Find possibility in polycrisis

We help you make change within the interconnected challenges of our time.

You’re in the right place.

If you’re here, you’re probably already feeling it. What used to work no longer does. Yet somewhere within that uncertainty, you can see the possibility of a different way. Whether you are an individual with an idea, a community of change-makers or from an organisation with the opportunity to influence at scale, we are here to remind you that what you see, think, feel, connect and decide to do now matters.

Remember you matter.

You’re not alone.

See the progress.

We research. design. develop. impact.

From understanding what matters today to shaping what becomes possible tomorrow, we work with you to research, design, develop and evaluate leadership for the moment we are in.

How we help.

The polycrisis.

A name for the moment we are in.

The conditions shaping our lives have never existed in isolation. Health, climate, technology, inequality, geopolitics, trust and the cost of living have always been deeply entangled, even when we lacked the language to describe it. Increasingly, the term polycrisis is being used to bring visibility to the multiple, simultaneous and intersecting crises shaping one another and our possible futures. We believe naming the moment helps us see it differently.

Work with this moment.

The problem.

Legacy holds us still.

Much of how we work today was built for a different world. Legacy systems – political, economic, organisational, cultural or even personal – can hold us in patterns that now hold progress in place. To move forward at a pace supportive of long term futures, we must acknowledge what no longer works and have the courage to let it go.

Think beyond legacy.

The ‘polyopportunity’.

If challenges are connected, then so are the ways through them.

We believe this moment, as daunting as it is, is also rich with opportunity. Whilst polycrisis names the interconnected challenges of our time, polyopportunity invites us to recognise that opportunities are interconnected too. But to realise those opportunities, we need meaningful ways to prepare people for the reality of the change we are trying to make.

Find your ways through.

‘polyopportunity’ – a way to meet many challenges whilst looking at one.

How we help you.

This is where leadership comes in

Leadership is not about a few people holding all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for more people to share and shape the solutions that affect them. This leadership asks you to work – from where you are right now – with doubt, resistance and the risk of being misunderstood. It’s exactly at this moment, when it feels overwhelming, that we are here.

Start where you are.

Polycrisis Leadership Lab

The Lab is a space to question, share and learn together as we explore what leadership looks like in a world of interconnected challenges.

Part research. Part development.

Join the lab.

“

Amy is a passionate and experienced professional who skillfully assesses the context and facilitates collaboration. She is committed to social justice and supporting individuals and organisations in this quest. We have worked together on a few projects over a number of years and I wholeheartedly recommend her work. She is a pleasure to work with and her work ethic and results speak for themselves.
Dr Fiona ChattenDirector of Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health, University of Cumbria

“

NHS Greater Manchester worked with The Work in Progress and Collaborate Out Loud over a 3-year period to develop a set of open-source leadership tools. I really valued their approach to co-design - living out the ‘Fairer Health for All’ principles. Amy and Claire have great connections into VCSE and public sector networks and were able to bring a range of ideas, experience and concepts together into very practical tools. A key strength was being adaptive to change and allowing the tools to emerge.
Dr Deborah ThompsonPublic Health Consultant, NHS Greater Manchester

“

Engaging with The Work in Progress was transformative. Amy always created a safe, energising space that enabled the Good Enough Start team to think more boldly, challenge assumptions, and ultimately develop and lead a service with increased confidence and clarity. Her flexible, bespoke approach enabled us to move away from more traditional ways of thinking and doing, to turn ambitious ideas into real support for families.
Janice BrockbankStrategic lead, Good Enough Start

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The Council recognises the significant contribution Millom Connect makes to the wellbeing, resilience, and future development of our community.
Millom Town Council

Decision points are turning points.

The solutions to the most complex challenges of our time don’t all sit elsewhere. They live within our everyday decisions.

Discuss your next decision.