Many years ago, Don Schon wrote about the "messes" being confronted by contemporary professionals. These messes are multi-dimensional, requiring multi-disciplinary perspectives and multi-strategied approaches to the coaching process itself.

The division of our culture is making us more obtuse than we need be: we can repair communications to some extent: but . . . .we are not going to turn out men and women who understand as much of their world as Piero della Francesca did of his, or Pascal, or Goethe. With good fortune, however, we can educate …

Each of six distinct cultures (each with its own history and values) yields a specific perspective regarding the most valued sources of expertise that can (and should) be engaged in guiding the short-term tactics and longer-term strategies of the organization.