Mission

Sycamore Way exists to instill transformational leadership practices into leaders and organizations to sustain creativity, passion, and joy.

What is transformational leadership?  Transformational leaders are doing the hard work of growing their self-awareness, both their strengths and shortcomings.  They practice self-care, acknowledging their limits, need for rest, and renewal in order to do good, lasting work. They are empathetic of those they lead, curious and appreciative of other’s differences, and drawing out their strengths. Transformational leaders are people whose presence is joyful, and they are also vulnerable and in touch with pain and suffering. They create organizational cultures where those they lead stay and contribute their best work. Their greatest joy and legacy is developing leaders, those who will succeed them and those who will lead well elsewhere.

Consider this story of a Sycamore Way client who heroically became transformational, reduced their turnover by 8% in one year, and decreased employee burnout, and increased performance and passion. Sycamore Way was brought in for organizational development consulting and leadership coaching into an organization challenged by employee turnover, leadership team conflict, burnout and lack of employee engagement, and performance challenges. Their entire leadership team bought into the transformational leader coaching model, and had to do some deep, challenging self-awareness work. It required courage for the leadership team to share transparently with the group, and as a result they grew in cohesiveness, effectiveness, and reduced conflict. They each had tangible, customized plans to move forward as individuals and as a team. Hours of executive time formerly spent in conflict was saved to do the most important, profitable work.

Sycamore Way also coached key leaders and managers individually and in groups, facilitating learning of transformational leadership practices.  Additionally, Sycamore Way facilitated half-day retreats for each of their teams, where the teams paused from the chaos of day-to-day work and were led through structured activities around transformational leadership principles. The leaders and this organization are championing “the sycamore way” as they continually grow to become transformational.

Do you long for this transformation in your leadership or organization? Contact us at daniel@sycamoreway.com

Why Sycamore Way?

Behind the name is an invitation to follow the way of the sycamore, a majestic tree that thrives by water.  You will not find too many mature, large sycamores deep in the forest, but along riverbanks, lake shores, and creek beds.  This is true along polluted city rivers and pristine, remote lakes; regardless of the environment, the sycamore thrives because it sends its roots into the water.  Sacred texts describe people who practice what we describe as transformational leadership as like the tree planted along the riverbank.  These trees do not fear heat or drought; their leaves stay green, they are dependable, bear fruit, and they prosper.  Transformational leaders, therefore, find life-giving waters to plant in like the sycamore tree - these are the practices of self-awareness, self-care, and empathy, even in the most chaotic, draining seasons.  This is what we call “the sycamore way.”