mechanisms – it’s trust, initiative, creativity and collaboration. And these are all inner capacities that can be cultivated.

With tools like the Inner Development Kit – which includes dialogue cards, strength cards and an assessment model – organisations now have a practical, evidence-based way to develop these qualities in everyday settings.

From insight to impact

At Inner Development by Sara Øllgaard, we help leaders, teams and consultants use the IDG framework to build a process for more human, meaningful and effective organisations. Processes that leads to human growth: higher self-awareness, engagement, courage, balance and well-being – which results in measurable business growth.

If you’re curious to explore how your organisation can grow by growing your people – and measure it – we invite you to:

???? Join our upcoming IDG Workshop on May 8th in Copenhagen, where you can meet ICEBUG
???? Book a talk or facilitation session tailored to your leadership team
???? Follow us on LinkedIn

– Because in the end, culture isn’t what you say. It’s what you do – and how you grow.

#InnerDevelopmentGoals #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst #IDG #CultureTransformation #Icebug #EmployeeEngagement #OrganisationalGrowth

A new form of leadership is calling

Many organizations are fumbling [or searching] for a new form of leadership. A leadership that can both create results and accommodate the human aspect. A leadership that dares to ask questions, be curious – and show vulnerability. Because we know that this is the type of leadership that creates the foundation for well-being, trust, and sustainable growth.

For too long, we have favoured a narrow version of leadership based on control, competition, and performance. This has created speed – but also friction. More and more leaders and employees are experiencing exhaustion, stress, and loss of meaning.

Therefore, it is not just desirable, but necessary to bring feminine values and qualities into play. Not as a replacement – but as a supplement. For in the balance between the masculine and the feminine, leadership emerges that is more whole – and more sustainable.

We need both-and leadership

Feminine leadership is not about women taking power now; it is about bringing feminine values into play now. Among both men and women. So, it is not about gender, but about us focusing on cultivating values such as empathy, vulnerability, curiosity, and collaboration – relational intelligence – which both men and women possess. This is what creates:

• Higher employee engagement
• Better collaboration and psychological safety
• Long-term and sustainable decisions
• Increased well-being and meaningfulness
• Better collaboration and more innovation

For years, Brené Brown has advocated for a form of leadership where courage, vulnerability, and empathy are not weaknesses, but strengths. As Brené Brown puts it:

“Vulnerability is not weakness. It’s our most accurate measure of courage.”

Relationships as the foundation

In Inner Development Goals, we work with five inner dimensions for development – and here Relationships play a central role. It’s about mastering the ability to connect with others. To create trust, psychological safety, and shared meaning.

When we work with relational leadership, we can start asking new questions. For example:

???? Which leadership qualities will positively affect your organization?

Such questions open up the conversations that truly shift the culture – and the future – in a new direction.

Tools for future leaders: Inner Development Kit

At Inner Development by Sara Øllgaard, we have developed the Inner Development Kit – a concrete and practical toolbox for leaders, HR, and consultants. It consists of three tools that can help put future leadership on the agenda:

• Conversation cards – create reflection, dialogue, and relational depth
• Assessment tool – provides an overview of leadership strengths and development areas
• Strength cards – help put words to what they want more of

The tools come with a manual, so you can focus on future leadership yourselves. -Or invite Sara to facilitate a workshop where we work specifically with the changes your culture and leadership practice are calling for.

#feminineleadership #sustainableleadership #psychologicalsafety #relationalintelligence #stress #wellbeing #leadershipvalues #vulnerability #InnerDevelopmentGoals #InnerDevelopmentKit

It has been an intense and rewarding week! Two teams of facilitators have now completed the train-the-trainer course and are ready to:

✅ Bring the Inner Development Goals framework into organizations in a powerful yet playful way.
✅ Integrate the Inner Development Kit tools into their change processes—helping teams and clients grow from within.
✅ Communicate why inner development is the key to tackling external challenges—because real, lasting change starts with people.

Across cultures, the same tools apply

It’s a real pleasure to connect with leaders, consultants, and coaches from across the world and witness firsthand how the Inner Development Kit resonates across cultures, leadership levels, and organizational challenges: Australia,Canada, Colombia, Peru, Mauritius, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway – the movement is growing!

