Terms of Engagement
What We Assume About You
We assume three things: agency, autonomy, strength.
We purposely and consciously do not assume their counterparts: helplessness, powerlessness or dependency, and fragility.
This is not flattery. It is the minimum structural prerequisite for the work ahead. Complex problems cannot be navigated by people who have been pre-declared incapable of handling discomfort. We create environments where differences — of assumptions, experiences, points of view — are not merely tolerated but actively approached as the very thing that calls in better solutions and individual awakenings.
That means emotional and intellectual discomfort. By design.
What We Assume About Ourselves
It is good for us to be conscious of the ever-presence of human vulnerabilities and tender spots — yours and ours.
It is good for us to be humble in sensing where we might be situated — neither through fault nor merit — in a group’s composition of power, status, and social acceptability.
It is good for us to stay open to the truth that we all come in with blindspots, sometimes big ones, and it is good to allow those blindspots to be reflected back in ways we can choose to learn from.
We hold ourselves to the same standard we set for you.
What We Know About Right Now
There is circumstantial evidence that you — like most professionals in most rooms — are influenced by a soup of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins, and a lot of adrenaline. You are likely operating in beta-brainwave mode instead of the more receptive alpha or the innovative gamma.
There is a strong status quo bias in every aspect of doing business as usual.
This is not a character flaw. It is neurochemistry. And it is the reason you need outside perception rather than another internal strategy offsite.
What We Ask of You
- Remember why you’re here. You engaged us to bring in outside perceptions, new ideas, and help to accelerate growth — not to validate what you already believe.
- Expect discomfort. Some statements will be unsettling. They must be. That is the method, not a side effect.
- Suppress the urge to act instantly. The demand for immediate simplification — “boil it down,” “give me the three takeaways,” “explain it like I’m five” — is the single most effective way to destroy your ability to navigate complex problems. We will not comply with it.
- Practice not taking offense, even when offense is meant. This is the power move. Not numbness — choice.
What You're Agreeing To
Plans scale the known. Transformations explore the unknown. By continuing, you acknowledge that conventional thinking has its limits in a complex world — and that you’re here for the latter. You’re stepping into a space where established practices are questioned, sacred cows are barbecued, and transformation actually transforms.
If you’re looking for orthodox consulting that validates your existing approaches while changing nothing fundamental, you may want to look elsewhere.
If you’re ready to navigate complexity rather than drown in it — welcome.
This document will become obsolete. The thinking behind it won’t.