Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we move from one phase of growth to another. If you’re familiar with the S-curve, you know the pattern—slow start, rapid acceleration, plateau. It’s a useful model for understanding not just technologies or markets, but also our own organizations and communities.

Right now, the Strategic Doing Institute is nearing the top of one curve—and we’re preparing to jump to the next.This leap isn’t automatic. In fact, many organizations miss it entirely.

They cling to what worked in the past, relying on structures built for stability. But stability can quickly become stagnation when faced with complexity. These structures resist change. They fear experimentation. They demand control—when what’s really needed is adaptation.Strategic Doing was built for this kind of moment. We designed it not for command-and-control hierarchies, but for networks. Not for rigid plans, but for open experimentation. Not for ownership of ideas, but for shared discovery.

The next curve for SDI is not just about growth—it’s about creating our enduring legacy that serves the generations that follow us. What we leave behind doesn’t rest on any single person or organization. It stands strong because it is rooted in ecosystem leadership. That’s our real work now: putting shared leadership and trust into practice at a global scale.

Taking this step—moving the Strategic Doing to the next level—requires us to “think differently, behave differently, and do our work together differently.” My colleague Scott Hutcheson came up with that framing years ago, and it’s a good one. New habits of thought and action. New routines of working together. And new infrastructures and business models to support our global growth.

We don’t have all the answers. But we have a process that helps us find them—and a community that’s committed to doing and learning together.

Thanks for being part of that journey.

—
Ed Morrison
Founder & CEO
Strategic Doing Institute

Our Credo: A Compass and a Gyroscope

At the heart of Strategic Doing is a simple but powerful belief: that collaboration is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. As we begin a new chapter, we’re grounding our direction in the core values that brought this community together in the first place.

We will be providing regular (fortnightly) updates to the community.

We want to begin this update by reaffirming the Strategic Doing Institute Credo, written in 2011 by early practitioners in a park near Purdue University. We will draw our map to the future in real time, as we learn and do. But we need a compass (to set our direction) and a gyroscope (to maintain our balance). That’s what our Credo provides. It continues to guide everything we do.

Strategic Doing Institute Credo

1. We believe we have a responsibility to build a prosperous, sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.
2. No individual, organization, or place can build that future alone.
3. Open, honest, focused, and caring collaboration among diverse participants is the path to accomplishing clear, valuable, shared outcomes.
4. We believe in doing, not just talking—and in behavior in alignment with our beliefs.

These principles have never felt more relevant. That’s why we want to share some big changes—and even bigger intentions.

You may have noticed a few shifts in the ecosystem.
Strategic Doing has formally separated from Connects. We’re moving our systems, meetings, and materials to new platforms that better reflect our values and better serve you—our community of practitioners, Fellows, and collaborators across the globe.

This is more than a system update. It’s a strategic reset—one that clears the path for a revitalised, connected, and sustainable future for SDI.

🏛  Zooming Out: A New Governing Board for a New Direction

With the future in mind, we’ve established a Governing Board to lead this next chapter. The Governing Board will guide the global development of Strategic Doing. We need to link, leverage, and align ourselves across multiple continents, focus areas, cultures, and initiatives. Meet your inaugural members:

• Ed Morrison (CEO)
• Dr Jo Langham (Chair)
• Julio Prado (Vice Chair)
• Jennifer Hunter (Secretary)
• Vera Alexander (Member)
• Amy Zell (Member)
• Mary Marshall VanSant (Member)
• Jennifer Horn-Frasier (Member)
• Mike Nevis (Member)
• Paquita Lamacraft (Member)

This group brings diverse expertise and deep commitment to embedding Strategic Doing practices in real-world systems change.

This Governing Board will change as we evolve. We are looking for nominations and representation around the globe. If you feel you have energy and commitment that you would like to share please reach out to Jo Langham here jo.langham@strategicdoing.net

🔧 Zooming In: What We’re Prioritising Right Now

We’ve listened to your feedback, and our priorities reflect what the community has asked for:

1. Refreshing Our Systems
   We’re building new platforms that actually work for you—not around you. This means:

• Updating our database of practitioners, Fellows, and interested collaborators
• Better comms (like this newsletter!)
• Simpler event registration and access to resources

2. Completing and Evolving the Fellows Program
   The current SDI Fellows program will soon conclude, but this is just the beginning. We’re introducing Senior Fellows, who will play a formal role in evaluating and mentoring new Fellows. A more robust and enduring Fellows pathway is on its way.
3. Updated Website and Course Info
   We know budgets are tight. That’s why we’re revising course offerings and pricing to align with current realities—including cost of living pressures—while keeping our quality and standards high.
4. Coordinating Pathfinder Projects
   We’ve seen incredible innovation from Fellows and consultants alike. Now we’re focusing on better connecting these efforts, reducing overlap, and accelerating collective impact.
5. Training Materials – Guidance & Access
   We’ll soon release updated guidance on the appropriate use of SDI materials in your work, alongside easier ways to access the latest versions—plus the option to order printed copies online.
6. Payment Processing That Works Globally
   We’re implementing a new payment processing system to support our global network. This upgrade will allow:

• Transactions in multiple currencies
• Seamless course and resource payments through the SDI website
  Faster, more reliable processing—no more clunky delays or manual workarounds

🧭 Announcing the Council of Elders

We’re excited to share a new initiative that will help shape the future of Strategic Doing—introducing the Council of Elders.

This will be a small group of experienced Fellows who take on a special role within the SDI community:

• Debating and evaluating key developments in our tools, training, and frameworks
• Safeguarding the quality and integrity of our content
• Providing mentorship and guidance to emerging Fellows and practitioners
• Serving as a sounding board for strategic decisions within the Institute

This is not an honorary title. It’s a commitment—a deliberate choice to contribute wisdom, time, and stewardship to the future of the Institute.

Together, we’re building a culture where leadership is earned through doing—and where experience is shared generously to help others grow.

We will be looking for nominations shortly.

🤝 Monthly Huddles – Join the Conversation

We’re rebuilding more than systems—we’re rebuilding community.

Starting this month, we’re launching Strategic Doing Monthly Huddles, held on the last Monday of every month. These are open sessions for practitioners, Fellows, and anyone in our community to connect, exchange ideas, and dig into the real-world application of Strategic Doing.

Think of them as our global kitchen table:

• Bring your burning questions, projects, or even conundrums you’d like to unpack
• Share success stories, sticky issues, or insights from the field
• Stay connected with what’s moving across the SDI network

👉 Register for the Monthly Huddles (choose your timezone)

We’ll be reshaping these huddles by region in the coming months to better align with our global hub structure—so whether you’re in Australasia, Southeast Asia, North America, Brussels, or Ireland, you’ll soon have a local version of this space too.

We’re also seeking nominations for people to host or co-lead these huddles and help spark meaningful conversations. If you’ve got a topic, a challenge, or just something you’re passionate about sharing—this is your place to do it.

👉 Nominate to lead or suggest a topic here

This is how we build momentum: not top-down, but conversation by conversation—across time zones, disciplines, and roles. Join us.

🔜 What’s Coming Next

In our next update, you’ll hear more about:

• How we’re planning the 2025 calendar (including training dates and community meet-ups)
• The process for the Council of Elders
• Where you can access the latest SDI tools and printed guides
• The first featured Pathfinder Project

Thank you for being part of this next phase. This is your Institute—and we’re building it together.

Warmly,
Jo Langham
Chair, Governing Board, Strategic Doing Institute