HERESY CONSULTING
Human beings are complex
Our personalities, organisations and societies are formed by our feelings, our memories, our stories...and occasionally by our rational minds
We are a psychodynamic leadership and organisational development consultancy
We work 'below the surface' to guide sustainable change
We help human systems rediscover the human
‘The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being’ C. G. Jung
OUR APPROACH
Psychodynamic psychology sees human behaviour as a complex mix of conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings, which shape our lives and our societies
We help our clients to better understand what may lie 'below the surface' for themselves and their organisations and then to apply this insight to the unique challenges they face
Human beings are complex and one size definitely does not fit all...
Our work is guided by four fundamental principles
ALL CHANGE IS A STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN
Change only happens by standing on the edge and stepping forwards
We know that real development requires real work with real risk and real consequences
ONLY THROUGH DIFFERENCE CAN WE LEARN
Change is not born from the places and people we know, but from those we do not
We seek out the contrary and unsettling, and through experimentation and play, allowing it to provide the spark for change
LEADERSHIP IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE SOUL
Leadership is founded on a deeply held sense of self, not a series of generic behaviours
We work from the 'inside out‘, knowing that healthy leaders are healthy people
WE ARE MADE THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS
The experience of shared humanity is the best preparation for life
We work through conversations to explore common meaning and help people find their voices
We can only judge the quality of the development work we do, by the leaders and organisations we create
In the last few decades we have witnessed a failure of both, and realised that what has been sold as ‘best practice’ by many academics and consultancies, is little more than snake oil
We can see the price we pay in both human and commercial terms
In Marylebone’s Nordic Bakery in 2013, we founded Heresy Consulting as a response....
OUR APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP
Clinical research suggests that there are three fundamental human needs
To engage others in any authentic and meaningful way leaders must respond to these needs
RELATIONSHIP
We all need to know that we are seen and understood, and that we are connected to someone else
Leaders must understand others and ensure that they feel understood
NARRATIVE COMPETENCE
We all need to make sense of the world and of our place within it
Leaders must help others create the stories that help them understand the world in times of change
SELF AGENCY
We all need to feel we matter and to have some control over our lives
Leaders must build the confidence in others needed to take ownership and responsibility
In the same way that a mother ‘detoxifies’ the anxiety of her child, providing shape and structure to new experiences and encouraging play and exploration, leadership is the creation of a meaningful dialogue where leaders help those around them build an understanding of their world, and the confidence to face it