The Jericho Road

Re-thinking engagement. New approaches to communications, leadership and trust.

Where you start

Struggling to come to terms with the collapse in trust and the world as it is today. Feeling the pressure, as existing models of communications and leadership crumble, but not sure about how to change things for the better.

Defending your License to Operate.

Where you finish

(well, you never finish but…) a new approach to communications and leadership based on dynamic new principles. Insights into your world and a practical approach to action and accountability. Learnings from new voices and possibly some unexpected recommendations and decisions.

Establishing a License to Lead.

This is where
you start

Trust in institutions and business is at an all-time low. Business models are being disrupted and sometimes broken. Activism is everywhere.

Even policy-makers occasionally struggle to understand what is really going on. Business’ License to Operate is under constant threat and many leaders are unsure how to react.

We help you move from defending your License to Operate to establishing a License to Lead. We recognise Activism, Vulnerability, Co-Production and Accountability as necessary working principles for a flourishing 21st century organisation. We put people first.

The Jericho Road is a process that takes clients and their teams on a four-stage programme –

  1. Start with Truths: even the harsh, naked ones, properly researched
  2. Embrace Vulnerability: absorbing thoughts and voices from beyond the usual echo chambers
  3. Live Co-Production: developing strategies, priorities & ideas in partnership with employees, customers & stakeholders
  4. Deliver Activism/ Accountability: the start-point for tangible programmes through which organisations can change the nature of their engagement and effectively quantify success.

This journey will enable organisations to come to terms with the context in which they operate and build more relevant and powerful stakeholder engagement, communications and leadership programmes.

Jericho Chambers will help you address the challenges of this “new normal” or the “post truth age” by working at the inter-section of business, politics and society – championing new thinking and building new coalitions.

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Get in to the details

About The Jericho Road

This is a journey. It invites voices and views from across the spectrum.

It requires you to get out of the office and connect with people, spend time in tough conversations, get out on the street and face your communities and truths.

The road starts with a deep analysis of what you know, what you’re missing by staying inside the echo chamber, a look around all competitors and corners and getting your mind moving differently (pre-work stage).

Then, over the course of two days, you will confront vulnerabilities, co-produce with your communities, understand your truths and what engagement is necessary (two-day interactive, multiple location ‘out of office’). Finally, we ensure you are set up with success on your own (on-going).

Each journey is specifically designed for your organisation - with tailored inputs, discovery, exercises, and process.

Here is what makes our process different:

  1. Truths

    No-one can learn if they do not listen. Getting to the real truth is essential. Organisations need to listen and learn beyond the usual echo chambers.

    • The pre-work session is designed to get beyond conventional metrics and generalist insights to unearth real truths about the organisation, business or brand. Even harsh, sometimes brutal truths. Re-mines existing data, stakeholder interviews (internal & external & dissenting.) Overlaid with situational, competitor and mega-trend analysis, considering the World of Tomorrow. Review of existing comms. & engagement formats and channels in context of “new normal”.
    • Participants complete “real world” mission – connecting with stakeholders and communities
  2. Vulnerability 

    Embracing vulnerability builds greater trustworthiness among co-workers, customers and stakeholders.

    • Confront the truth: listen to a new coalition of co-workers, customers, policy-makers, NGOs and activists, regulators, academics & experts, media. Those with challenging views especially welcome as part of the listening/ learning exercise No one can learn if they do not listen.
    • LIVE, in person Roundtable(s) to expose the organisation to outside-in thinking. Avoid only the usual suspects – answer specific questions held under the Chatham House Rule
  3. Co-production

    Strategies co-created with employees, customers and stakeholders deliver more successful outcomes, build resilience and reduce risk

    • Work towards establishing a new framework of principles for the organisation – before moving to strategy and actions. Explore new working principles including activism, co-production, dissent and accountability. Consider the role of the human and human potential. Map these against learnings, insights, global context, and stakeholders and communities.
    • Re-connect with the real world and real people: armed with knowledge of your vulnerabilities and Jericho principles go back outside to engage with customers, your service, and products
    • Second roundtable(s) determine practices and accountability metrics to support actions.
  4. Activism/Accountability

    Organisations can take an activist, leadership role that serves the common good. Actions - deeds not words - based on honesty and transparency.

    Start delivering via:

    • Re-consideration of internal structure & resources and what is need to effect change for good
    • Totems & priorities: concrete initiatives to support theory of change: active programme grid
    • Active participation – again, theory into practice
    • Accountability to stakeholders: priorities and mechanisms
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The Difference

Our promise

  • No power point overload,
  • No pre-determined ideas or solutions,
  • Not an agency selling tool,
  • No silly ice-breakers,
  • Won’t mask challenges as “opportunities”
  • Doesn’t end with what you already know, starts there and moves fast
  • Challenging and co-produced, to construct
  • Not just Jericho experts- your stakeholders, your consumers and your peers in businesses
  • Honest, human speak
  • Immersive learning, not ppts
  • Free of platitudes & marketing jargon
  • Outcomes, not just outputs

Your promise

  • The right people,
  • Time commitment (before, during, after)
  • Trust
  • Welcome and participate in the debate
  • Get involved
  • Open minds
  • Desire to engage with peers across industries

What you get

  • A radical re-think of your organisation’s approach to communications, leadership & trust
  • An Insights handbook: great reference material and a record of the journey travelled
  • A new co-produced framework of working principles
  • Refreshed/ more resonant narrative
  • New ways of working. Practical ideas for future engagement and comms.; clear action plans and a step-out process
  • An emerging, new stakeholder & influencer community: inspirational, challenging & occasionally dissenting. Mentors & supporters
  • A dynamic  accountability model – manifesto-based and an escape from sterile measurement metrics
  • Option to extend into an on-going programme: content-rich & community-building
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Jericho Chambers is a group of highly experienced people united by shared principles and a common sense of purpose. Our areas of experience are deliberately diverse: communications and stakeholder engagement; organisational change and effectiveness; leadership; sustainable enterprise; political activism; trust; insights and opinion research; branding and design; writing, content and digital strategy. Many of us are published authors, public speakers and commentators with other highly relevant other lives. We have all worked for major consultancies, often at Founder, CEO or Chair level. We are part of Jericho because we want solutions that work for the common good, not just the individual or consultancy. This is the experience and expertise we share along the Jericho Road.

The Jericho model is based on extensive research and published works and evidenced via a series of live programmes for real clients on big societal issues – from responsible tax to the future of work and the built environment. We also know what doesn’t work – even though it is what many of the big consultancies are still selling – and are happy to explain why.

robert.phillips@jerichochambers.com