Lindsey Elliott
Freelance Consultant and Researcher, PhD
Do you feel that…
Things could run more smoothly in your organisation
You have an idea where you want to get, but not how to get there
You have a plan, but everything around you keeps changing
You would value a confidential second opinion on strategic issues
You aren’t sure how to achieve impact at a big enough scale
You have come together to collaborate, but it’s difficult
Research on a specific issue would help you move forward
These are the types of challenges I love to work with people to explore. Importantly, I don’t offer any ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions because these would not be relevant to your unique circumstance. Instead, I join teams in their day-to-day, listening to multiple perspectives, observing decisions as they are made and getting to understand you, the challenges you are facing and the wider context.
You can read more about my approach below.
My purpose
I am driven to use my skills and experience to make positive societal contributions, which can take many different forms. I am openminded about who I work with and what we work on, provided our efforts can lead to positive change. This guides the work I take on and the approach I use to find creative solutions to real world issues. Five values are central to my purpose:
Respect - hearing all perspectives and always interacting with respect, including being willing to compromise in order to move forward
Hope - believing that things can be better and that there are many different ways to contribute to a more positive future
Balance - respecting natural cycles and limits and our responsibility to live in a way that doesn’t jeopardise future thriving
Collectivity - working together, committing to mutual causes and holding each other accountable to do things that none of us could achieve alone
Openness - being transparent and open to sharing, willing to take risks and prepared to be vulnerable and to learn from failure
My approach
I believe that people are themselves the experts of their own challenges, settings and solutions. There is a huge amount of wisdom in people’s lived experience and the diversity of perspectives on an issue.
Sometimes people are so close to an issue that they need help to see the bigger picture and how things interconnect. In other cases, ways of working together become entrenched over a long period and it can be difficult to imagine any other way.
A fresh and neutral pair of eyes, from outside your sphere, can be valuable to help develop a deeper and more holistic understanding of the issues you are grappling with and how they could be resolved. As a systems thinker I am fascinated by the interconnections between people and their ideas and actions. My approach to working with clients is:
Integrative & emergent - Initially, I focus on gaining an understanding of key issues from different perspectives before working to find useful solutions. Aims and desired outcomes are not always clear and agreed at the outset when issues are complex.
Iterative & adaptive - The process I use is intentionally flexible, allowing us to take advantage of opportunities that arise, and adapt in response to what is happening around us and what we are learning along the way.
Evidence informed - I integrate many different forms of available data to inform the development of solutions and recommendations. This can include everything from published literature, surveys and formal interviews to direct observations and personal experiences.
Inclusive & ethical - Good ethical practice is central to my approach and something I continually check-in with clients about. Appropriate confidentiality and sensitive reporting are key. I am skilled at including and fairly representing multiple perspectives on an issue, including perspectives that may be more difficult to access.
Let’s discuss how we could work together
I would love to hear more about the complex issues you are grappling with. Get in touch for a free consultation to discuss how we could team up to achieve your goals.
