A process built around your situation.
Every Macaulay Consulting engagement is scoped to need. Here's what to expect from first contact to final handover.
There is a consistent process for getting from "we think we need help with something" to "we have a plan and we're moving". That process is the same regardless of whether the engagement that emerges is two hours or twelve months. It exists to make sure the work is well-scoped, well-resourced and well-matched to the people who will live with the results.
The first conversation
A scoping conversation, not a sales pitch.
The first conversation is free, no-obligation and usually runs around thirty minutes. Caroline will ask what you're working with: the context, the problem, what's been tried, who's involved and what a good outcome would look like. You'll do most of the talking. She listens and asks questions to understand whether this is the right kind of support for what you're facing, and if so, what shape an engagement might take.
By the end of the conversation, you'll have:
- An honest read on whether Caroline can help with what you've described
- A rough sense of what an engagement might involve, in scope and shape
- A clear next step, whether that's a written scoping document, a referral elsewhere or simply more information
If it isn't the right fit, Caroline can often find you a more suitable alternative through the networks she's established.
The scoping document
A written proposal, before any commitment.
Following the first conversation, if there is agreement to progress, Caroline will follow up with a written scoping document. This is not a generic capability statement; it is a tailored proposal for your specific engagement.
The scoping document sets out:
- The situation as Caroline has understood it from the first conversation, so you can confirm she's heard you correctly
- The proposed approach, including the method, the sequencing and the people involved
- The deliverables, described in concrete terms (e.g. "a facilitated two-day workshop, a written synthesis report, a follow-up session with the leadership team")
- The timeline, including key milestones and any dependencies on your side
- The fee, quoted as a fixed price or a clear day rate depending on the work
- What is not included, so the boundaries of the engagement are explicit
You'll have everything you need to make a decision before committing to anything. Adjustments and revisions to the scoping document before sign-off are expected and welcomed; this is the moment to get it right.
The engagement itself
Structured, flexible, grounded in your context.
Engagements vary enormously in length and rhythm. A single facilitated session might be designed and delivered inside two weeks. A culture program might span six months with sessions every fortnight. Whatever the duration, the engagement runs against the scope and timeline agreed in Step 2, with two things held constant:
A single point of contact on Caroline's side. You deal directly with Caroline throughout. There is no account manager, no associate, no handover to someone you haven't met. The person who designs the work is the person who delivers it.
A nominated sponsor on your side. Caroline typically asks for one named contact who carries internal accountability for the engagement, so decisions can be made quickly and communication stays clean.
Throughout the engagement, you can expect:
- Pre-work or pre-reading ahead of each major session, so the time in the room is well spent
- Light-touch check-ins between sessions, as needed, to keep the work on track
- Written summaries or synthesis documents after key sessions, capturing what was decided and what comes next
- Adjustment when context shifts, because real engagements rarely run exactly as planned and the scope can be revisited together when that happens
Closing the engagement
A clean handover, not a fade-out.
Every engagement has a defined close. Depending on the work, the close might be a final session with the leadership team, a written report delivered to a board, a workshop that hands tools to the team carrying the work forward or a combination of these.
What you can expect at close:
- The agreed deliverables completed in full, with any final revisions handled before sign-off
- A handover conversation to confirm what's been done, what's still in flight on your side and what to do if questions come up afterwards
The goal is to leave the organisation better equipped to continue the work on its own.
Five things that sit underneath every engagement
Clarity
Cutting through complexity to define a clear path forward.
Collaboration
Working with you, not just for you.
Compassion
How people feel shapes how change happens, so emotional intelligence is central to the work.
Playfulness
Purposeful lightness makes hard conversations more productive, not less.
Positive Ripple Effects
Every engagement is designed to leave your organisation better equipped than before.
Caroline helped us pave the way for important changes ahead in our health service. She designed workshops that engaged everyone in the room, and kept us focussed on the key issues. With her help, we achieved the results we needed in a really positive way.Therese Hayes , Executive Director, West Moreton Hospital and Health Service
Ready to start with a conversation?
The first conversation is no-obligation and at no cost. Tell Caroline what you're working on; she'll tell you honestly whether she can help.