The Architect of Systemic Resilience

Dr. Chris Doherty: Bridging the gap between academic rigour and the gritty reality of public service leadership.

At the heart of The Cornerstone Practice is a singular conviction: UK public service organisations deserve better than cut-and-paste risk management.

As a leader in education, social enterprise, or the wider public sector, you are navigating a landscape of unprecedented systemic complexity. Yet, the consulting industry too often provides you with generic templates, superficial checklists, and theories that collapse under the pressure of real-world operations.

I founded The Cornerstone Practice to close this critical gap. My mission is to provide the high-level, evidence-based risk architecture that complex organisations need, delivered with the practical understanding of someone who has stood in your shoes.

The "Pracademic" Synthesis

My approach is defined by a unique synthesis of two distinct worlds—a combination rarely found in traditional consultancies. I am a "Pracademic":

1. The Operational Leader: I have spent decades navigating intricate, high-stakes challenges within large-scale public sector operations. I understand the pressures of regulatory scrutiny, tight budgets, and the moral imperative of safeguarding vulnerable stakeholders. I know that the most elegant risk framework is useless if it doesn't work for the people on the ground.

2. The Doctoral Researcher: My practice is grounded in my doctorate focussed on risk management in complex systems. This advanced degree provided the theoretical depth to look beyond conventional wisdom. It equipped me with the forensic research capabilities to design robust, evidence-based architectures that anticipate future threats rather than just reacting to past failures.

The Result: You receive counsel that is academically rigorous enough to satisfy the toughest regulator, yet practical enough to be embraced by your busiest operational teams.

My Philosophy: Architecture, Not Administration

My core belief is that robust risk management is not an administrative burden to be tolerated; it is the fundamental cornerstone of a resilient organisation.

My philosophy centres on three principles:

• Systemic Impact, Not Just Checklists: We delve deep into your unique ecosystem to build systemic intelligence. We don't just identify symptoms on a register; we architect solutions for root causes.

• Evidence-Based Methodology: We move beyond "gut feeling." My approach is grounded in forensic data analysis and proven academic frameworks (such as Delphi consensus methods and RIMS maturity models), ensuring your decisions are defensible.

• Sector-Specific Dedication: My focus is exclusively on UK public service, education trusts, charities, and social enterprises. I speak your language, I understand your unique regulatory environment, and I appreciate your mission-critical objectives.

Your Partner in Resilience

I operate The Cornerstone Practice as a boutique firm by design.

I do not employ junior analysts to do the heavy lifting. When you engage The Cornerstone Practice, you get direct, unfiltered access to me.

Because I work with a capped number of select clients, I can commit to truly understanding your specific challenges. Whether I am designing your Systemic Blueprint, scanning your horizon through Strategic Foresight, or sitting on your leadership team as part of the Executive Directorate, you receive my full, dedicated expertise.