A new way of seeing - and becoming - what's possible.

The Promise Group advances the Promise Informed methodology: a rigorous, appreciative framework for organizations committed to genuine, lasting growth.

ABOUT THE PROMISE GROUP

A decade of developing the ideas that change how organizations operate, grow and succeed.

The Promise Group was founded on the thought model that success and growth starts with a clear, honest view of what is right. That methodology looks at the same way an organization began- with a view based on what outcomes are possible.

For over a decade, The Promise Group has developed, refined, and shared the Promise Informed (PI) framework across education, business, nonprofit, and civic contexts. What began as a practice has grown into a full body of thought: a system of principles, tools, and trainings grounded in the discipline of Appreciative Inquiry and proven across diverse organizations and sectors.

OUR VISION

Growth happens when the focus turns to what is true, relevant, and possible.

We serve to create environments where goals, plans and teams are renewed by truthful, meaningful content — equipped to see what is right, identify what can change, and pursue what is genuinely possible starting with the current assets and circumstances.

With a promise-informed mindset, leaders and organizations quiet the noise, move past speedbumps and move forward with clarity and confidence — experiencing sustainable, growth rooted in vision, order, and purpose.

"When you are Promise Informed - you become the solution."

10+

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

3

CORE PRINCIPLES

PI

METHODOLOGY

INTELLECTUAL FORMATION

The Promise Informed Framework

Promise Informed is a methodology grounded in Appreciative Inquiry — a discipline that trains individuals, teams, and organizations to orient first toward what is working before prescribing what must change. It is not an added layer of work. It is a reorientation of how leaders see, think, and decide.

II. Develop.

PI applies intentional, evidence-informed change aligned to authentic organizational strengths — not random improvement disconnected from team aptitude or institutional goals. Growth requires new learning, and PI connects that learning to the intrinsic talent already present in the organization.

I. Discover.

Promise Informed practice begins with an appreciative view — training the mind to identify strengths, successes, and assets before assessing gaps. By focusing on what is right, leaders gain the clarity to leverage existing capacity rather than defaulting to problem-identification alone. In practice: you become the solution.

III. Deploy.

With a clear appreciative view and targeted, aligned change, what is possible becomes visible. PI creates the conditions for leaders to envision and pursue a desired future state — one built on realized strengths, not merely recovered weaknesses. This is the pursuit of what is genuinely at promise.

On Appreciative Inquiry

The Promise Informed methodology is grounded in the academic tradition of Appreciative Inquiry — a strength-based approach to organizational change developed in the 1980s as an alternative to traditional deficit-focused problem-solving. PI applies these principles as a practical, tiered system of practices, frameworks, and coaching tools applicable across sectors, scales, and communities.

IDEAS & COMMENTARY

Thought Leadership

Grace Does Not Disqualify the Story

by Kathy Lewis Grace has always been an embarrassment to prim and proper leadership. Systems want the story cleaned up before they are willing to see the promise. They prefer polished people, predictable progress, proper responses, and lives with the difficult parts carefully edited out. But grace is not embarrassed by the truth. It is not afraid of where people have been, the choices they have made, or the consequences they may still carry. It does not stand at a safe distan

The Promise Beyond Networking

By Kathy Lewis Networking has become one of the most accepted practices in leadership and business development. Entire industries have been built around creating opportunities for connection. Conferences, memberships, executive retreats, private clubs, and invitation-only gatherings all exist to provide one thing: access. And access matters. Ideas travel through relationships. Opportunities often begin with introductions. Growth rarely happens in isolation. Yet there is a sub

How Gratitude Can Help You Make Lasting Memories at Events

Have you ever attended a class, seminar, or conference, only to forget most of what you learned a few days later? It’s easy to get...

Founder, Thought Leader

About

Kathy Lewis has dedicated four decades to driving transformative change in businesses and organizations. As the founder of The Promise Group and the National Thought Leader for Promise Informed, she has spent a decade developing the PI methodology.

PI is defined as a rigorous, truth-grounded framework for personal and professional renewal. This framework is built on 30 years of practice as an award-winning educator, behavioral
specialist, and risk manager. Now tested and adopted across private and public sector organizations, Promise Informed Mindset has earned regional and national recognition as it provides a framework for renewal, growth and positive outcomes for teams and individuals alike.

GET IN TOUCH

Connect with us

Whether you are a civic leader, researcher, organizational partner, or practitioner interested in the Promise Informed framework, we welcome the conversation. Use the form to inquire about workshops, research partnerships, speaking engagements, or to subscribe to the Endowment's thought leadership journal.