Process - Principles - Philosophy

We view people and organizations as complex, adaptive, emergent systems.

There is an adage – “the truth shall set you free.” It is our experience that as change occurs, it often comes with a broadening or deepening of our view of the situation. We see more of the complexity, more of the factors at play than we saw previously, and, the action to take clarifies naturally and we move forward.

Our work is not based on a single approach, philosophy, or technique. We draw on and integrate the leading frameworks and approaches for human and organizational development. We attempt to ground our work in the broadest and deepest perspective we can find and approach our clients situations with an eye to see the greatness that is latent in the system and wants to emerge in the next stage of its evolution.

Integral

When approaching a business problem we typically, and rightly, focus on the intended outcome: sales numbers, product features, business requirements. We look at the observable results we desire. We look at how to get from A to B, what obstacles we may encounter, what needs to occur.

As the noted philosopher, Ken Wilber, has shown, the objective, observable conditions are just a portion of we need to consider. Everything, including your business challenges, exists in both the subjective and objective domains, and as both individual and collective concerns.

While we typically focus on observable business results, every business situation is affected by all of these factors. While trying to go from A to B we are often hampered by conflicts in culture, values, and individual concerns that may not be explicit.

That is why, in order to help you grow in a truly sustainable way, we take an approach that addresses all these dimensions, an integral approach.

In addition to working with these four dimensions as a whole, the integral approach means

• developing the different leadership intelligences – cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, physical, spiritual,

• bringing a rich understanding and practice of human growth and development,

• identifying and working with differing mental models, worldviews, and organizational cultures,

• taking a systems approach, identifying and working with complexity and multiple causes.

We believe that only by considering all the dimensions of our client’s situations – as an integrated system – can we find the path to sustainable improved performance.

Transformative

The integral theory can be seen as a map for assessment – a lens through which we peer to see the world in a more complex manner. But there is an equally important view we take: whatever point we stand in now, reality is evolving. We attempt to bring the capacity to perceive and envision a deeper, more effective, more powerful future, that is the naturally deeper expression of the greatness inherent in the current situation.

• We hold the polarity and paradox of evolution – an embrace of the perfection of what is present and a support of what wants to emerge.

• We practice the discipline of transformative intent – we stand for the possibilities you can not yet imagine and the results you dream of.

• Throughout the process, from assessment to rollout, we work with you and your organization to develop the capacity for committed action towards a new future.

Integrative

Often training efforts fail because the learning is not practiced or taken into the workflow; coaching efforts fall short because a leader’s new perspectives are not shared by the team; new strategies are not refined as feedback loops are not in place to inform learning.

We believe that, in order to be successful, one must integrate multiple approaches to organizational intervention and learning. We bring an approach that includes training, coaching, consulting, facilitation, and application – continually integrating learning with action, in a way where each inform each other.

To accomplish this we endeavor to continually attend to and develop what noted management theorist William Torbert calls the four territories of experience:

While it requires a greater commitment on the part of our clients as well as us, this highly effective integrative learning approach creates real change with long term impact.