Strategic Doing

We live in a world of wicked problems and complex organizational “ecosystems.” How do we move forward on our most pressing challenges when many interests and organizations need to work together, but nobody can tell anyone else what to do?

Strategic Doing is an approach to facilitating complex collaborations that helps us move conversations to action grounded in the assets each contributor can freely offer. Strategic Doing invites us to be appreciative and agile, building trust through rapid, iterative cycles of getting work done!

UO’s IPRE is part of a network of universities across the globe that teach Strategic Doing. Learn more about Strategic Doing here.

We offer Strategic Doing trainings and process support via workshops. You can learn more about our services here.

Trainings

We offer half-day, full-day, and 2.5-day practitioner trainings for individuals at any level of their organization working to make change.

Through interactive engagement, attendees learn 10 simple, but not easy, skills of complex collaboration. Attendees then practice mapping these skills onto the four-question framework (what could/should/will we do and what’s our 30/30), and come away with new approaches to managing meetings and multifaceted partnerships.

Upcoming Trainings

Leading Complex Collaborations: Strategic Doing Practitioners Training | October 20-22, 2025 | Burns, OR

Cost

For Individual Attendance at a Training: $350-$1500 per person

Depending on length and sponsorship of training

To Partner with Us to Host a Training: $5,000 – $30,000

Depending on length, location, # of participants (typically 15-35), and cost to charged to participants

Please reach out to Aniko if you would like to host training for your organization or region or if you need more information about trainings.

What Training Participants are Saying

“I think if all government staff and elected officials did this training at all levels of government (local, state, federal) all communities/regions would be able to accomplish so much more.”

“This training was phenomenal. I walk away with a whole new language of ways to tackle really big issues that have colleagues in an emotional bind. I’m hopeful we can implement this over the years to achieve some really magical things.”

Workshops

We work with your organization or partnership to host workshops that kickstart action on difficult issues – housing, childcare, energy independence, organizational culture – any wicked problem that keeps you up. Workshops result in action groups that we support over time.

Cost

Workshops: $7,500 – $10,000

Depending on duration of support and travel needs

What is Strategic Doing?

Strategic Doing™ is an approach to collaborative action in the face of complex, adaptive challenges. It offers an antidote to strategic plans that sit on a shelf collecting dust. Collaboration in today’s world requires that we build up new habits of thinking, behaving, and doing.

Strategic Doing outlines a pathway for groups to develop and execute projects that will help them make inroads on daunting issues in their community. It is appreciative, asset-based, action-oriented, and agile.

Strategic Doing practitioners learn to guide complex collaborations by asking two primary strategy questions: Where are we going and How will we get there?

These questions map onto four sub-questions:

What could we do?
What should we do?
What will we do?
What’s our 30/30? (What small thing will each person work on over the next 30 or so days)

A Strategic Doing process results in action groups that work together over time on projects to achieve the outcomes identified during the process. Projects are grounded in the assets and passions of the group, so they are practical and achievable. Each member of the group is expected to contribute something based on their capacity, even if it is small. Groups meet regularly and efficiently to discuss progress and pivot their approach as needed when new information comes to light.

Strategic Doing in Action

Strategic Doing Workshop leads to Nights on Broadway Event Series with 400+ visitors

A lot in downtown Veneta sat vacant for years. At the same time, a vibrant group of entrepreneurs were seeking pathways for growth. A half-day Strategic Doing training and workshop resulted in a project to activate the vacant lot for a DIY “Nights on Broadway” summer series. Workshop participants leveraged their assets to activate the space for community and local business benefit: over 400 visitors passed through the event series that summer. This became an important “pathfinder” step in assembling the longer-term resources to support local businesses in the downtown.