We make a promise Consulting, coaching, and experiential workshops that create a shift, moving beyond the conceptual to application. We are passionate about people, and have an unwavering belief that each of us has something unique to offer the world. We are committed to working in partnership with our clients, with the goal of working ourselves out of a job. When we’ve done our job well, you don’t need us any more.
CONSULTING
Our job is to help paint the picture of what’s necessary to meet your goals, and then to step into that picture to make it come to life. Our chief goal is to build your internal capacity so that you no longer have a need for external help.
COACHING
Coaching is a foundation for growth. What makes us good coaches is life experience and education combined with deep curiosity for our own continued growth.
EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOPS
Our workshops are designed to meet a need, invite engagement, and to provide a safe space for deep discussion or skill practice.
Our consulting involvement is based on your need We take the time to figure out the big picture, and how we fit into that picture. Depending on the need, our engagement could be short to answer an immediate question, to multiple years to support large-scale change associated with strategy development and implementation or a large technology implementation. Our job is to help paint the picture of what’s necessary to meet your goals, and then to step into that picture to make it come to life. From high-level planning to nitty gritty logistics, we function at every level; our chief goal to build your internal capacity so that you no longer have a need for external help.
CASE STUDIES
Our client wanted to create a culture shift and to institute new processes to re-align employee behavior and leadership expectations.
As part of a leadership development program we conducted LIFO assessments and training for leadership staff.
We designed and implemented an online review course in preparation for the association’s certification exam.
We designed and facilitated a process to bring four churches together.
Katie and Gayle helped the Board identify strategic growth opportunities which facilitated the transition of leadership.
– Leslie VanSant, Executive Director, Land Trust of Virginia
LARGE CA STATE AGENCY
We led an organization redesign effort for a large county agency in Santa Clara County (California’s fourth largest county). This agency had 900+ employees at all levels of the child protective services system, assisting families and children interacting with state and federal agencies. The agency implemented a complete organizational redesign driven by drastic budget cuts, integration of Casey Foundation Family to Family principles, and results of independent management and audit reports. In addition to external drivers, redesign priorities targeted lower caseloads for fair distribution of work, and changing the organizational culture to focus on continuity of relationship with clients. Finally, redesign of major processes involved employees at all organizational levels, and created new understanding and agreement to support the agency’s new organizational structure. The agency’s successful redesign met all stated goals and prevented layoffs, while meeting substantial budget reduction targets (including both state and federal matching funds). The redesign demonstrated the agency as a leader in social services nationwide for forward thinking in service delivery, positioned the agency to meet upcoming mandated changes at state and federal levels, and preserved jobs going forward in an era of continued budget cuts. Note: the agency is unionized, and all changes required negotiation and agreement with four separate union chapters. Relationships with union representatives improved significantly throughout the redesign process.
Coaching is a foundation for growth What makes us good coaches is life experience and education combined with deep curiosity for our clients’ and our own continued growth. There is an element of coaching in all consulting projects, and there are specific engagements focused on individual coaching at all levels of an organization. We spend time creating a relationship of trust while getting right to work.
CASE STUDIES
We worked with the Associate Director over the course of one year. After building a relationship and understanding her relationship to the organization, we set specific goals and then worked systematically toward meeting those goals. Ranging from organization and time management, strategic communication, improving interpersonal relationships, and understanding communication styles.
This has been so wonderful. You’ve given me so many tools and insights, and a clear path. Now I need to do the work – and after all of our work together, I know that I can.
– Alicia Vasquez, Associate Director
I can count on Mary to tell me the truth. She is insightful, knows people, and is able to cut to the chase. She has an ability to work with all kinds of people, and to create a trusting rapport that allows for deep conversation and insight. She is patient, but not slow, and is able to gently push people to see multiple sides of an issue while exploring solutions. In addition to ongoing coaching, Mary has designed and delivered retreats that far exceeded my expectations. She really thinks about what we need, what will be helpful, engages each person in the process, uses experience as a learning tool, and is a facilitator who pays close attention to the group so that there is room for everyone.
– Debra R. Schoenberg, Esq. (owner, Schoenberg Family Law Group, PC)
A workshop or a retreat can be a springboard at the beginning of a more lengthy engagement, or a concentrated focus in an ongoing engagement. Either way, our workshops are designed to meet a need, invite engagement, and to provide a safe space for deep discussion or skill practice. All workshops are custom designed, rely on deep experience in combination with current literature and tools, and are supported by custom graphics. We aim for an experience that people will remember, embody, and take forward in a concrete way for the future.
CASE STUDIES
A San Francisco boutique law firm plans an annual retreat. Year one focused on high performing teams, understanding your style in conflict, and defining success and what that looks like. In the interim everyone participated in a LIFO workshop and understands his or her LIFO style for behavioral communication. Year two focused on the neuroscience of communication applied to conflict and collaborative communication. In the interim small retreats focused on personal goals and values in relation to firm goals and values. Year three is an amazing race focused on commitment based management – a retreat with no walls!
This is better than I ever dreamed of, it’s just what we need! The discussion is incredible – thank you for the amazing facilitation.
– Debra R. Schoenberg, Esq. (owner, Schoenberg Family Law Group, PC)
A sustainable fish supplier and processor spends three consecutive days (each day after they have already put in a full day at the plant) working on LIFO behavioral communication styles, conflict styles and communication, and building a three year strategy together base on an Appreciative Inquiry SOAR process.
That was nothing like I expected, and so much better! You did such a good job of keeping the discussion objective and drawing every style of person out. I learned so much about myself, and also about the people on my team.
– Scott Fraser, VP Sales and Procurement
Process
Discover
Dream
Design
Destiny
The clickable graphics to the left show the major steps in a multi-step process to discern how a small church planned to expand and become more vital. Over the course of nine months,we used an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) driven process as the basis for designing the format and discussion. The graphics supported and recorded the meeting input from participants. The result was a set of priorities and a concrete plan that served as the basis for a capital campaign.
This was the best, most sophisticated meeting I’ve ever attended.
– Christ Church long-time member