Approach
Putting people first, supported by data and systems.
Not all firms approach this work in the same way. Read about our approach to see if we might be the best fit. Below are the guidelines we bring to every engagement.
Ground the work in data
All of our work is evidence-based, in several ways. We are grounded in the social science of what works and what doesn’t work. The company was founded by Dr. Michael Baran, a cultural anthropologist and cognitive psychologist with a PhD, who deeply understands the interaction between culture and minds, in people, in groups, and in organizations. That commitment to evidence extends to everything we do, including using those social science best practices to assess and analyze what is happening in your specific organization.
Plan strategically and holistically
With the end goals in mind, plan initiatives intentionally to make steady progress. We help you sequence the work so that it builds momentum effectively. Some early efforts can be done quickly, to address simple fixes and to create visible progress and credibility for what follows. Not every organization starts from the same place. Some begin with an assessment and plan strategy from those results. Others start with a keynote, to spark interest for more assessment. Others know they need some manager training first. No matter where we start, we help you plan for sustainable success.
Develop leader capability
Culture is disproportionately carried by the daily judgment and actions of leaders and managers; yet, many leaders never get the training they need to be true leaders and not just bosses in today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world. We help leaders develop practical skills to build relationships of trust with their team, to give and receive feedback productively, to make tough decisions, to navigate difficult conversations, and to mitigate the impact of bias.
Build inclusion and safety for all
The workforce of today is incredibly diverse, in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, generation, disability, neurodivergence, religion, language, culture, political affiliation, and more. Research shows that the number one factor in a team’s performance is the level of psychological safety that is built. A culture of inclusion and safety is best defined not by the average of our interactions, but by the worst thing that is tolerated. Our culture work is based on this understanding.
Call people in, not out
To build the culture and the collaboration necessary for a team or organization to achieve their highest performance, we must build trust and connection. We do that by calling all people in, people across all dimensions of difference. We do this by assuming good intentions, having patience and expecting progress. We also do this by building a deep understanding about everything we share. When people know how something works, the solutions make more sense and commitment grows.
Focus on people AND systems
To grow culture in a sustainable way, we help you bake improvements into policies and practices. For example, it’s important to help hiring managers understand bias, but if we help you build a way to structure interviews, then individual managers aren’t on their own to ask questions, questions that may be different for different applicants in an unconsciously biased way. Or another example: it’s great to tell leaders to value an employee taking on a leadership role in an ERG, but if we help you build that into rewards and recognition processes, then it’s far more likely to happen.
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No matter where you are in assessing your people and culture needs, we're here to support your progress. Tell us about your needs, and ask about a free
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