Participants: Sheila Damodaran, Rea, Bernice
Focus: Internal Capacity Build | National Structuring | Team Readiness
1. OPENING CONTEXT
This meeting focused on a strategic planning session aimed at expanding capacity-building initiatives through both internal and external channels.
Internally, the discussion centred on implementing rigorous training for the team over several months in order to bridge the gap between the core disciplines, research methodologies, and strategic execution.
A significant portion of the dialogue focused on a high-level proposal to involve government ministers and national planning bodies in identifying and addressing persistent societal issues.
To organise this work, the participants used a four-quadrant framework to categorise various government ministries into broad sectors such as governance, economy, nature, and human systems.
The session concluded this core section with a practical exercise in mapping specific administrative departments into this strategic model, with the aim of better understanding and addressing cross-cutting persistent challenges such as unemployment and corruption.
This discussion was important at this stage as it begins to indicate the size, extent, and complexity of the work involved at a national level. By seeing how ministries and issues are distributed across the four quadrants, the team is able to anticipate the range of stakeholders required, the likely number of participants, and the sequence of engagements needed to hold such issues structurally within government. This, in turn, allows the team to begin defining the scope of work ahead, including the depth of analysis, coordination effort, and facilitation required for any meaningful national-level intervention.
2. FOUR-QUADRANT STRUCTURING EXERCISE
The team worked through the use of the four-quadrant framework as a way of locating ministries and persistent issues within a broader systemic structure.
The four organising spaces were identified as:
▪️ Human–Human Systems
▪️ Human–Nature Systems
▪️ Human–Economy Systems
▪️ Human–Governance Systems
This enabled the team to begin moving away from viewing issues as belonging to isolated ministries, and toward seeing how persistent conditions spill across sectors and remain unresolved because they are not held as a cross-system responsibility.
3. MINISTRY MAPPING AND PERSISTENT ISSUES
A working exercise was undertaken to place ministries into the four quadrants and to identify the persistent issues associated with each space.
Particular attention was given to the fact that issues such as unemployment do not sit neatly within one ministry. Rather, they cut across multiple parts of the system and often remain politically visible but structurally unowned.
This part of the discussion reinforced the need for a model that allows national leadership to see where issues persist not because they are unseen, but because they are distributed across ministries without a single point of structural accountability.
4. ASSIGNMENT — SOE CLASSIFICATION (REA & BERNICE)
Rea and Bernice were assigned to identify and label State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) according to their role in the broader system.
The distinction required is between:
▪️ SOEs that are part of the productive cycle
▪️ SOEs that serve correctional, service, or response functions
This assignment is intended to help clarify which parts of the institutional system are directly linked to production and economic generation, and which parts are primarily managing consequences or maintaining services.
Ms Sheila Damodaran — understood. Here is the revised meeting note, with the opening following your wording closely and the public workshops point moved toward the end.
5. INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILD — TEAM DEVELOPMENT
The session also focused on the need to structure a multi-month internal capacity-building programme for the team.
The intention is to build a pathway through which the team can strengthen its grounding in:
▪️ The core disciplines
▪️ Research tools and methods
▪️ Their application to real strategic work
This internal build is intended to run over several months and serve as the base from which the work can be carried more consistently across both organisational and national spaces.
6. LOGISTICS — INTERNAL TRAINING PROGRAMME
Toward the close of the meeting, discussion turned to the practical logistics of running the internal capacity-building sessions.
Areas discussed included:
▪️ Timing and scheduling
▪️ Frequency of sessions
▪️ Duration across the build period
▪️ Participation and progress tracking
Rea will prepare and circulate structured notes on this part of the discussion, including the proposed format and coordination approach.
7. PUBLIC WORKSHOPS — EXTERNAL ENTRY POINT
The meeting also discussed launching public workshops as a way to generate revenue and introduce the organisation’s mission to a broader audience through introductory teaser sessions.
These workshops are intended to serve as an external entry point into the work and are to be co-led by Brunoh, with further structure to be developed as part of the next planning steps.
8. CLOSING POSITION
The meeting marked a step forward in moving the work from conceptual understanding into structured organisational preparation.
The key emphasis going forward is to ensure that both the internal build and the external entry points are aligned to the same systemic logic, so that the work can begin to move with greater coherence and continuity.
