About Building20
Why Building20 exists
At Building20, we believe work should be a place where people can think clearly, work well together, and contribute to something meaningful. Even in complex, pressurised conditions.
Many leadership challenges are not caused by a lack of talent or effort. They arise when capable people are working within systems that reward speed, certainty, and individual expertise, while the work itself demands collaboration, judgement, and shared responsibility.
Our work sits in that gap.
What we mean by leadership
We don’t treat leadership as a set of traits or skills held by a few individuals.
Instead, we understand leadership as a shared capability of a team or system — shaped by how decisions are made, how differences are handled, and how people make sense of uncertainty together.
By working at this level, teams are able to make progress that is both more humane and more resilient.
Where the name Building20 comes from
The name Building20 is drawn from a now‑legendary structure at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Originally built as a temporary space, MIT’s Building 20 became an unlikely incubator for breakthrough work across multiple disciplines. Its success was not due to polish or permanence, but to permissive conditions: flexibility, proximity, freedom to experiment, and respect for human creativity.
For us, Building 20 is a reminder that:
- the environments we create shape how people think and collaborate
- breakthrough often happens in places that are messy and unfinished
- progress comes from enabling human potential, not controlling it
This principle sits quietly beneath everything we do.
Our practice
Building20 works with leadership teams, partnerships, and senior practitioners navigating complexity, change, and pressure.
Our work blends:
- psychological insight and behavioural science
- an understanding of complex systems and organisational dynamics
- solution‑focused practice that keeps attention on what actually helps
We design and facilitate workshops, provide consultancy support, and offer coaching where it meaningfully contributes to wider system change.
Our principle is building capability, not dependence. We aim to offer just enough external support so teams are better equipped to think and act independently long after our direct involvement ends.
About Dr Amanda Woolley
Building20 is founded and led by Dr Amanda Woolley.
Amanda holds a PhD in the psychology of decision‑making and has extensive experience supporting teams and partnerships working across organisational, professional, and geographical boundaries — particularly in complex public, health, and purpose‑driven systems.
She is known for her ability to stay with difficult questions, work constructively with difference and tension, and help groups think more clearly together when stakes are high.
Amanda’s practice is shaped not only by academic training and professional experience, but by a deep commitment to sustainability — of people, systems, and herself. This informs a way of working that is purposeful, deliberate, and attentive to real human limits.
Our associates
Principal Consultant, Dr Stephen Backhouse, is an experienced consultant whose work sits at the intersection of strategy, values, and organisational culture. Stephen regularly provides his expertise to support our clients with deeper sense‑making and collective leadership.
Most of our work begins with a thoughtful conversation. If you’re noticing recurring patterns, slow progress, or a sense that effort isn’t translating into outcomes, we’re happy to explore whether our way of working would be helpful.