Make existing value part of the strategic question
Make protecting existing equity, legacy and purpose part of the strategic question, rather than a check applied after choosing a direction. In the Carbon Tanzania workshop, conversations over dinner after the first day prompted a breakthrough: participants recognised that they were trying to answer the wrong question. Reframing the discussion around protecting Carbon Tanzania's accumulated equity and legacy, while retaining the wider environmental purpose, led to a more fruitful conversation.
The workshop brought together the two founders and their partners to explore possible directions. Time together outside the formal sessions helped build the trust needed to discuss hopes, fears and tensions openly. For leaders considering an evolution, the practical lesson is to agree what deserves protection before judging alternatives. Use that agreement to frame the strategic question, then develop a shortlist of possibilities and the further questions, hypotheses and tests needed for an informed decision.
Sources: Carbon dating: the power of trust and relationships in driving business strategy