STRLDI — ACTION TRACKER (POST SESSION)
Source: Session Notes – April 21
Purpose: Move from discussion → execution
1. INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILD (CORE TRACK)
| Action | Owner | Output Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidate session notes (structure, timing, constraints) | Rea | 1-page structured note | Immediate |
| Propose session schedule (weekly timing + duration) | Rea | Draft schedule (May–Winter) | +2 days |
| Define session structure (Foundations → Application → Integration) | Rea + Bernice | Session flow outline | +3 days |
| Identify participation tracking method | Rea | Simple tracking format | +3 days |
| Confirm feasibility (availability, constraints) | Rea + Bernice | Adjusted plan | +4 days |
2. SOE CLASSIFICATION (SYSTEM CLARITY TRACK)
| Action | Owner | Output Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| List all relevant SOEs | Rea + Bernice | Initial list | +3 days |
| Classify SOEs: Productive vs Correctional | Rea + Bernice | Categorised list | +5 days |
| Flag unclear cases (grey areas) | Rea + Bernice | Notes for review | +5 days |
| Submit for review | Rea + Bernice | Clean version | +6 days |
3. FOUR-QUADRANT MAPPING (STRUCTURE TRACK)
| Action | Owner | Output Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refine ministry placement across quadrants | Rea | Updated quadrant map | +3 days |
| Attach persistent issues to each quadrant | Rea + Bernice | Issue mapping | +4 days |
| Identify cross-cutting issues (e.g. unemployment) | Rea + Bernice | Short note (1 page) | +5 days |
4. PUBLIC WORKSHOPS (EXTERNAL TRACK)
| Action | Owner | Output Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiate discussion with Brunoh | Bernice | Alignment note | Immediate |
| Define workshop format (2-hr teaser → 2-day) | Bernice + Brunoh | Draft structure | +5 days |
| Propose initial dates and cadence | Bernice | Schedule proposal | +6 days |
| Outline participant journey (entry → deeper work) | Bernice | Flow outline | +6 days |
5. COORDINATION & REPORTING (CONTROL TRACK)
| Action | Owner | Output Required | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly 1-page progress update | Rea | Standardised report | Weekly |
| Consolidate team progress view | Rea | Summary dashboard | Weekly |
| Flag bottlenecks early | Rea | Issue notes | Ongoing |
WORKING PRINCIPLE (IMPORTANT)
This is not about completing tasks.
👉 It is about building the system that can carry the work consistently
WHAT TO WATCH (FOR YOU)
Ms Sheila Damodaran, watch for:
▪️ Delays in structuring (not activity — structure)
▪️ Avoidance of classification work (SOEs, quadrants)
▪️ Over-focus on logistics vs system clarity
FINAL LINE
This tracker ensures:
👉 The team does not drift into “busy work”
👉 And stays anchored on building capability + structure simultaneously
INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILD — SESSION DATES (MAY–AUGUST)
MAY 2026
▪️ Saturday, May 9
▪️ Saturday, May 16
▪️ Sunday, May 24
▪️ No session — May 30
JUNE 2026
▪️ Saturday, June 6
▪️ Saturday, June 13
▪️ Sunday, June 21
▪️No session — June 27
JULY 2026
▪️ Saturday, July 4
▪️ Saturday, July 11
▪️ No session — Sunday, July 19
▪️ Saturday, July 25
AUGUST 2026
▪️ Saturday, August 1
▪️ Saturday, August 8
▪️ Saturday, August 15
▪️ Sunday, August 23 (if extending into final cycle)
▪️ No session — August 29
NOTES
▪️ Total active sessions (May–Aug): 13–14 sessions
▪️ Rhythm maintained: 3 sessions per month + 1 break
▪️ August can serve as:
- final consolidation phase
- or extension depending on progress
STRLDI — FOLLOW-UP MEETING AGENDA
(Execution & Alignment Session)
1. OPENING & CONTEXT (5–10 MIN)
▪️ Confirm purpose of the meeting
▪️ Re-anchor on direction from previous session
▪️ Confirm expected outcomes for this session
2. REVIEW OF SESSION NOTES (10–15 MIN)
▪️ Confirm accuracy of circulated notes
▪️ Identify any gaps or corrections
▪️ Align on key decisions already captured
👉 Outcome:
Shared understanding of what has already been agreed
3. INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILD — READINESS CHECK (20 MIN)
▪️ Confirm participant list (8–10)
▪️ Confirm session schedule (May–Aug)
▪️ Confirm roles:
- Bernice (tracking, session control)
- Rea (coordination and continuity)
▪️ Confirm session flow and outputs
👉 Outcome:
Programme ready to begin without ambiguity
4. OPERATING CONTROL POINTS — FINAL ALIGNMENT (15–20 MIN)
▪️ Validate control points:
- Attendance discipline
- Output expectations
- Between-session work
▪️ Confirm enforcement approach (no drift)
👉 Outcome:
Clarity on how the system will be held
5. TASK ASSIGNMENTS — STATUS & NEXT STEPS (20 MIN)
Each assigned area to report:
▪️ Rea
- Notes consolidation
- Programme coordination readiness
▪️ Bernice
- Tracking approach
- Session structure readiness
▪️ Others (if present)
- Any dependencies or constraints
👉 Outcome:
Clear ownership and next actions
6. STRUCTURE OF WORK — GOVERNMENT / SYSTEM MAPPING (15–20 MIN)
▪️ Review four-quadrant framework
▪️ Confirm ministry mapping approach
▪️ Clarify how this links to future engagements
👉 Outcome:
Shared frame for external work
7. EXTERNAL POSITIONING — NEXT STEPS (10–15 MIN)
▪️ Identify immediate opportunities
▪️ Confirm readiness for:
- Conversations
- Briefings
- Introductions
👉 Outcome:
Clarity on outward movement
8. ADMIN, LOGISTICS & COORDINATION (10 MIN)
▪️ Confirm meeting cadence going forward
▪️ Confirm communication flow
▪️ Address any operational constraints
9. CLOSING — DECISIONS & ACTIONS (10 MIN)
▪️ Summarise key decisions
▪️ Confirm next steps and owners
▪️ Confirm timeline to next meeting
👉 Outcome:
Nothing left open-ended
FINAL NOTE
This meeting is to:
👉 Lock execution, not explore ideas
Systems Thinking Research & Leadership Development Institute (STRLDi) 
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