Question 1

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE DIFFERENTIAL METHOD™?

Accepted Answer

It's a guided practice for leaders and teams, designed to help you understand your brand’s Differential (the unique constellation of attributes that sets you apart) and communicate it with an uncanny precision and evocative power. It's a multidisciplinary protocol grounded in the science of how human's think, organize and communicate.

Through a series of facilitated workshops and proprietary tools like the True-Word Audit™, we uncover your Differential and translate it into a dynamic narrative that aligns culture, communications, visual identity, strategy...  the core elements of your brand's ecosystem.

Our protocol enables you to:
Begin to articulate the core attributes that define your brand’s Differential
Clarify language, messaging and operations from a foundation of deep self-knowledge
Align culture, marketing, communications, design, and social impact around a shared center of gravity
Strengthen traction and trust with external stakeholders
Introduce reflective practices that sustain growth, adaptability and organizational coherence over time

Question 2

YOU SAY IT'S BASED ON "THE COSMIC PRINCIPLE OF ONE-OF-A-KIND-NESS." WHAT'S THAT?

Accepted Answer

Technically, we made this term up, but it refers to the truth of human singularity: "unless you have an identical twin, there's no one else in the universe with the exact same DNA as you," (Neil Tyson deGrasse).  Even if you do have an identical twin, you still have unique DNA because of the influence of environment and experience on gene expression (epigenetics). We always thought this was kind of mind-blowing.

So though humans often talk about uniqueness as metaphor, or maybe a goal, it's actually a literal and fundamental truth — a cosmic principle, we say, upon which The Differential Method™ is based.

Question 3

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Accepted Answer

We guide leaders and teams through an iterative, dialectical and often therapeutic process of radical self-discovery. The Differential Method™ is designed to surface contradictions, clarify what’s genuinely distinct and (re)build a brand story with integrity at its core.​  Through the method, we:
Conduct a full excavation and analysis of your brand's lexicon
Lead teams through a True-Word Audit™ to assess brand integrity and isolate "true words" from those that are idle or unconscious (true words are the highest value words with the most resonant effect)
Facilitate a set of dynamic team workshops and retreats
Surface your brand's Differential and help you codify it
Translate findings into value across your ecosystem, from new message frameworks, to visual identity, to internal practices, to external campaigns

Question 4

WHY WOULD YOU NEED IT?

Accepted Answer

Because you're at an inflection point. You're noticing that an opportunity looms, or that something is breaking down, like morale or strategy. Or perhaps your message doesn't land like you were hoping.

Our method helps leaders regain clarity, repair misalignment and establish coherence between who they are, what they communicate and how they operate​. This method will help you if:
You’re leading through a startup, pivot, scale-up or a reset
Your internal culture and external image are out of sync
You’ve lost traction with key stakeholders
Your message is "meh" because idle words and jargon permeate your communications
You need a unifying narrative to focus teams and ignite audiences

Question 5

WHO IS IT FOR?

Accepted Answer

The Differential Method™ is for leaders who believe there are deeper truths waiting to emerge and want to know them.  Whether you're leading a company, a school, a movement, or answering a personal calling, this method helps you excavate those truths so you can craft a story that holds uncommon power. We support:
Schools and school networks delineating their values and ethos
Companies and teams of all sizes aligning brand story and culture across their ecosystem
Partnerships and coalitions that struggle for narrative coherence
Influential people attempting to locate and articulate their North Star

Question 6

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

Accepted Answer

To initiate full-scale brand transformation, we would come alongside you and your team for a 6-9 month cycle. But if you first want to test feasibility or socialize the protocol with your team, we offer dynamic introductory workshops that are inspiring and provocative. Give us a call or send us a note, and let's design the journey together.