Network Strategy & Formation
Something is shifting in how organizations understand their relationship to one another. The competitive mindset that has defined organizational strategy for decades is giving way to something more honest, the recognition that the most pressing challenges of our time cannot be solved by any single organization working alone, and that the ecosystems we are part of are more powerful than any individual node within them.
Who this is for
Newly forming networks waking up to the power of working as an ecosystem.
Coalitions and alliances seeking greater coherence and strategic focus.
Backbone or intermediary organizations ready to catalyze a new level of collaboration among their partners.
Place-based or bioregional networks whose shared geography creates natural common ground that has not yet been fully activated
What Changes
Participants leave aligned on a shared purpose and principles for the opportunity in front of them, a clearer picture of their collective ecosystem, and the beginnings of a strategic focus that makes genuine learning and collaboration possible.
For many networks this session is the moment the shift from competition to collaboration becomes real.
Where This Leads
This session is the natural entry point into deeper network-level work — including leader alignment, governance, network mapping, network convening, and the creation of collaborative initiatives that activate the full potential of the ecosystem.
What does the work look like?
We begin by building trusted relationships and alignment around a shared purpose. Through guided reflection, light network mapping, and facilitated dialogue we co-create a shared picture of the ecosystem including the organizations, relationships, resources, and opportunities within the network.
​​​​
From there we move into strategic focus, identifying the one or two areas where the network could could unlock the greatest impact, and begin to build the shared language and infrastructure to enable the network to more fully form.
Every session is customized to the specific context, maturity, and needs of the network. There is no single template because no two ecosystems are the same.