OUR VALUES

Choosing good values is easy. Truly living by them is hard.

With all the work we do helping our clients craft and live out their values, we’d better do a great job on our own. This is our C5 Framework. If you don’t see us practicing each of these 5 values every time you work with us, call us out. We take values and culture seriously.

CURIOSITY

Fundamental to every one of us is a deep curiosity – especially about people. Every single person and every single situation is different. If we truly want to help people, we need to stay curious by asking constant questions and uncovering the unique complexities at play in the organization. Those that lose their curiosity just become stuck in their old ways. It is curiosity that keeps us fresh, engaging, and able to help our clients exactly where they are.

What You Can Expect From Us:

  1. We will ask many questions first, and provide answers later.
  2. We will challenge the obvious. We love questions that seem to have an obvious answer but end up creating a deep shift in thinking.
  3. We ask for collaboration. Our questions involve everyone in the room in finding the solution.

CLARITY

Our lives are complicated. We have lots to do, lots of people that need us, and so little time. How do we make the absolute most of what we have? By holding dear to Clarity. This is one of the greatest gifts we can provide ourselves and our clients. Clarity about what’s important. Clarity on the “why.” Clarity in the tough decision. Clarity on the next step forward. When we remove uncertainty and anxiety, we can completely focus on the path to our richest lives.

What You Can Expect From Us:

  1. We take the 30,000 foot-view. Getting a bigger perspective on the patterns and complexities influencing a situation is key to clarity.
  2. We keep digging for the real “Why?”. When we find the deepest core elements of a situation, that’s when we’re really getting somewhere.
  3. We show every person their contribution. Never leave a meeting without each person understanding their next steps toward contributing to that bigger picture.

COURAGE

There are lots of types of courage, ours has to deal with the truth. We pride ourselves on our ability to tell each other and our clients the honest truth. We operate with care and compassion but also directness. Making the right changes is hard and often scary. Humans are just wired that way. Someone smarter than us once said, courage does not mean the absence of fear, it means that you feel the fear and act anyway. We want to high-five that person.

What You Can Expect From Us:

  1. We tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The truth really does set you free, in life and in business.
  2. We’ll remind you that no one is going to die. When struggling to do the right thing, it’s helpful to remember that we are all going to be okay.
  3. We’ll remind you that you are going to die. There are too many stories of regret and missed opportunities due to fear and hesitation. If we want to find our greatest success, we must make the most of all the chances we have.

CONNECTION

We’re relationship people. Connecting is fundamental to why we do this work. We love helping people connect with others, because humans need connection to thrive, to feel fulfilled, and to get the big stuff done. If a leader is struggling, you can bet there is lack of connection somewhere. We model the connections that create more fulfilling work and success, and help others do the same.

What You Can Expect From Us:

  1. We’ll bring the Empathy. Only when you deeply understanding someone can you connect and help them in a deeper way.
  2. We’ll talk about relationships. 90% of internal organizational challenges come down to relationships.
  3. We’ll show how success is a team game. No one makes it to the top completely on their own. Social connection has been shown time and again to improve success.

CRAFTSMANSHIP

There are consulting firms that act like factories. They take their “proprietary framework” and jam every client through the same cookie cutter. We taking the exact opposite approach. We uncover our client’s core ingredients and hand-craft every single project. This is how we make meaningful, insightful, and sustainable difference for every one of our unique clients. This is why we are called the Worksmiths.

What You Can Expect From Us:

  1. We want the details. Sometimes one key, unique fact changes the entire context of a problem.
  2. You have our full attention. To provide our peak, custom service we need to bring our peak presence and focus on you over the entire course of the project.
  3. We help you find your unique answers. What will work absolutely best for you, will work absolutely best only for you. That’s the goldmine.