METHODOLOGY

Leadership = Communication

Leading today is tough. Expectations are higher and the risks are greater. Below are the approaches we use to build emotional, cultural, and leadership intelligence.

We find that clients tend to underestimate or overlook their strengths, experiences, and abilities. Our strength-based solutions ensure you continue learning and gain confidence after we stop working together. 
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Director James Whitfield and Lee at graduation

Overview of Adaptive Leadership

Adaptive Leadership: (AL) is a Harvard-based model designed to improve performance. 
Working simultaneously on three levels (people, organizations, and community) AL practitioners use conflict as a guide to dissect dysfunction, find long-term solutions, adapt, and thrive..
Positive Intelligence (PQ) is a research-based mental fitness tool that can reduce negative emotions and stress. It strengthens the part of your brain that serves you and quiets the part that sabotages performance, relationships, and well-being.

In 2024, Lee completed a 7-week PQ course for coaches, led by founder Shirzad Chamine. Take a free test and learn more here.
Lee completed a 40-hour Basic Training 2018, at the Skagit Valley Dispute Resolution Center, in Mt. Vernon, Washington. ​

This 8-step model designed by the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service helps parties communicate better now and in the future, and avoid costly court battles, by releasing previous conflicts. It's a key facilitation and training tool used in courts, workplace, and communities.
The Business of Culture- ​Cultural Dimensions helps people understand differences in social skills. While this global management tool focuses primarily on national cultures, we use it to look at communication and behavior styles  in USA culture.
Equity Starts With Money- Rianne Eisler's CPS  provides free resources, including a road map to shift from domination to partnership systems. It focuses on four pillars societies that nurture humanity: Economics & Values, Gender Socialization, Family & Childhood, Words We Use/Stories We Tell.
Multiple Intelligences is about how you're smart. Howard Gardner mapped 8 ways of thinking that influence how we communicate and learn: Logical/Mathematical, Linguistic, Musical, Spatial, Kinesthetic, Naturalist, and Intrapersonal.

Many experts dismiss his work as 'junk science', but it's still widely used today. Logical/Mathematical and Linguistic are most valued in USA organizations.
Communication is common sense and that's cultural. Cultural Detective© is an experienced-based, online tool to improve individual and organizational communication. It offers 50+ country tools or 'lenses' for topics such as:
  • ​Self-Discovery
  • Gender: Women & Men, and LGBTQ+
  • Team-Building
  • Generational Harmony
  • Blending Cultures and Bridging Cultures
Childhood values show up at work- Lee is certified in this program that teaches children social and life skills that are important to success.

Positive Discipline uses encouragement and mutual respect as a strategy to increases academic achievement, manage behavior, and build healthy communities; through experiential activities and workshops that build respect at home, school, and (for grown-ups) work.
Align People and Business Strategies- PI is a talent optimization platform that helps leaders with:
  •     Hiring
  •     Management
  •     Talent Strategy
  •     Employee engagement
Zena Associate, Tom Rosenak is a PI practitioner. Take the free test here or call Tom to learn more.

Our Philosophy

YIN/YANG - This Taoist and Daoist symbol represents complementary, interdependent energies: shadow/light, feminine/masculine, yielding/resisting, sound/silence. These are key principles behind inclusive communication and conflict resolution.
TING - This Mandarin Chinese character symbolizes listening with the whole body, since it's science has proved that body language and visuals convey the majority of meaning behind verbal communication.   TING is part of every service we offer.