Training and education is an integral part of how Motive advances our mission to mitigate global conflict and instability. Our training audiences include U.S. and international civilian and military officials, civil society, and the private sector. We see students as “force multipliers,” equipping them with empirically- and operationally-proven tools to tackle complex problems, then supporting them with life-long reach back support - a commitment we make to all Motive alumni. We offer two one-of-a-kind signature courses (Transforming Crisis Systems (TCS) and Governance & Social Contracts (Gov)) and other training services to meet our diverse clients’ needs. Whether in-person, virtual, or self-paced, Motive training relies on dynamic pedagogical techniques to achieve superior learning outcomes measured through rigorous evaluations.
On this Page:
Signature Courses: “Gov” and ”TCS”
Other Training Services
Booking and FAQs
Testimonials and Case Studies
Signature Courses
Transforming Crisis System (TCS) Course
Rooted in the principles of systems and design thinking, Motive’s popular “TCS” methodology features 6 tools & methods for advanced analysis, planning, and measuring change in complex systems. In this course, students master this methodology through carefully-curated scenario-based simulations that mirror the wicked problems they confront in the real-world. Agile, participatory, and proven in the field, TCS has been employed with profound results in Special Operations missions, multilateral policy-making, international trade, and countless other contexts. TCS enhances the speed, precision, and integration of popular military, policy, development, and business decision-making methods for an approach that transcends sector, language, and cultural barriers. Whether it’s the user-friendly conflict assessment framework, systems mapping tools, logic-based planning methods, or tools for conducting laser-focused assessments, TCS elements are routinely described as “game-changing” by course alumni who continue to apply the methodology years after they’ve left our classroom. Check out case studies of students and experts applying TCS in the real-world.
Governance & Social Contracts (GOV) Course
Motive’s groundbreaking “Gov” course prepares students to understand and affect who has authority - and why - in societies experiencing competition, fragility, or conflict. Designed around Motive’s one-of-a-kind, empirically-proven Social Contract Assessment Tool (SCAT), this course translates theoretical concepts into powerful, action-oriented skills. Course graduates learn how to analyze, strengthen, counter, and leverage institutional systems of authority, whether those be state, non-state, tribal, ethnic, corporate, or otherwise. Taught by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with unique operational, policy, and academic expertise, this course is designed for practitioners involved in irregular competition, peace-building, civil society strengthening, community development, and more. The course features hands-on practical exercises, expert-led seminars, case studies, and a culminating final exercise. The standard course is delivered over 4-5 consecutive days, but can be adapted by request.
Learn more about the SCAT or find out how Motive applied course concepts to counter Kremlin-backed hybrid warfare.
Other Training Services
Motive offers full-service curriculum development, custom workshops that combine hands-on learning with real-world problem solving, and an ever-expanding catalog of on-demand Special Topics Courses.
Custom workshops we’ve held…
Security cooperation workshop with Latin American officials to integrate Women, Peace and Security (WPS) principles into real-world policies and plans.
Pre-deployment workshops with Civil Affairs teams to strengthen civil network analysis through mission-relevant scenarios and interagency consultations.
4-day deep dive with U.S. Special Operations Forces applying systems analytic tools in support of command-directed crisis response planning in Iraq.
3-day Tabletop Exercise with the Lebanese Armed Forces to build refugee management capabilities while informing Lebanese policy on the Syrian refugee crisis.
On-demand Special Topics Courses…
Mastering the Information Environment: A Social Contract Approach to Information Operations
Strategy Essentials (In partnership with Strategic Education International)
Optimizing the Effectiveness of a TSOC Staff
Effective Writing, Briefing, and Communications
IDPs, Refugees, & Dislocated Populations: A Civ-Mil Lens
Leveraging Interagency, Civil Society, Private Sector and Non-Traditional Authorities and Effects
Countering Violent Extremism: Empirical Approaches
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
Advanced Negotiations and Mediation
Booking and FAQs
Booking Motive training is easy. Here’s HOw:
Step 1: Contact us or request a quote to help us determine the best options for your schedule, budget, and training goals.
Step 2: We send you a price quote or custom proposal and coordinate with you throughout the purchasing process.
Step 3: Once training is confirmed, we take care of registering students and ensuring smooth event logistics.
How can my organization ACCESS and PAY FOR training?
U.S. Federal customers: Government customers can sponsor and pay for a single iteration of our Signature or Special Topics Courses on-demand without a contract using a Government Purchase Card (GPC). This process is fast, easy, and fully compliant with Federal regulations. For multiple events or custom training, Government customers can book training under an existing contract vehicle or new small business contract. As a certified woman-owned and small disadvantaged business, Motive is eligible for set-aside and sole source contracts under FAR Part 19.
