The Story Behind the MC³ Strategic Approach
A while back, during a deep conversation with a C-suite executive I’ve been coaching through a complex business turnaround, she asked me a simple but thought-provoking question: “MC, have you ever thought about articulating your typical methodology into a simple to grasp diagram you use when embarking on transforming an organization?”
That question stayed with me. I reflected on how I naturally approach transformation—how I diagnose challenges, guide leaders, and align people toward sustainable performance improvement. I do have a recipe that shapes the baseline to my work—a sequence of critical questions that, when answered honestly and thoroughly, drive clarity and progress.
So, I decided to capture that thinking visually. The result is the MC³ Strategic Approach, represented through the MC³ Discovery Cycle.
The MC³ Discovery Cycle
This framework guides transformation through five key questions:
Where are you now?
Why are you there?
Where would you like to be?
How can you get there?
Are you getting there?
By methodically exploring these questions, leaders can uncover root causes (often through the Five Whys method), align their vision, and build actionable strategies for change.
Rooted in Lean Six Sigma and strengthened by a belief in People Sigma—the human side of performance improvement—the MC³ approach blends analytical rigor with human insight to deliver sustainable transformation.
It should be noted that there is rigorous work underpinning this discovery cycle, particularly through a Strategy to Action Framework—a structured process I use to gain a deep understanding of where the business truly stands. This framework uncovers not only the visible challenges but also the hidden opportunities that may not be immediately obvious. The culmination of this work is the Strategy to Action Strategic Imperatives Dashboard, a powerful dashboard designed for everyone in the organization to understand and use as their compass check—helping to navigate and drive the business through the change it needs to embrace.
I understand that some people might think, “MC, this is just common sense — surely everyone approaches things this way.” But here’s the thing: you’d be surprised how often people don’t, or they simply skim through to reach an end result as quickly as possible. I know some of the wording might sound like a bit of gobbledygook at times, but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like any clarification or more insight — I’m always happy to share more!
MC
