How We Work

We understand your challenges

Our people are all experienced former not-for-profit CEOs and Senior Managers. We know what it’s like to pursue a vision with limited time and resources.

We’re ‘just right’

Big enough to have great systems and capacity, small enough to be flexible, responsive and there for you. We’re not a corporation, and we’re not a ‘lone wolf’. We’re a team with diverse strengths, backup and resilience.

We’ll come to where you are

We have clients across the country, and Australia’s remote locations are a specialty. We understand the challenges of remoteness, and we find ways to make it work, affordably.

We talk and think with you

We don’t accept the situation at ‘face value’. We look beneath the surface to see the influences and assumptions; and examine the bigger picture. Our participatory process is designed for real change and understanding, that is practical and right for you.

Connect

Listen. Understand. Plan.

Working with us starts with a detailed discussion with our team. We need to understand where you are now, and what you need. Where your strengths and successes have been, where you’re aiming for and the obstacles you’ve encountered. We listen intently, explore assumptions and clarify your needs and expectations.

Then we plan the way forward - what needs to be done, how, when and where that will happen and who will be involved.We check in and make sure that our approach meets your needs, budget and timeframes.

Context

Document review. External Scan. Industry review.

We need a deeper understanding of you and the context you’re operating in. We will review relevant organisational documents, identify stakeholders, look at the external factors that may be influencing your situation and explore aspects such as latest research, best practice and benchmarks.

Collect Data

Surveys. Conversations. Observations.

We will gather quantitative and qualitative data to inform the project.

Surveys help us to understand the viewpoints and concerns of various stakeholders.

Conversations - structured and informal; in workshops, focus groups and one on one - are where we build a detailed understanding of the nuances and complexities.

Observation is where we start to see the realities - things that may have become invisible to the people who see it every day.

Critical Reflection

Analysis. Synthesis. Hypothesis.

From the first moments of the project, our project team will be continuously thinking deeply about what they are seeing, hearing and reading. We examine and question the how and the why - the assumptions, the actions and consequences revealed by the data. Through analysis and diagnosis of the situation we will form a working hypothesis as a tentative guiding idea for action; and we will take time to reflect and document our thinking to share with you.

Collaboration

Consult. Confirm. Clarify.

You are the experts in your organisation, and we have an independent and objective view. By combining the two, we build a better understanding together of the situation, contributing factors and possible actions. We will discuss possible responses and approaches with you, and together we will develop the plan.

Contemplation

Reflect. Process. Confirm.

The process may have been intense, there may be unexpected insights to absorb and possible responses to consider and process. We will document the work to date and deliver it to you. Take a little time out - pass the documents around - ponder and discuss. Does it meet your needs and expectations? Will it work for you? What will you need to do to make it happen? Is that feasible? Tell us what you think, and we will incorporate your feedback.

Conclusion

Reporting. Quality Check.

With final reports presented, we’ll pack our bags and head to our next engagement. We’ll check in with you to see how we did (that’s part of our quality processes) and we’ll be here to help when next you have a need.