The Accordion Approach
Intensive periods, integration windows, behaviours that hold.
Most coaching engagements run on a steady weekly drumbeat that rarely matches how leaders actually change. Rethinkery uses an accordion cadence — intensive periods of work followed by integration windows — so new behaviours have time to take root before the next round of pressure arrives.
How the cadence works
An engagement opens with a diagnostic — stakeholder interviews, pattern mapping, and a calibration session with the sponsor. From there, the work moves through alternating intensive blocks and integration windows over four to six months.
Intensive blocks are dense: weekly or biweekly coaching, working sessions, and live practice. Integration windows are intentionally lighter — enough touchpoints to keep the work alive, but room for the leader to actually try the new behaviours under real conditions.
Why it works
- Behaviour change requires repetition under varied conditions, not just frequency
- Pressure-tested behaviours become the leader's default
- Integration windows surface the patterns that didn't quite stick
- Sponsor-aligned check-ins keep the work honest
What's measured
Each engagement starts with the specific behavioural shifts the work is targeting and the metrics that will tell us whether it's landing. Sponsor-aligned check-ins surface progress and re-scope where needed.
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