Rubicon Associates

Based in Sussex, England, with offices in Germany and the Netherlands, we operate throughout the UK and overseas, often in partnership with colleagues from our world-wide network who are also members of the International Association for Social Development. Our consultant group includes specialists in management education, process improvement, business relationship management, marketing and organisation design. We specialise in designing and facilitating “integrated learning” programmes which ensure that learning happens on a “just in time” basis and is immediately applied in the workplace.

Our client portfolio includes businesses in the manufacturing, utilities, construction, retail, IT, service and finance sectors, as well as public and voluntary sector organisations. Rubicon development programmes have helped several companies to win National and Regional Training Awards. We undertake research and development projects in collaboration with regional, national and European bodies.

Influences

In our work we draw on several key streams of management development, including:

All of these inform the projects and programmes we develop with and for our clients.

The Rubicon River

Rubicon is the ancient name of a small river which flows into the Adriatic. In the days of the Roman Republic, returning armies were supposed to disband before crossing this boundary into Italy. In 49 BC Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, marched on Rome, and subsequently became Emperor. By analogy, to "cross the Rubicon" means to take a decisive, irrevocable step.

The work of Rubicon Associates involves helping people meet and cross thresholds of understanding, relationship and initiative. Boundaries can of course be crossed in healthy or unhealthy, peaceful or aggressive ways. It is also important that they are established in the right places, and appropriately respected. The watery image of flow and process is also expressed in this name and our logo, and in the title of our newsletter, Crosscurrents.