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Our collective is the answer

Sometimes it’s worth it to go back and re-read an old notebook.


I happened across the notes I took at a session of our Greenroom Strategic Vision Strategy and Tactics retreat in early 2022. Yes, I was procrastinating a little when I picked up my old notebook – but it yielded something rather good.

Our team ‘Statesman’ opened his session with this:


Question: You have one minute in an elevator with a very senior ‘decision maker’ – how do you explain what we mean by GRS being a problem-solving company?


Hmm. Tough question to articulate succinctly.


How about this as a response (from the Statesman): “that GRS is a carefully cultivated, carefully curated collection of people who can help the client make their way through complex problems.” Read in between the lines – our collective is the answer.


Some of our previous blogs have touched on things like workplace culture, what’s worth celebrating, being wise and resilient in the face of threats, among other topics – but I keep coming back to our collective and how we make a difference wherever we are placed.


So please indulge me whilst I read over my notes and highlight some for you.

  • Decency, honesty, and integrity still count for something.

  • The Client’s interests are my interests.

  • Positively build on the work of my predecessor, don’t speak ill of those who have been there before me.

  • Stay on target, even when the challenge is hard, and the vultures are circling.

  • One fight. One team (see second bullet point).

  • We are motivated by the outcome for the client, utilising people of skill and integrity (again, see second bullet point).

  • Step one of being a complex problem solver is understanding that relationships with humans are inherently complex.

When operating in the dynamic nature of specialist consultancy, we must be agile and flexible to meet the needs to the client. But some things should never change. There should be a foundation upon which a company that provides complex problem-solving services is built. I’ve not listed all of them here, and we certainly don’t get it right all the time, but the notes that I took at our retreat last year show that a key foundation for GRS is our people, and the binding purpose with which we approach each task, challenge or complex problem.

Well, procrastination over, it is a busy time of year, approaching the end of the 2023 Financial Year and it’s time to get back to it.

I hope the words of our legendary ‘Statesman’ have given you a bit of a spring in your step to help you finish this Financial Year well.


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