I’m more confident than ever that the Inner Development Goals framework is a game-changing tool for organizations seeking new, meaningful ways to address their external challenges.

If you’re looking for a local facilitator or want to learn how to become a trainer, let’s connect!

Les questions ouvertes et puissantes sont essentielles

Depuis mes études à l’Université KaosPilot, j’ai pu constater que le vrai changement commence par le dialogue – et le dialogue commence en posant des questions ouvertes et curieuses. Ce n’est pas seulement quelque chose que je crois, c’est quelque chose que je vis quotidiennement – que ce soit avec mes clients ou toute autre personne avec laquelle j’interagis.

Au cours de ma première semaine chez KaosPilot, mon coach (et non mon professeur !) m’a posé des questions très importantes, comme par exemple : “Est-ce que je peux vous aider ?

• “Pourquoi êtes-vous ici ?” “Qu’est-ce qui vous inspire ?”
• “Quels sont vos points forts ?
• “Que voulez-vous obtenir ?”
• “Quelle empreinte voulez-vous laisser… – dans le monde ?”

À l’époque – bien sûr – je n’avais pas de réponses immédiates. Mais ces questions ont suscité une réflexion et un dialogue profonds et continus, qui ont façonné toute ma jeunesse. Depuis, cette approche de coaching m’a aidé à établir des liens, à fixer des objectifs et à clarifier ce que je veux créer dans le monde. Et elle a aidé mes clients à clarifier leurs objectifs.

Aujourd’hui, 25 ans plus tard, je n’ai jamais cessé de poser des questions ouvertes (il suffit de demander à mes enfants????) – elles constituent désormais les outils les plus précieux de ma boîte à outils en matière de leadership et de conseil. Je constate leur puissance tous les jours : lors de réunions, de séances de groupe ou de conversations individuelles. Les questions mènent au dialogue, qui est essentiel pour instaurer la confiance nécessaire à un véritable changement.

Pourquoi j’ai développé l’Inner Development Kit

C’est pourquoi j’ai créé le kit de développement intérieur – des outils conçus pour aider les dirigeants, les enseignants et les facilitateurs à s’engager dans les objectifs de développement intérieur (ODI ). Les IDG sont un cadre incroyable de 23 compétences humaines nécessaires pour créer un changement extérieur, mais sans les bons outils pour les activer, ils restent juste cela – un cadre.

Si vous êtes curieux de savoir comment donner vie aux IDG dans votre organisation ou avec vos étudiants, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter ou à explorer la boîte à outils. Le kit comprend un guide pratique rempli d’exercices de dialogue et de questions de suivi – tant pour le travail avec des équipes qu’avec des individus.

Vous ne voulez pas essayer ? -N’hésitez pas à nous contacter : [email protected]

When you engage with important questions like: “Which inner strengths should I focus on to succeed with my current challenges?” this is the level of focus you get????‍♀️????????

Last week, I was invited to Brussels to facilitate a workshop on how to navigate external change by using the tools in the InnerDevelopmentKit, rooted in the powerful IDG-framework.

Not only did I return to Copenhagen with empty suitcases – all 25 Kits in French were sold! More importantly, I came back with yet another confirmation: When we use facilitation tools and allow time for reflection and meaningful dialogue, change is encouraged to happen.
Now, it’s also proven to work in Belgium ????????????!

A special thanks to Ana Simar, Christophe KONINCKX, and Damien Dallemagne, and to all the leaders connected to Chemin28 and Entrepreneurship & Transition who participated. I’m confident this workshop was just the beginning of something bigger!✨

Let’s continue the dialogue. If you’re curious about how the InnerDevelopmentKit can create impact in your organization, or want inspiration on how to use it in own workshops, let’s connect: [email protected]

I am proud to announce that the Inner Development Kit workshop material is available in English, French, Spanish and of course Danish!

The tools are inspired by Inner Development Goals, and designed for companies and organisations that want to succeed with outer change. But the tools can also be used related to managing team challenges, strengthening cross-organisational relationships or personal development. 

