Feeling stuck in
unproductive meetings?
Learn More
We help people work together more effectively.
Increased productivity Improved working relationships
Enhanced individual well-being.
Everything we do—whether it’s a workshop, a coaching engagement, or a full transformation process—is about helping people build stronger, more effective relationships at work. Because at the root of every problem (poor communication, low engagement, stalled decisions) is a relationship that needs support. And when relationships are strong, performance follows.
Everything We Do
A Word About
We know how you feel -- stuck.
Maybe you've tried everything. Or maybe you don't even know where to start. It's OK. We get it. People are hard! We know it's easy to have good working relationships when things are going well. But when times are tough, it gets messy.
It's OK. We've got a way to help you break through the unproductive habits that cause people at work to get stuck. We get them unstuck.
What makes our approach so effective?
We transform the relationships people have at work.
The services we offer are infused with the values and assumptions of mutual learning, a research-based approach developed by Roger Schwarz of Roger Schwarz & Associates. Mutual learning is the "antidote" to unilateral control, a default mindset people naturally revert to during conflict. Using our approach, we get in there with you to help you learn and apply the mindset and behaviors. We'll show you how and why it works even in the stickiest situations. You will learn the underlying principles of why people do what they do so you can redesign your behavior -- in the moment -- when faced with new and challenging situations. Mutual learning is the way people work together more effectively.
Download "Eight Behaviors for Smarter Teams" by Roger Schwarz to learn more about the Mutual Learning Approach.
3 STEPS TO TRANSFORMATION
We don’t just train leaders. We guide organizations through a structured, holistic process that creates clarity, confidence, and long-lasting change in both ability and effectiveness -- across individuals, teams, and leadership.
STEP 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMIT
with executives
WHY THIS? As an executive team, debate, agree upon, and commit to the standards of leadership that will collectively be supported, modeled, and coached throughout the organization going forward. 1) Current vs. Future State Goal overview of the Mutual Learning Approach - Intro to foundational leadership concepts and techniques (60,000 ft.). Evaluate approach to modeling and coaching behaviors you want to see. 2) Training Approach - Confirm leadership concepts to be delivered. Decide the roles of executive champion* and transformation coach.* 3) Support and Sustainability Plan - Commit to your role: active vs. passive. Plan for supporting leaders post-training. After completing Step 3, leaders return to an environment that supports them in implementing the behaviors and techniques they learned.
STEP 2. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
with leaders, executive champion + transformation coach
In this middle step, we offer three distinct ways to build capacity—choose one, combine them, or use all three as part of a broader transformation. These tailored interventions build leadership capacity, shift team dynamics, and embed new behaviors. Team Facilitation – Guide intact teams through structured conversations that improve trust, communication, and shared accountability. Individual Leadership Conversations – Offer focused coaching to help managers navigate challenges, increase self-awareness, and strengthen their leadership practice. Leadership Training – Deliver interactive, scenario-based sessions that equip leaders with the skills and tools to lead effectively, coach others, and drive results. Each option reinforces your core leadership principles while adapting to the team or organization’s current state.
STEP 3.
SUPPORT & SUSTAINABILITY
session 1 - with intervention participants (transformation coach + executive champion)
Session 2 - with executives
WHY THIS? Several weeks after the training, reconvene the groups to assess what’s working well and identify obstacles to implementation. This reinforces the learning and helps integrate new skills into daily operations. Discuss strategies for sustaining the progress through ongoing modeling and coaching at all levels, ensuring new leadership techniques become a lasting part of your organization’s culture. PARTICIPANTS EVALUATE: What have they tried? What’s worked well and what hasn’t? What obstacles do they face to implementing new learning? What support do they need from their leaders? EXECUTIVES EVALUATE: What are they seeing +/- and relative to goals set? What processes can they change to remove obstacles?
What changes when we work with you?
Nothing. And everything. Our approach is not to change people. We don't turn them into something they're not. We help them become the most effective versions of the people they are. Imagine what can happen when people are at their best ... and they're all working together. It's incredible!
