Working with Clients

The values I bring to my clients reflect the experience of a career of working in, and with, mission-focused organizations. Four themes frame my approach:

• Professionalism: A critical and interconnected set of values and behaviors, most traceable to my years at McKinsey & Co. The most important elements include:

• Integrity: always trying to “do the right thing”
• Client Interests First: beginning with a focus on their performance
• Fact-based Analysis and Judgment: driving for solutions from data, objective assessment, and free from political agendas or personal bias
• Continuous Improvement: learning and application from practice
• Confidentiality: respect for sensitive and proprietary client situations
• Cost-effective: charge on the basis of value, seeing efficiencies whenever possible, and offering the advantage of my overhead-free practice
• Partnership: pursue longer-term relationships that grow through mutual learning, problem-solving, and respect

• Capability and Impact, Not Just “Answers”: Though many consultants see their final deliverable as creating a presentation or a report, I strive to “think implementation from Day 1”, working with clients to get to actual performance results. In practice, that means preferring to work with client organization members as integral parts of a team with me. I also seek to involve in solution development and planning as many key stakeholders -- and relevant managers -- as possible. My goal is to catalyze change and action, and not just deliver a new blueprint.
• Collaboration, Development and People Networks: Through first-hand experience in both serving and leading organizations, if I have learned any immutable lesson, it is the power of teamwork, collaboration, and cross-boundary networks of people to address any performance challenge. This perspective guides how I work. It is equally clear to me that when you are able to help others do better, learn more, or develop their own skills and experience, the performance impact of any project rises. Professional development of my colleagues and clients similarly reflects my working approach.
• Seek the Higher Good: Feedback from clients, former colleagues and staff often emphasize “Brook’s interest in looking for the best in a situation” or “focusing on the common good.” It is indeed how I always try to work, and reflects my enduring interest in helping organizations with a social conscience or a mission-focus that somehow improves the human condition. Such a vision does not constrain me to “only do charity work.” Because I believe in the value of markets, and the power of discipline and innovation to create new value, I work with many for-profit as well as not-for-profit organizations, and indeed believe the boundaries between these sectors are increasingly blurring (and all for the better that they are). My interest is not to define work by a tax-code boundary, but rather purpose: is this organization somehow striving to make the world better, and can I do something to help them in that quest?