The Fellowship
Leadership. When it matters.
For leaders who carry responsibility.
Three years. The time required to change culture.
Twelve scholars. Small rooms hold standards.
One pursuit. Excellence—across self, team, and organisation.
The Fellowship forms leaders whose judgement and standards endure under pressure.
Over three years, Scholars take on increasing responsibility: first of self, then teams, then organisations. Progress is measured by decisions that hold, standards that rise, and leadership exercised in pursuit of Excellence.
Formation, not information.
This is not a course or a credential. It is the long work of forming leaders who carry responsibility and decide under pressure.
Information comes quickly. Formation does not. It takes time, consequence, and a small room where standards hold. That is why the Fellowship is three years long, why the cohort is twelve, and why the measure is action, not insight—in pursuit of Excellence.
How it works
The Fellowship works because the conditions are exacting.
The cohort is twelve. Small enough for trust. Large enough for challenge. Scholars are selected for responsibility and judgement, not title or polish. The room must hold a standard, or the work fails.
The cadence follows a clear annual rhythm. Time in the room is matched by responsibility outside it. What is discussed is expected to show up in decisions, behaviour, and outcomes.
The code is explicit. Candour is required. Discretion is non-negotiable. The Chatham House Rule applies at all times so that truth can surface and standards can be tested.
This structure is fixed. It exists to support serious challenge and honest accountability in pursuit of Excellence.
The three-year arc
Three disciplines. Increasing responsibility.
The Fellowship is structured around a simple progression: lead yourself, then others, then the organisation.
Each year raises the level of responsibility. Each year sharpens judgement. Each year tests whether standards hold.
Year One — Essential Scholar
Leading self
The first year focuses on personal leadership. Scholars establish discipline and clarity of judgement—under pressure. Attention is given to time, energy, decisions, and behaviour, because leadership cannot exceed the person exercising it.
Outcome: judgement that can be relied upon.
Year Two — Applied Scholar
Leading teams
Responsibility expands outward. Scholars focus on setting expectations, handling conflict, and building teams that perform without constant intervention. Standards replace motivation as the driver of performance.
Outcome: the ability to raise the performance of others.
Year Three — Master Scholar
Leading organisations
The final year addresses leadership at organisational scale. Scholars work on strategy, structure, and execution—where decisions carry financial, cultural, and societal consequence.
Outcome: the ability to shape organisations, not merely manage them.
The through-line
Across all three years, the measure remains constant: decisions that endure, standards that rise, and leadership exercised in pursuit of Excellence.
Progress is demonstrated, not assumed.
Fellowship is completed.
Fellowship is kept.
Completion of the three-year Fellowship does not automatically confer Fellowship status. Scholars who meet the standard, demonstrate sustained judgement, and remain eligible may be invited to become Fellows of the Institute.
Fellowship signals more than participation. It reflects responsibility carried well over time, decisions that have endured under pressure, and continued adherence to the Institute’s code.
Fellowship is not a credential. It is a responsibility that must be upheld.
What changes
The Fellowship is designed to change how leadership is exercised, not how it is described.
Scholars leave with:
Sharper judgement under pressure
Higher personal standards that hold over time
Teams that perform because expectations are clear and enforced
Organisations with greater rhythm, accountability, and direction
A trusted peer group built on candour, discretion, and shared standards
The measure is not confidence or charisma, but leadership that performs consistently in pursuit of Excellence.
Selective by design
The Fellowship works only when the room holds a credible standard.
Scholars are selected for judgement, responsibility, and trajectory—not for title, polish, or promise. Selection is deliberate and rigorous, ensuring the Fellowship remains a place where standards can be set, tested, and upheld.
The selection process includes application, interview, and reference where appropriate. Not all applicants are accepted. This selectivity protects the integrity of the Fellowship and the experience of those within it.
Ready to be held to a higher standard?
If you are carrying responsibility, operating under pressure, and willing to be held to a demanding standard, the Fellowship may be the right next step.