PRODUCTIVITY
Increased
When teams works better together, you gain ...
-
Higher-quality decisions
-
Greater innovation
-
Shorter implementation time
-
Reduced cost
When teams works better together, you gain ...
-
Greater commitment
-
Increased trust
-
Increased learning
-
Reduced defensiveness
-
Productive conflict
-
Appropriate dependence on others
Improved
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING
Enhanced
When teams work better together, you gain ...
-
Increased motivation
-
Increased satisfaction
-
Richer development opportunities
-
Reduced stress
Who needs our help to improve their effectiveness?
They are good people. And they do good work. You just feel they're leaving something valuable on the table. Everyone knows it. No one is happy about it.
(The good news is it doesn't have to be this way. We will show you how you and your team can get unstuck and work together more effectively.)
1
The Whole Organization
"I feel like we're leaving something on the table. I want my managers and supervisors to have the skills and the confidence to motivate their teams more effectively." You are an executive, a business owner, or an HR leader seeking a strategic solution to developing your people. You want to improve company performance. And you know culture and engagement has something to do with it. That's our sweet spot. You've come to the right place!
2
A Team or Group
"They are good people and they do good work. I just can't figure out how to get them to move forward as a team." You are a department head or leader of a team. You feel the team is stuck. You want things to be better. Not just for performance but feeling good about coming to work every day. We got you! We can help you get things back on track.
3
An Individual
"When I first got promoted to be a manager, I thought I'd be good at it because I'm a good person. Nobody told me there's way more to it than that." You know how to have good relationships with your coworkers and the people you lead -- until things get uncomfortable. You're seeking skills to be a confident and effective leader. We can show you the way to become the boss everyone wants to work for!
4
I'm Just Looking
"I'm a student of leadership and I love to learn what other people are thinking and doing. I'm just looking around." We love it! We do that, too! We've got plenty of resources here to educate yourself as you explore ways to enhance your leadership and improve the effectiveness of your working relationships. We're happy you're one of us -- leadership practitioners, that is!
What services do we offer to enhance effectiveness?
It doesn't have to be this hard. We can help.
Who else have we helped with their effectiveness?
What are our clients saying?
“The Team Facilitation sessions were incredibly valuable! Andrea and Lora were able to lead each group to articulate their greatest strengths and opportunities. It helped to create conversations and the commitments teams are still using today!”
Jennifer McCallum, Chief People Officer
Experience Columbus
How much longer are you willing to suffer through bad working relationships, toxic work environments, and conversations that go nowhere?
Does any of this sound familiar?
-
Poor cross-collaboration. Teams operate in silos, blame each other, or resist working together.
-
Frequent complaints and HR issues. A steady stream of complaints, grievances, reports of dissatisfaction.
-
Avoiding leadership. Bad news is stifled. Only surface-level feedback is offered.
-
Lack of accountability. No initiative, no follow-through, no sense of urgency. Tepid commitment to decisions.
-
Low commitment to work. People seem disengaged, quiet in meetings, doing just the bare minimum.
-
Meetings after the meeting. Gossip. Backstabbing. Rumors. Cliques.
-
Over-indexing on niceness. Reluctance to say or do difficult things for fear of being unliked.
-
Constant firefighting. Leaders spend more time dealing with crises than on strategy or longterm goals.
-
Resistance to change. Pushback against new initiatives. Skeptical of leadership decisions.
-
Avoiding the "undiscussables." Tip-toeing around important issues.
It's not just your workplace. It's everywhere. But it doesn’t have to be. We help leaders create strong, productive working relationships built on trust, clarity, and shared commitment.
We are your guides ... every step of the way.
We are committed practitioners of the mutual learning approach and are skilled in facilitating the behaviors that transform relationships at work. We build foundations of trust, belonging, and psychological safety so people can be the most effective versions of themselves.
Download "Eight Behaviors for Smarter Teams" by Roger Schwarz to learn more about the Mutual Learning Approach.
What are we thinking about?
