Strong organisations and leaders have a distinctive signature
Successful organisations have a distinct cultural signature. They build on their DNA and know what they stand for. Likewise, the most effective leaders have a deep understanding of their ‘spikes’ – the unique strengths which truly define them and the values and principles by which they lead. This allows them to have impact on individuals, teams and the culture of organisations in a powerful and authentic manner.
There is no such thing as personality
People generally label others but resent being labeled themselves. We believe people behave in different ways in different situations. For example we would never say that somebody is either confident or under confident as a blanket statement. Rather we would attempt to understand the situations in which they feel comfortable and the ones in which they feel less self-assured. Once you put to one side the notion of people having set traits you are able to see others in a truer and more insightful manner.
We don’t believe in psychobabble
We believe in using psychology in a pragmatic way to help businesses. Our consultants are business people first and psychologists second. We speak to managers in their language and work in a creative way to make psychology relevant. We do not hide behind academic mystique and abstract theorising. Instead, our focus is on communicating with people who want us to solve issues in the real world.
What people believe and actually do is all that matters in organisations
Strategic plans, organisational structures or short term targets mean little unless they are internalised by people and actually influence the way that they behave. Changing organisational structure or putting into place a new strategic plan can give the illusion of progress but achieve nothing if people are not touched. We believe many organisations pay lip service to the importance of people and often engage in activities which will not ‘bite’ because the people component is missing. We help businesses understand how to change the way people actually operate and behave.
People want belonging and meaning in their work
Our belief is that many organisations lack genuine cohesion and an ability to embed change in a meaningful way. Indeed, many of the initiatives that were once important in driving change are being over-used. Many organisations also drive change mechanistically without asking what real impact it is having. While the whole can, and should, be greater than the sum of its parts, in reality it is often less. Therefore, organisations that create real cohesion and meaning are going to be the ones that deliver superior results in the future.