The Red Hills Action Lab
From Idea to Institution: A Diagnostic for Execution Readiness
Many initiatives do not fail because the idea is weak.
They stall because the execution infrastructure required to support scale was never formally built.
Governance clarity, decision rights, operating capacity, and accountability structures are often assumed rather than designed. By the time leaders recognize the gap, momentum has slowed and the window for course correction is smaller.
The Red Hills Action Lab was created to surface those structural questions early.
“Your facilitation created the kind of environment that serious builders and institution-makers need — one that moves beyond theory and forces us to confront the structural, governance, and operational questions that determine whether bold ideas can evolve into enduring institutions. These are precisely the conversations required if we are serious about building systems that last.”
— Dr. Ken L. Harris, President & CEO, National Business League
The Lab is a facilitated diagnostic experience that helps leadership teams pressure test execution readiness before problems become visible. It moves conversations beyond vision and into the operating realities required to translate ideas into durable institutions.
The Problem
Across sectors, organizations frequently launch initiatives with strong leadership, compelling ideas, and real momentum. Yet many of those initiatives stall when the underlying architecture required for execution has not been clearly defined.
Common challenges include:
• Governance and decision rights that remain unclear
• Operating models that cannot yet support scale
• Accountability structures that are assumed rather than formalized
• Implementation capacity that is stretched or undefined
When these questions are not addressed early, progress slows and opportunities are harder to sustain.
What the Action Lab Is
The Red Hills Action Lab is a structured leadership diagnostic designed to help organizations examine the structural foundations required for execution.
Rather than focusing on brainstorming or vision development, the Lab focuses on the questions that determine whether an initiative can actually operate, scale, and endure.
Through facilitated discussion and targeted diagnostic questions, leadership teams examine the governance, operating model, and accountability structures required for meaningful progress over the next 3 to 12 months.
The result is a clearer understanding of what must be built, strengthened, or clarified to support the next phase of growth.
The Diagnostic Framework
The Action Lab examines four core dimensions of execution readiness.
Governance and Decision Rights
Are decision rights clearly defined, or are they assumed? Who ultimately owns the next critical decision?
Operating Model Readiness
Does the current operating model have the systems, staffing, and processes required to support scale?
Ownership and Accountability
Is responsibility centralized, diffused, or codified into durable leadership roles?
Execution Risk and Scale Readiness
If resources increased tomorrow, could the structure absorb them effectively?
Key Diagnostic Questions
During the Lab, leaders engage with questions such as:
• Who owns the next critical decision?
• What must exist for this initiative to operate without constant leadership intervention?
• Where does the model break at the next level of scale?
• What capability must be built that does not exist today?
• What is the first real operational bottleneck?
These conversations surface both strengths and structural gaps that can be addressed before they slow progress.
Who the Action Lab Is For
The Action Lab is designed for leaders navigating moments of growth, transition, or complexity.
Common participants include:
• Nonprofit leaders scaling programs or launching new initiatives
• Foundations deploying strategic initiatives or collaborative partnerships
• Corporate strategy and transformation teams
• Cross sector partnerships navigating governance complexity
• Leadership teams preparing for a new phase of growth
What Leaders Leave With
Participants leave the Action Lab with:
• Execution risks surfaced before they slow progress
• Governance and decision gaps clarified
• Two to three concrete operating priorities for the next 90 days
• A shared leadership understanding of deployment readiness
The goal is not simply insight, but clarity about what must happen next.
Format Options
The Action Lab can be delivered in several formats depending on the setting and leadership needs.
90 Minute Action Lab
Ideal for executive forums, conferences, and leadership gatherings.
Half Day Workshop
Suitable for strategy retreats and leadership planning sessions.
Full Day Lab
Designed for organizations undergoing transformation or preparing for scale.
Sessions can be delivered virtually or in person.
Proven in Practice
The Action Lab was recently piloted at The Meridian Guild’s Beyond the Frontiers 2026 convening in Washington, DC, where leaders from across sectors engaged in a rigorous discussion about what it takes to move initiatives from ideas into durable institutions.
Participants described the experience as both affirming and motivating, helping them identify the structural foundations required to support their next phase of growth.
About the Facilitator
The Action Lab is facilitated by Renée Jones, Founder and CEO of Red Hills Consulting Group.
Renée is a strategy and transformation advisor with more than two decades of experience helping organizations move from vision to execution. She has held leadership roles at Deloitte, PwC, and Capgemini and has advised global corporations, nonprofits, and mission driven organizations navigating complex transformation.
Through Red Hills Consulting Group, she partners with organizations to translate strategy into sustainable action through clear governance, operating models, and execution discipline.
Call to Action
Interested in bringing the Red Hills Action Lab to your organization or leadership convening?
Schedule a discovery call to explore how the Action Lab can support your leadership team.
For a quick overview of the diagnostic framework and format options, download the one-page summary below.
Red Hills - Helping Leaders Align Strategy, People, and Purpose to Create Lasting Impact 