The Methodology
The Shift That Sticks
A framework for navigating change. Developed with the city managers and county administrators navigating it. Not theory. Practice.
Why This Exists
The people we lead spend most of their waking hours in conditions we shape. Their experience of meaning, clarity, and purpose at work, that depends largely on leadership. When leaders can see clearly and adapt effectively, everyone downstream benefits.
This methodology emerged from practitioners navigating real challenges, not from theory. The patterns were consistent: leaders who worked through all four practices reported feeling less reactive and more deliberate. They described having language for challenges that previously felt amorphous. Most importantly, changes they made actually stuck.
The Shift That Sticks is a methodology for ongoing adaptation, not a one-time fix, but a capacity to navigate whatever changes come next.
Four Practices
Most leaders find they’re stronger in some practices than others. That’s normal. Start wherever the need is clearest.
Face the Truth
Seeing clearly before acting. Every leader has areas where position limits vision, not from failure, but from structure.
Define What Matters
Clarifying values under pressure. Not what sounds good on paper, but what holds when protecting it is costly.
Make It Real
Building systems that execute. Strategy without execution is wishful thinking. Making priorities automatic, not dependent on willpower.
Reinforce the Change
Sustaining momentum. Detecting drift. Change that doesn’t stick isn’t really change. Building rhythms that prevent quiet decay.
Find Your Starting Point
Four questions to identify where to focus:
- Are you confident you’re seeing the full picture? If not, start with Face the Truth.
- Do you know what you’d protect when it costs something? If unclear, start with Define What Matters.
- Are your priorities happening automatically or requiring constant attention? If the latter, start with Make It Real.
- Are changes you’ve made actually sticking, or quietly reverting? If reverting, start with Reinforce the Change.
One question to sit with this week: Which practice feels most natural to us, and which do we tend to rush through or skip? The answer often reveals where our next growth edge is.
Start With What You Can’t See
The methodology begins with seeing clearly. The Blind Spot Check is the fastest way to experience that first practice. A focused AI conversation that names the one thing success may have made invisible.
Ways to Go Deeper
The Shift That Sticks Workshop
Experience the methodology with your team. A 3-hour session where participants practice all four disciplines with a real challenge, not a lecture about them. Your team leaves with tools they own and language they share.
Leadership Team Workshop
Apply all four practices to your leadership team. A structured engagement designed for the CAO and direct reports, customized to what your team is actually navigating. Built for completion, not ongoing dependency.
Ready to explore this with your team?
Whether you start with the free tools or bring the methodology to your leadership team, the next step is the same: a conversation about what you’re navigating.