What they all have in common is that they stimulate reflection and deep dialogue, which is an essential part of creating real change in the external world. And last but not least, they are designed and produced with high quality focus and durable materials. See video from the printing factury

Are you curious? 

See more in the webshop. 

Here you’ll also find train-the-trainer courses and workshops to ensure you get the most out of working with the Inner Development Goals framework.Wan’t to try? -do not hessitate to reach out: [email protected]

Open-ended, powerfull questions are keys

Since my days studying at KaosPilot University, I’ve seen firsthand how real change starts with dialogue – and dialogue begins with asking open-ended, curious questions. It’s not just something I believe, it’s something I experience daily – whether with my clients, or anyone I interact with.

During my first week at KaosPilot, I was asked powerful questions from my coach (read: not my teacher!) like:

• “Why are you here?” “What inspires you?”
• “What are your strengths?”
• “What do you want to achieve?”
• “What footprint do you want to leave… – in the world?”

At the time – of cause – I didn’t have immediate answers. But those questions sparked deep and continuous reflection and dialogue, shaping my entire youth. And since this coaching approach has helped me build connections, set goals, and gain clarity on what I want to create in the world. And has helped my clients gain clarity on their goals.

Now, 25 years later, I’ve never stopped asking open-ended questions (just ask my kids????) – now they simply are the most valuable tools in my leadership- and consulting toolbox. I see their power every day: in meetings, group sessions, or one-on-one conversations. Questions lead to dialogue which is essential for building the trust needed for real change to happen.

Why I developed the Inner Development Kit

That’s why I created the InnerDevelopmentKit – tools designed to help leaders, teachers, and facilitators engage with the InnerDevelopmentGoals (IDGs). The IDGs are an incredible framework of 23 human skills needed to create outer change, but without the right tools to activate them, they remain just that – a framework.

If you’re curious about how to bring the IDGs to life in your organization or with your students, feel free to reach out or explore the toolkit. The kit complete with a how-to-guide packed with dialogue exercises and follow up-coaching questions – both when working with teams and individuals.

Wan’t to try? -do not hessitate to reach out: [email protected]

‍At the IDGSummit2024, “The Space in Between” was a live demonstration of what happens when we make time for real dialogue. It’s through these conversations that we start bridging the gaps between:

The right tools and facilitation bring the IDG-framework to life

But let’s be honest, we need the right tools to make these bridges happen. The IDGs provide an excellent framework, but it’s the combination of great facilitators and effective dialogue tools that truly brings the framework to life – sparking the action and engagement we need for change. Without the right tools, progress can be limited.

‍For the past two years, I’ve been experimenting and prototyping dialogue tools to help implement the IDG framework within organizations and teams. Because I truly believe that real change starts from within❤️.

Looking for inspiration?

If you’re looking for inspiration how to facilitate or implement the IDG framework with your clients or in your organisation or team I can only recommend that you explore how the InnerDevelopmentKit can make a difference through all kinds of dialogue exercises, that the tools invites you to have.

Wan’t to try? -do not hesitate to reach out: [email protected]

I’m excited to announce the launch of my new InnerDevelopmentToolkit at the IDG-Summit in Stockholm next week! ????

The toolkit is designed to make inner development engaging, playful, and transformative, and is a perfect tool for both individuals and teams looking to strengthen their inner capabilities.✨

Here’s what’s inside:

1. Assessment Tool – to map your strengths and areas for growth

2. Dialogue Cards – to spark deeper reflections and meaningful conversations

3. Strength Cards – to explore the 23 inner IDG-strengths that drive impactful transformation

4. Facilitation & Coaching Guide – a “how-to”-guide with exercises to get the most out of the tools

I’m both excited and humbled to share this resource, and I truly hope it will inspire you and your team to dive into your inner development in a fun yet meaningful way – creating the foundation for lasting external change.

‍Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. The Inner Development Kit is available in Danish, English, Spanish and French. For requests more languages can be added

Want to know more? -do not hesitate to reach out: [email protected]