Other customers: Motive routinely delivers training for U.S. and international commercial, civil society, and government partners as end users or under contracts funded by others. Contact us to explore ways to access training under a new or existing prime or subcontract or to discuss credit card, ACH, or check payment options.
How much does training cost?
Motive is committed to fair, accessible pricing. Many of our “commercial off the shelf” (COTS) Signature and Special Topics Courses are priced under the Government Purchase Card (GPC) spend limit on a firm fixed price (all inclusive) basis. Custom training is quoted on a fixed price or time and materials basis, with discounts for multiple events. Pricing depends on level of customization, training location, audience size, and purchase mechanism. Contact us or request a quote and we’d be happy to provide pricing information right away.
Where and in what format does Motive deliver training?
Whether your training audience is convened in one room or dispersed around the globe, we have a format for you.
In-Person training is delivered by expert Mobile Training Teams available for worldwide travel. Motive or the client can coordinate venues, including those suitable for training at various classification levels.
Virtual training is delivered by expert instructors via secure online platform - perfect for dispersed training audiences. Virtual training involves synchronous and asynchronous instruction and innovative technologies for hands-on, highly engaging learning.
Self-Paced training is facilitated by Motive experts who curate coursework that students can complete asynchronously, with periodic instructor mentorship. This flexible format is great for individual learners or dispersed training audiences.
Can Motive deliver Training outside the U.S. or with international partners?
Yes, we love doing this! We’ve delivered training all over the world - including high-threat environments - often with multinational partners and in multiple languages. These events build capacity, cross-cultural understanding, and often lead to tangible policy or operational outcomes. Motive is fully insured for worldwide operations and has coordinated events on every continent except Antarctica. Our instructors have extensive overseas experience, deep regional expertise, and are fluent in several languages.
How big is a typical class size?
A typical class size for in-person delivery of our Signature Courses is 20-30 students. We’ve executed workshops or custom training events for groups as small as 4 and as large as 100+ people. Class size is flexible based on your needs.
How DOES SCHEDULING WORK?
We deliver training on-demand, though some of our contracts have pre-defined training schedules. We’ve executed courses with as short as 48-hours notice, but recommend clients book at least 1 month ahead to enable pre-course consultations and smooth logistics coordination. For clients with longer-range plans, we’re happy to reserve training dates many months in advance.
Testimonials and Case Studies
"Motive’s TCS methodology offers a critical and missing capability that should be integrated across the community."
- Former USASOC Commanding General
“Personnel assigned to my embassy that have taken Motive’s courses before arriving bring incredible new skills and value. I hope more people assigned to my Mission take this training.”
- U.S. Ambassador
“Motive’s Gov course trained me to apply the Social Contract Assessment Tool (SCAT) and presented case studies where this tool had been applied in the real-world. The example of how Motive applied the SCAT to analyze Russian influence in the Baltics was totally eye-opening and highly relevant to my role crafting multilateral policy.”
-NATO Policy Official, Gov course graduate
“The Gov course is better than any training I received in my 30-year career as a Foreign Service Officer. I wish the SCAT existed when I was serving on the Iran desk, or during Algeria’s revolution, or in Cold War Europe. All State Department and USAID officers need this.”
- U.S. Career Diplomat
"The approaches I learned in Motive’s courses enable deeper understanding of the environment, better clarity on political implications of interventions, and easier coordination with interagency and indigenous partners."
- U.S. Special Operations NCO, TCS & Gov course graduate
“Anyone dealing with complex problems of global consequence should take Motive’s courses. TCS totally changed my understanding of the refugee crisis my country is dealing with and what my organization could do to fundamentally transform the problem into something we can manage.”
- Foreign Government Official, TCS course graduate
“The tools & methods I learned in Motive’s TCS and Gov courses were more effective and comprehensive than anything I previously learned in the OpDesign and planning courses I’d taken. I view this training as critical to all my future missions.”
– U.S. Special Forces Officer, TCS & Gov course graduate
Case Studies
The following highlight the real-world relevance and impacts of Motive training. Visit our blog to see more.
Participating alongside 100+ global social entrepreneurs and changemakers, Motive formed a civilian-military team and participated in a 2-day virtual Impactathon August 21-22, 2020, taking second place among 25 teams for the most innovative approach to addressing extreme poverty.
Hosted by the NGOs Innov8Social and Join the Journey, the Impactathon challenged teams of participants to produce a social enterprise business model in less than 48 hours that could contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal #1 to end poverty in all forms by 2030.