I help people, teams, and organizations fix what’s not working—so they can grow, succeed, and thrive together.
About Cates Visionary Voice
We don’t just believe people matter.
We believe systems must be rebuilt to honor the truth of who people are.
Because no matter how talented, compassionate, or resilient a person is—if the system they live or work inside is broken, they will eventually break, too.
People are inherently whole, imperfect, and powerful.
We don’t fix people. We fix the systems that were never designed to hold real humanity.
What I Believe:
Systems should work for people — not the other way around.
Every child deserves to thrive—and that starts with strong, emotionally intelligent adults, families, and communities
Mistakes are how we learn. Safety is how we grow.
Leadership is about creating space, not controlling outcomes.
The more we listen to people closest to the work, the better everything gets.
The Deeper Truth:
For too long, Western systems—both personal and professional—have glorified performance over presence, independence over interdependence, control over connection.
The result?
Without systems built for wholeness, even the best people burn out, disconnect, or walk away.
The Vision We Stand For:
We believe that healing happens not by “fixing” human beings — but by building systems strong enough to honor their sacred imperfection. We believe that courage isn’t just about change — it’s about choosing a new way of relating to work, to leadership, to community, and to love. We believe that real leadership begins at the human level: one system, one conversation, one radical act of truth at a time. And we believe it’s time to stop asking people to be perfect to succeed. It’s time to fix the systems so people can be human — and still thrive.
Cates Visionary Voice™ is not just a facilitation practice. It’s a counter-culture movement.
A living system designed for a future where humanity isn’t a liability — it’s the
foundation.
Welcome to the new system.
Where presence matters more than performance.
Where truth matters more than appearances.
Where connection builds the future — not control.
Join the Movement.
We help people, workplaces, and communities grow, evolve, and innovate—by fixing what’s wrong with the systems they’re running on.
I’m a facilitator with over 35 years of experience in leadership and transformation across business, government, and community systems. I work with people, teams, and organizations to uncover what’s not working, identify areas for improvement, and guide the redesign of systems that support real growth, thriving businesses, and strong communities. My approach is built on the foundational insights of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who taught us that people don’t fail—systems do. But in Deming’s time, conversation was assumed. In ours, it has to be re-engineered. That’s why Fix Systems. Not People.™ Method starts there. Conversation is the first system function.
And when we get that part right, when we surface the real issues and redesign from truth, everything begins to change. This work isn’t theoretical. It’s lived and built from decades of practical leadership, system-level change, and personal reinvention. If you’re ready to lead differently, grow with purpose, or fix what’s been holding your people back— I’m here to start the conversation.