An Approach to Drive Improvement.
We're your strategic improvement partner — we listen, we understand, we challenge, and we always deliver.
We are Sycol, the name is shorthand for psychology – which suits us because that’s at the heart of our approach. After nearly 15 years in business, we are proud of who we are and what we’ve achieved!
At the core of our delivery is the culture that drives us, a culture that creates a trusting and open partnership with our clients. Our team is proud of our ability to navigate challenges skilfully, act with integrity, and make a meaningful difference for our clients.
Make us part of your team and we’ll bring out the best in your people and organisation.
Our strategic approach is led by our founder, psychologist Dr Ioan Rees and delivered through tailored organisation improvement programmes, which are structured over three stages and across six key areas, with each area introducing a new set of content and skills to help leaders and staff build a resilient, self-improving organisation.
Our 3 stage approach.
Sycol recognises that every client has unique needs, that’s why we engage to understand deeply the change that they want. We then work together to develop a plan that delivers results following our 3 stage change and transformation model: Build, Embed, Sustain.
Build stage
Working with you to co-create and implement the plan for change
Embed stage
Managing the change process together, ensuring improvements stick
Sustain stage
Ensuring that the changes are fully embedded and become muscle-memory, so that growth continues naturally
This structured yet flexible approach is tailored to meet your needs and utilises our 6-area framework for organisational improvement. We also provide access to our Academy, a dynamic repository with rich media materials to support learning and lasting change.
6 key areas we target for organisational improvement.
Core Framework
Leadership
Mindset
Innovation
Alignment and Autonomy
Culture
An approach based on trusted psychology.
As the leaders in psychology-led consulting, we rely on the best practice and research to guide our work. We believe in keeping things straightforward and practical, without complicated jargon. Below, are the key theories and thinkers that shape our approach.
Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck)
Where abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Relevant because it encourages resilience, embraces challenges, and supports continuous learning.
Psychological Safety (Amy Edmondson)
A shared belief that an environment should be safe for risk taking and speaking up without fear of negative consequences. Critical for innovation, engagement, and inclusion.
Self-Determination Theory (Edward Deci and Richard Ryan)
Recognising that people have basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Meeting these facilitates motivation and well-being.
Learning Organisations (Peter Senge)
Organisations that enable people to continually expand their capacity to create desired results, where new patterns of thinking are encouraged, and collective aspiration is set free. Creates adaptability.
Positive Psychology (Martin Seligman)
The promotion of human strengths and wellbeing that enables individuals and organisations to thrive. Focuses on developing the best in people.
Personal Construct Theory (George Kelly)
A theory of personality that acknowledges people interpret events through mental constructs based upon their unique experiences and storytelling. This helps understand how people may construe events and guides effective communication.
Team Role Theory (Meredith Belbin)
The idea that people have preferred team roles based upon their perceived strengths. Identifying team members’ roles can build complementary teams. Supports collaboration.
Ikea Effect Theory (Michael I. Norton, Daniel Mochon, and Dan Ariely)
The psychological phenomenon where people place a higher value on innovations, structures and systems that they have had a hand in creating or maintaining. Applicable for increasing engagement, motivation, attribution, and ownership.
Solution Oriented Theory (Bill O’Hanlon)
Focuses on solutions rather than problems, future possibilities over past causes, and strengths rather than deficits. Promotes positive change.
Made in Wales - we are a bilingual organisation.
Tell us about your challenge.
If you like the sound of our approach, and the ideas that have shaped our thinking, get in touch. We like nothing more than being involved with innovative, progressive organisations driven by people who think the way we do. Let’s get the conversation started.