Value
Expertise powered by experience.  More than 20 years advising global organizations as an external consultant and an internal HR thought leader on how to prepare for and address strategic opportunities and challenges through talent management.  The difference is wisdom - wise-practice counsel acquired by consulting to a wide range of organizations and informed by hands-on, in-house experience developing business and HR strategy and leading the implementation of significant talent initiatives.  We have an in-depth, end-to-end understanding of key talent systems and processes - CEO succession, executive succession and development, high potential development, recruitment and selection, executive compensation.  We understand your reality and provide practical, straightforward, confidential counsel in a safe and supportive environment.  

Business savvy.  Our first, and last, questions will always be, 'does this support the business strategy?', and 'how is this going to contribute to results?'  Everyone will tell you their advice starts from understanding your business strategy.  The difference is understanding business and tangibly linking people decisions and programs to the bottom line.  We understand when you should invest in a new performance management process rather than a management development program, when to change your compensation model rather than invest in team-building. We understand how operational decisions, including people programs, drive tangible and intangible measures of success - financial, safety, stakeholder satisfaction, reputation.  We will only advise you to tackle things that will directly impact the success of your business, and if you should be doing something else instead, we will tell you . 

Improved decision quality.  You understand the business case for robust talent and succession programs.  We focus on ensuring the decisions resulting from those programs are as robust as the programs themselves.  The difference is understanding the strengths and limitations of any process - organizational, team or your own thought process - and challenging you to deepen your rigour.

We work beside you.  You draw on consultants when you need a kind of expertise you don't have internally.  The difference is, we proactively build capability, capacity and sustainability in our clients.  We know you will have to sustain the work we do together, and we know how tough that can be.  We share and transfer knowledge and skills while we work and draw on internal capability whenever possible.

Philosophy
Executive succession philosophy.  We believe the best succession strategy is one that maximizes optionality and versatility.  The business environment and organizational life cycle significantly influence leadership requirements, and those conditions are constantly evolving.  We believe what boards and organizations need at any given moment is succession choice.  Too often, a decision is made because, quite frankly, 'there is no other good option'.  Executive and CEO succession is most effective when approached as a scenario-planning exercise leading to a tangible recruitment, promotion and development strategy that delivers real choice.   

Leadership philosophy.  We believe each situation and leader is unique.  Contrary to what 1 million-and-counting leadership books tell you, we believe there is no single right way to lead.  We believe the most important question a leader can ask, every day, is 'why should anyone be led by me?'  We believe leadership is a deeply personal journey that lasts a lifetime, and everyone's journey is different.  It is only by engaging with self first and others second that a leader can discover and fulfil his or her true potential.  

Development philosophy.   Our approach to executive development is person-centered, holistic, and hands-on.  We believe transformation is only possible when a leader is prepared to get their hands dirty.  What we do and how we do it is very different.  Our job isn't to tell you who you are as a leader, but to facilitate a process whereby you will discover that for yourself.  We push you hard to answer the question 'why should anyone be led by me?'  We insist you identify and leverage your strengths.  We work with you to articulate your career and development goals and give you the tools to transform goals into new, sustainable patterns of thought and behaviour.

Methodology
Deeply inquisitive.  You seek us out when you are facing strategic problems you want help solving.  We won't work with you if you won't let us get to know you.  We start by 'going deep' to understand the context and complexity.  Our questions may be difficult or uncomfortable to answer.  If they are, we are probably on the right track.

Grounded in behavioural science.  We bring a deep understanding of human and organizational behaviour to our work.  We draw judiciously on a toolkit of individual, team and organizational assessment methodologies to ensure our advice is supported by valid data.  The difference is, we know life is more complicated than 'what the survey says'.  We will encourage you to use the data to help you make a decision.

Customized.  We actually believe every situation, organization and person is different.  We provide solutions that address your unique challenges.