Office of Communities of Practice & Membership & Practitioner Development

Office Charter

Purpose

The Office of Communities of Practice & Membership & Practitioner Development is responsible for cultivating, coordinating and developing STRLDi’s international practitioner community. It provides the institutional bridge between public engagement and long-term participation by enabling practitioners to join Communities of Practice, become Members of the Institute, continue their professional development and progressively assume greater responsibilities as contributors, stewards and Institute Fellows. The Office ensures that every practitioner experiences a coherent journey that reflects STRLDi’s commitment to learning before action, disciplined practice and institutional stewardship.

Mandate

The Office establishes and supports Communities of Practice as structured learning communities where practitioners strengthen their capability through dialogue, reflection, collaborative inquiry and the practical application of The Fifth Discipline. It administers Membership as a continuing professional relationship with the Institute rather than as a transactional subscription, recognising Members who commit themselves to advancing organisational learning, systems thinking and institutional development. Through these complementary responsibilities, the Office nurtures an international network of practitioners who learn together, contribute together and progressively strengthen the Institute’s intellectual and professional community.

Strategic Objectives

The Office exists to:

1. Build and sustain STRLDi’s international Communities of Practice.
2. Administer Membership and practitioner records.
3. Coordinate practitioner development throughout the Member lifecycle.
4. Maintain accurate registers for Community Participants, Members and practitioner development.
5. Support Community Contributors, Community Stewards and future Institute Fellows.
6. Promote continual learning through participation in STRLDi programmes, publications and Communities of Practice.
7. Strengthen relationships between practitioners, organisations and the Institute.
8. Preserve the integrity of the Institute’s practitioner records and administrative processes.

Office Structure

Office of Communities of Practice &
Membership & Practitioner Development
                    │
     ┌──────────────┴──────────────┐
     │                             │
Communities of Practice     Membership &
Administration              Practitioner Development

The Office comprises two closely integrated functional units. Communities of Practice Administration develops and supports STRLDi’s international learning communities, while Membership & Practitioner Development manages professional membership, practitioner records and long-term professional growth. Although each unit performs distinct responsibilities, both operate from a common practitioner record so that participation, membership, learning history and leadership development remain connected throughout the practitioner’s relationship with STRLDi.

Functions of the Office

Communities of Practice Administration

This function establishes, coordinates and supports STRLDi’s Communities of Practice as international learning communities organised around areas of professional practice. It manages Community Participant registrations, maintains Community registers, supports Community Stewards, coordinates communications, monitors participation and ensures that practitioners are connected with the Communities most relevant to their professional interests. The function also identifies practitioners who demonstrate sustained contribution and recommends them for Membership, Community Contributor responsibilities and future stewardship roles.

Membership & Practitioner Development

This function manages Membership applications, maintains the Membership Register, supports practitioner development and coordinates the professional recognition pathways of the Institute. It administers Membership throughout its lifecycle, from application and approval through renewal, practitioner development and leadership progression. The function also supports Founding Members, develops future Community Stewards and Institute Fellows, and ensures that Membership continues to represent an enduring commitment to STRLDi’s educational mission.

Practitioner Journey

Every practitioner follows a progressive learning journey that deepens engagement with the Institute while encouraging continual learning and contribution.

1. Discover STRLDi through publications, programmes or research.
2. Register as a Community Participant.
3. Participate in one or more Communities of Practice.
4. Apply for STRLDi Membership.
5. Become an active Member of the Institute.
6. Contribute to Communities and Institute initiatives.
7. Serve as a Community Steward where appropriate.
8. Progress towards Institute Fellowship through sustained contribution.

Registers Managed

The Office maintains the following institutional registers:

1. Community Participant Register.
2. Community Participation Register.
3. Membership Application Register.
4. Membership Register.
5. Practitioner Development Register.
6. Community Steward Register.
7. Institute Fellow Register.

Together these registers provide a complete history of each practitioner’s relationship with STRLDi, enabling the Institute to support learning, recognise contribution and preserve institutional continuity throughout the practitioner’s journey.

Standard Operating Procedure 1

Membership Application, Approval & Activation

Purpose

This procedure governs the receipt, processing, approval and activation of all STRLDi Membership applications, ensuring that every application is handled consistently, accurately and transparently while maintaining complete practitioner records.

Procedure

1. The applicant completes and submits the online Membership Application Form, selecting the appropriate Membership category and indicating the Communities of Practice in which they currently participate or wish to join.
2. Google Forms records the submission in the Membership Register spreadsheet, where Google Apps Script automatically generates the next sequential Membership Application Number (MA-YYYY-######), records the application, identifies the Membership category, retrieves the applicable Membership fee and sets the application status to Pending Review.
3. Google Apps Script immediately sends a personalised acknowledgement email confirming receipt of the application, providing the Membership Application Number, Membership category, applicable fee, banking details, payment instructions, Communities of Practice selected by the applicant, and the email address and WhatsApp number to which proof of payment should be submitted.
4. The applicant forwards proof of payment to the Office of Membership & Practitioner Development using the contact details provided in the acknowledgement email.
5. The Office verifies the payment, updates the Membership Register to reflect payment received and reviews the application for completeness and eligibility.
6. Upon approval, the Office converts the Membership Application Number from MA-YYYY-###### to M-YYYY-######, preserving the numeric sequence, changes the Membership Status to Active, records the approval date and updates the Practitioner Development Register.
7. The Office prepares and issues the Membership Certificate, sends the Membership confirmation and welcome communication, and activates the Member’s continuing participation in the Institute.

Records Generated

1. Membership Application Register.
2. Membership Register.
3. Payment Record.
4. Practitioner Development Register.
5. Membership Certificate.
6. Membership Confirmation Email.

Standard Operating Procedure 2

Communities of Practice Registration & Administration

Purpose

This procedure governs the registration, administration and ongoing support of Community Participants, ensuring that practitioners are connected with appropriate Communities of Practice and supported throughout their learning journey.

Procedure

1. The applicant completes and submits the Community Participant Registration Form, indicating professional profile, practice areas and Communities of Practice they wish to join.
2. Google Forms records the submission in the Community Participant Register, where Google Apps Script automatically generates the next sequential Community Participant Number (CP-YYYY-######), creates the practitioner record and records the selected Communities of Practice.
3. Google Apps Script sends a personalised welcome email confirming registration, providing the Community Participant Number, summarising the Communities selected and outlining the next steps for participation.
4. The Office records the participant within each selected Community, notifies the relevant Community Steward, updates Community participation records and adds the participant to the appropriate communication and collaboration platforms.
5. The Office maintains participation records by recording attendance, contributions, learning activities and progression within each Community, while periodically reviewing practitioner engagement and identifying opportunities for further development.
6. Where appropriate, the Office invites Community Participants to apply for STRLDi Membership, recommends practitioners for Community Contributor responsibilities, supports the appointment of Community Stewards and records practitioner progression within the Practitioner Development Register.

Records Generated

1. Community Participant Register.
2. Community Participation Register.
3. Community Communication Lists.
4. Practitioner Development Register.
5. Community Participation History.
6. Community Welcome Email.

Office Guiding Principle

The Office exists to build an international community of practitioners who continually strengthen their ability to understand complexity, learn collaboratively and steward institutional transformation. Communities of Practice provide the environment in which practitioners learn together, while Membership recognises a deeper commitment to the mission and continuing development of STRLDi. Together they form the Institute’s principal platform for practitioner engagement, professional development and long-term institutional stewardship.