{"id":24220,"date":"2025-07-28T00:49:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T00:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/?p=24220"},"modified":"2025-07-30T01:29:54","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T01:29:54","slug":"sustaining-the-movement-a-note-from-the-inventor-and-developer-of-the-compass-tools-by-alan-atkisson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/sustaining-the-movement-a-note-from-the-inventor-and-developer-of-the-compass-tools-by-alan-atkisson\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustaining the Movement: A Note from the Inventor and Developer of the Compass Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"24220\" class=\"elementor elementor-24220\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b8c3aab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b8c3aab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a08de2a\" data-id=\"a08de2a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-2751607 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2751607\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-f0e7aee\" data-id=\"f0e7aee\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-baff86d elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"baff86d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-5b50795 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\talan atkisson\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-347cb77 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/2025\/07\/28\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>julio 28, 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-5d59742\" data-id=\"5d59742\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7734f92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-social-share\" data-id=\"7734f92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-social-share.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t<ul class=\"ekit_socialshare\">\n                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-50d3e2e\" data-social=\"facebook\">\n                    <div class=\"facebook\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-aded8c5\" data-social=\"twitter\">\n                    <div class=\"twitter\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-b053ca9\" data-social=\"linkedin\">\n                    <div class=\"linkedin\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa374f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"aa374f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-acf1fce elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"acf1fce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dear members of the Compass Education community,<\/p><p>Recently, I was a no-show at Compass Education&#8217;s global retreat. How embarrassing! As you may know if you read my blog or saw my LinkedIn essay, I have been recovering from stress-related exhaustion that first hit me at the end of 2024 (<a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/2025\/04\/15\/chronicle-of-a-ceo-burnout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chronicle of a CEO Burnout, 15 April 2025<\/a>). I am much better, but on the day of the retreat, I apparently had a minor relapse. I was tired and just never looked at my phone or computer, and so missed logging in.<\/p><p>But that was certainly no reflection on my love for Compass Education. I wish I could have been there in person to tell the participants how much the organisation means to me, how happy I am to see it moving forward, to see you all moving forward. How much I admire what you are all doing, and have done.<\/p><p>It is remarkable to watch this enterprise, which grew out of my former consulting firm getting stronger and stronger and affecting so many many schools, teachers, students, lives. I closed the firm when I went into government service, but Compass Education lives on! It is truly powered by love \u2014 love for students, love for the work, love for our planetary home. I so deeply appreciate that. \u00a0<\/p><p>In my talk at the global retreat, I would have told everyone a bit about the origins of the Sustainability Compass, and a little about what I see as current challenges to doing sustainability work. But you can actually read the whole story of the Compass\u2019s origins at my blog \u2014\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/2021\/12\/03\/compass-pyramid-amoeba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/2021\/12\/03\/compass-pyramid-amoeba\/<\/a> \u00a0\u2014 and the current challenges to sustainability are unfortunately quite plain to all of us right now. This is a \u201ctwo steps forward, one step back\u201d moment in some parts of the world.<\/p><p>But I note, or at least I hope, that in education, the value of sustainability, and a systems approach to it, is (mostly) still understood for what it is. A great way, indeed an indispensable way, to help young people prepare for the future they are inheriting.<\/p><p>What I especially wanted to say at the global retreat is that you are all leaders in this. I am the son of two high-school teachers, and a long-time professional trainer (among other things), so I have some feeling for the work you do, as teachers, administrators, educational coaches and consultants of various kinds. What you do is true leadership: being there, giving consistent, thoughtful, person-centered guidance, supporting organisational change and personal growth in the mostly-incremental, daily-steps way that change usually happens.<\/p><p>We are going to keep needing that kind of leadership in sustainability work. For a long time to come.<\/p><p>I am working on some new writing that I hope will be of use to you in the future. You can catch a glimpse of it at my blog, as part of a <a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/2025\/06\/25\/keynote-speech-future-thinking-for-sustainable-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keynote speech<\/a> I gave at a recent academic conference. If Nicole and the Compass Education team will have me, I promise to show up for this group at a later time \u2014 but this time, with multiple alarms set and failsafe systems in place to assure my participation.<\/p><p>My warmest regards to everyone in the far-flung Compass Education community, and my profound hopes for your continued success \u2013 individually, organisationally, and globally.<\/p><p><em>&#8212; Alan AtKisson<\/em><br \/><em>Inventor of the Sustainability Compass and Developer of the Compass Tools\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d5896b elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"5d5896b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b3aa7f elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0b3aa7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-95de018 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"95de018\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Author<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-a823c23 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a823c23\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e7f4505\" data-id=\"e7f4505\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-830be82 elementor-widget elementor-widget-author-box\" data-id=\"830be82\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"author-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/\" class=\"elementor-author-box__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alan-AtKisson-2-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Imagen de Alan AtKisson\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-author-box__name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\talan atkisson\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__bio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Alan AtKisson has worked at the forefront of sustainability, sustainable development, and systemic change since 1988, helping to create initiatives, design tools and methods, and lead organisations aiming to make transformation happen. He has held multiple leadership positions, including as Assistant Director-General (equivalent to Executive Vice-President) at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency - Sida, where he directed global<br \/>\nprograms in research, innovation, strengthening civil society, and mobilising private investment. At Sida, he formally represented the Government of Sweden in many international development contexts. Alan has also served as a strategic advisor to many other governments, cities, companies, and the United Nations. He has keynoted, presented, or lectured for hundreds of audiences around the world, and several of his books have been<br \/>\ntranslated into multiple languages. Alan believes in using scientific analysis as well as creativity in all its forms to advance sustainability. He is the inventor or lead developer of several widely-used learning models and training methods, including the Sustainability Compass and the Amoeba Game; and he is also a songwriter whose music has been highlighted at official UN and EU events. A dual citizen of Sweden and the United States, he lives in Stockholm.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b953d21 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-social-media\" data-id=\"b953d21\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-social-media.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t\t <ul class=\"ekit_social_media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-486244f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/alanatkisson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Sitio web\" class=\"globe\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-globe\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-11c7bfd\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alanatkisson\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"LinkedIn\" class=\"in\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-72ca1f0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/alanatkisson\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Instagram\" class=\"1\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon icon-instagram-1\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-b2c842f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AlanAtKisson\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"X (Twitter)\" class=\"twitter\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-199e61b\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/alanatkisson\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"f\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear members of the Compass Education community, Recently, I was a no-show at Compass Education&#8217;s global retreat. How embarrassing! As you may know if you read my blog or saw [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":24265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogpost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24220"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24297,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24220\/revisions\/24297"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}