– Underdog Development –
We Believe in the Possibilities of People
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ABOUT US
Change requires us to challenge
At Underdog we believe in the possibilities of people. Their capacity to work together in service of changing not only their lives but the lives of others. The change we all face is to live, work and develop in ways that do good for the health of ourselves, our society and the planet.
“If we do things that are unsustainable, the damage accumulates ultimately to a point where the whole system collapses”
David Attenborough, A Life on our Planet
To make this change we believe we need to challenge three systems
Our own belief system
Our own belief system – it is our interpretation of the world around us that creates “our reality.” Challenging the underpinning assumptions that help form this reality is key to unlocking behaviour change. We aim to help people connect with their purpose, and to make conscious choices to work towards a desired future.
Work systems
Work systems – as organisations seek to adapt in uncertain and rapidly changing times, it will be people, working together that challenge the status quo thinking that inhibits progress. We help realise leadership (the verb) not just equip the Leader (noun). In establishing and nurturing small groups – Pods – we expand influence and capability in people to build a more adaptive, leaderful organisation.
The societal system
The societal system – As we accept the reality that we have a collective responsibility to live and work differently in service of the planet and the societies that it contains, we need to rethink the purpose of work. As organisations rethink their purpose they will need leaders with the courage to challenge with curiosity, in order to explore diverse perspectives. We help organisations develop the people that lead in service of others.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Albert Einstein
We believe an Underdog is someone who…
… is prepared to swim against the current – motivated by a clear purpose and sense of agency to work towards achieving it
… thinks and acts with compassion to care for themselves and the people around them, seeking to connect and unlocking the resourcefulness and creativity that come from human relationships
… recognises their and others’ assumptions – the unseen rules that inhibit individual and organisational change – and challenges them in pursuit of progress
… accepts struggle and setback as opportunity to reach out, learn and experiment
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How we work
Our capability and experiences provide the possibilities to create the right experiences to help people and their organisations. Whilst we don’t have all the answers, we will work to:
ENGAGE
We begin by seeking to understand and surfacing the explicit and implicit challenges that our clients are sat with. We are curious to hear your story so far and your hoped for possibilities. We aim to meet you where you are at right now and to help you illuminate where you want to go.
EXPLORE
We recognise that the agent of change is the relationships people build between them. In these relationships lie all the support and challenge we need to notice and re-assess our belief systems. To come on our programmes is to connect with other people and build the trust and intimacy required to bring change.
ENABLE
We aim to let go gently of people we work with, to let them take the independent steps to convert possibilities into realities. Scaling – sustaining change – means we expect people we work with help others grow. Success for us means you have both the aims and the means to continue long after we have gone.
EXPERIMENT
As we move past our limiting beliefs we free ourselves to try new approaches, tackling the obstacles that lie in the way of us progressing, and by taking these small steps in safe spaces we discover a renewed sense of purpose. Experimentation is a powerful tool for both individuals and organisations to overcome real and imagined obstacles.
EXPERIMENT
As we move past our limiting beliefs we free ourselves to try new approaches, tackling the obstacles that lie in the way of us progressing, and by taking these small steps in safe spaces we discover a renewed sense of purpose. Experimentation is a powerful tool for both individuals and organisations to overcome real and imagined obstacles.
ENABLE
We aim to let go gently of people we work with, to let them take the independent steps to convert possibilities into realities. Scaling – sustaining change – means we expect people we work with help others grow. Success for us means you have both the aims and the means to continue long after we have gone.