I use the term “Adult in the Room” to be a little cheeky (and maybe as social proof that it’s actually me and not an AI writing this), but I do not intend for this concept to come across as infantilizing anything or anyone in any way.
In fact, to be honest, I never thought I’d see the day when I referred to myself as an actual “adult” - but here we are, I guess.
When I talk about being the Adult in the Room as one of the hats I wear, what I mean is there are times when teams could just use a different perspective or engage with someone with significant lived experience to help them see their world and how they both fit in and contribute to it.
Different than direct coaching or mentoring, I see this role as being visible and present, in a capacity that builds trust and guides from within to help achieve both personal and team growth.
You have talented people on your team with a great deal of potential, but everyone needs a little support from time-to-time, and some times just knowing that the support is available is enough to enable the feelings of safety and meaning that many of us need to do our best work.
And sometimes the perspective of someone with 30+ years of experience spanning many business and technology domains (and fads) can provide inspiration, clarity, and an occasional dose of truth when it’s needed.
If you think adding a John Keating to your Dead Poets Society could provide a guiding hand, inspire new thinking, or help see the world in new ways, this is one way we could spend some of our focused time on together.
Carpe diem.
Engagement Themes
We can apply the role of Adult in the Room to a number of engagement themes:
Group Therapy
To be clear, I am an architect and advisor and not an actual therapist, but if your team needs to work through challenges, I can serve as a trusted counselor, creating psychologically safe environments and guide discussions, ensuring they are constructive and focused, and that all voices are heard.
Coaching and Mentoring
Not only can I provide advice, but also personal and professional development support for individuals and teams who want to grow communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and strategic decision making skills.
Challenge Framing and Sense Making
I can facilitate sessions that help you and your organization define and understand complex challenges, providing visibility, clarity, and a focus on solving the right problems, the right way.
Decision Support and Guidance
As an advisor during strategic decision-making sessions, an Adult in the Room ensures that decisions are thoughtful and align with long-term strategic goals.
Strategy Development
An Adult in the Room can guide the development of business and technology strategies, providing deep insights and advice that can help align strategies with the broader long-term vision of the enterprise.
Backlog Review and Prioritization
Does your backlog feel overwhelming? Are you struggling to prioritize among competing stakeholder priorities? I can help you see your backlog in new ways and envision process to help keep work flowing from concept to delivery.
Communication Facilitation and Shuttle Diplomacy
An Adult in the Room can lead sessions or mediate private discussions that focus on improving communication and removing friction between individuals, teams, or departments within an organization.
Day-in-the-Life Observations
Sometimes you need an objective observer to sit down with stakeholders and system users to walk a mile in their shoes and understand the root cause of problems, identify potential business risks, and capitalize on opportunities for improvement and alignment.
Phone-a-Friend
Having an expert available for when you need urgent guidance and outside perspective in critical situations gives you the confidence to make informed and strategic decisions.
Office Hours
Host open office hours for your team and organization to discuss open issues or ask questions on a number of topics. Portfolio clients get access to a private weekly Office Hours as part of the Fractional retainer service offering.
