For teams and organizations who want to get unstuck, work more smoothly and strategically, and experience more desired outcomes.

Leaders often assume that a better plan or the “right” people will fix a struggling team or initiative. Good strategy isn’t enough because outcomes and cultures emerge from how people actually work together day to day.

History, interests, and power dynamics can make internal brainstorming, strategy setting, and problem solving fraught. An outside strategic partner sees patterns and asks questions insiders often cannot.

Cheyenne helps groups notice and bring forward what is working and what is not, then use those observations to influence dynamics, cultures, and systems over time. This includes advising on system and process adjustments to help them experience more desired outcomes and reach strategic goals. Her approach is based on experience leading and influencing organizational change, culture, and wellbeing in nonprofits. 

Drawing from methodologies such as Participatory Narrative Inquiry and creative application of Biomimicry 3.8’s “Life’s Principles,” she helps teams uncover the root causes of challenges and discover opportunities for creative problem solving. A common thread through all her strategic work is helping groups clarify shared values and priorities and begin to reflect them in both day to day and long term decision making.

Cheyenne supports a wide range of organizations, from nonprofits and companies to government agencies and coalitions. A few common needs and outcomes Cheyenne has experience supporting: 

• Getting Unstuck: Having the conversations you/the team have been avoiding (e.g., navigating challenging situations, breaking vicious cycles, addressing the elephant in the room)

• Change Management: Navigating transitions as a team or organization, from gathering information from staff and support with tough conversations, to building capacity to adapt and supporting collective resilience

• Team Development/Team Building: Gathering to connect, learn, and grow together in service of collective goals/missions and experimenting with practices that shape relationships in the workplace (the foundation of organizational culture and wellbeing)

• Strategic Planning: Designing useful, lasting plans that are flexible enough to enable creativity and responsiveness in real time

• Strategic Communications: Telling compelling stories and crafting outreach strategies to engage, inform, and influence internal and external target audiences

Testimonial

“Cheyenne is very attuned to connection. She would send an article, introduce us to someone, or flag an opportunity simply because she remembered something we were working on and thought it could be useful. Her curiosity and generosity made it very easy to trust her and collaborate with her across teams.” -Souza, Senior Manager at nonprofit

What to Expect

• A free, 45-minute to one hour intake call to assess fit
• Contracting/Agreements: expectations for partnership, desired outcomes, metrics of success/indicators we’re heading a good direction, legal and HR processes
• Needs assessment: a deep dive into the “who, what, when, where, and how” of proposed work together, including group dynamics, internal and external constraints and conditions, expectations, refining desired outcomes and metrics of success, etc.
  • For more straight-forward projects/processes, this may be one or two calls. For longer engagements, a safe estimate is 4-6. Emails help but aren’t a replacement for conversation.
• Body of work: substance of strategic and developmental support, check ins on agreed metrics, processes, and outcomes, adjustments as needed
• Closing out: a few debrief calls, next steps (independently or extending contract), deliverables, if applicable

If you recognize opportunities for your team or organization here, reach out to Cheyenne here with what you’re most interested to discuss, and she’ll follow up to schedule a call.