The Common Ground Approach

At the end of the day, the reasons you hire a consultant or coach is to get to the truth and solve a problem. You are looking for a perspective that has not been clouded by the biases and norms within your environment to see things for what they are to offer solutions to the problems you face. At the same time you are looking for someone who can understand the perspectives of all levels of the organization to offer solutions that bring them together rather then drive them further apart.

Allow me to offer you the honesty you deserve. I don’t know if I can solve your problem, because I don’t yet understand your problem. If you have a concern about the people in your organization, let’s find out if you have a people problem. If so, let’s establish clear standards and train them. If perhaps we discover a cultural problem, let’s train leaders to cultivate a strong culture. If it’s a leadership problem, let’s set clear expectations and train. The only real way to understand the problem, or problems, is to dive in and engage people on different levels of the organization and look at what data is available. On an individual standpoint, I can’t help you get better until I know where you are and where you hope to be.

The purpose of the initial consult is to get an idea if the issues you or your organization face to determine if I am equipped to help you before you spend money and also whether we are a good fit to work together. I do not have the same approach as others you may have worked with. Not with coaching or with business consulting. I’m not here to coddle, but to support you in achieving the results you wish to achieve. I’m not looking to show up with a generic framework that barely relates to your situation. I’m here to find and develop pragmatic solutions tailored to your specific challenges. Reality rarely fits neatly into a simple framework, so we adapt together. It takes what it takes. It takes accountability, discipline, an open mind, and a genuine care to do right by yourself and others.

The common ground approach is really about mutual understanding. Not just mutual understanding between yourself and me, but between leaders and those they lead. You can’t have mutual trust and respect without mutual understanding. I have seen a lot of change initiatives fail because the managers that created the change didn’t really understand what was going on in the front lines. I have seen attempts at positive change fail because the front line employees didn’t understand the change or why it was necessary, often because managers didn’t care to explain. There is change to come with any project or initiative, especially in today’s chaotic environment that necessitates continuous change and improvement. The common ground approach encourages high performance among teams, even in ever changing conditions.