“Doug Smiths's Trailblazing Path: 30 Years of Performance Driven Change Impact
Doug Smith is the architect of Performance-Driven Change and Cohort Approach to scaling change. He is a former McKinsey & Company partner and author of books ranging from 19th century African history to the birth of the information age to managing change to the classic text about teams to a moral philosophy for the 21st century. Performance-Driven Change, like Strategic Doing, is grounded in core principles required to address complex problems and collaborations. The tools and methods have been used to drive both performance (real results) and change (new capabilities) across more than sixty different industries and fields – at both the enterprise as well as entire field level.


1988: Fumbling the Future

1989: McKinsey Organization Performance Practice.

1990: Pioneering Knowledge Management

1991: Unparalleled Total Quality Results

1992: Horizontal Organization
1992: Strategic Insight Backed By Managing Change

1993: Teams

1995: Red Cross

1996: Taking Charge of Change

1996: The Following Part of Leading

1999: Make success measurable!

2000: Our journey of success

2002: Achieving Excellence

2004: On Value and Values

2004: A housing revolution

2007: CAP Tulsa

2007: Media Transformation Challenge Fellows

2009: Actual, not theoretical, reinvention of government agencies

2012: All economics is political economics

2013: United Way

2015: Table Stakes: Revitalizing Local Journalism

2016: Catalyst Miami

2017: “The bible for reinventing journalism” — Knight Foundation

2017: The New P&L: Performance and Learning

2018: UNC Table Stakes

2018: Poynter.

2019: Table Stakes Europe

2020: HBN

2021: “Innovative network amplifying Black and brown media outlets” — Oprah Daily

2023: Strategic Doing Networks Launched
What People Say About Us
Strategic Doing is precisely what we need at this moment.
American cellist Yo Yo Ma

If you’re talking about collaboration, Strategic Doing provides a foundation.
Chief Innovation Officer Ben Amaba

I've worked with other large companies trying to do open innovation, but this process is unique. This is the most clear and concise open innovation process I've seen.
Mark Scotland

Implementing Strategic Doing helps organizations collectively develop new habits that foster a culture of innovation and create enhanced engagement within teams.
Jennifer Horn-Frasier

Strategic Doing is like rocket fuel for complex collaborations, quickly propelling teams from ideas to action plans.
Jennifer Hunter

Using Strategic Doing, groups chart an equitable and swift pathway to collaborate, co-create, and innovate.
Jane Rogan

Director of Community-Based Implementation and Engagement Kenyetta Dotson

Integrating SD into my work and vocabulary has reshaped my approach to community development. It isn’t always easy, but it helps me bring more energy, hope, and meaningful collaboration to the people I serve in rural Oregon and beyond.
Principal Nancy Franklin
