Setting expectations.

Just to be right up front, we want you to know the foundational principles that will shape our partnership with you.

Bad news is good news.

We are known for being down-to-earth, candid and committed to results. When we find something that needs a substantial fix, we don't mince words. We're happy when we deliver bad news. If it helps you back away from the edge of a cliff, you will be, too. We call this “integrity.”

Think outside the book.

Whatever you've learned about organizational behavior, in business school or out, we don't want to hear it. If you think there's a textbook "name" for what you want to accomplish, we don't want to hear it. The more specific and granular we try to be, the more we fall back on "conventional wisdom," the more likely larger issues will remain in hiding.

We've found that good leaders nearly always have an intuitive sense of what's afoot in their organizations. It's rarely revealed in spreadsheets or market share. It comes out in a series of candid conversations about relationships, concepts, life goals — qualitative matters. We trust your instincts. Sharing them with us is one of the most valuable things you can do. This is part of our passion for situation-based “continuous learning”.

Maybe you don't have to Tweet.

We are all for innovative approaches and staying on top of the latest trends… but we are also careful in considering alien marketing forms that descend on us from cyberspace. The hype is phenomenal, the reality often less so. If Twitter, Facebook, blogging or any other media channel makes sense, we'll know it. We'll get you there. But getting there first is never as important as getting there right. Consider this our commitment to “innovation” in the right way.

Quick studies still take time.

Experience is an invaluable asset. When there's a great deal of information to take in as we learn about your organization, we trust our experience to help us look in the right places for both questions and answers — and to find them as quickly as possible. We believe firmly that we need to “know the mission AND take care of the people” to make you successful. That said: experience provides suggestions — not prescriptions. Be assured that there will be no pre-packaged solutions offered here. You are unique. We know that.

You shape the world.

No matter what kind of organization you are, your work is of tremendous consequence. This applies equally to clients who shape school lunch policy and those who are on the front lines, protecting the homeland. When we help your organization do its important work better, we know we are doing important work also. We believe we have a responsibility to make this world a better place — and we do that by helping our clients get better at what they do.