About Us
The work has always been about people.
The By Design Group exists to help Catholic schools, nonprofits, leadership teams, and mission-driven organizations understand the people carrying their mission. Through leadership diagnostics, facilitation, coaching, and strategic partnerships, we help organizations build healthier teams, stronger leadership, and cultures where meaningful work can flourish.
Why I Started The By Design Group
The By Design Group didn't begin with a business plan. It began with a question.
Over the last several years I've had the privilege of working alongside principals, diocesan leaders, nonprofit executives, boards, and leadership teams across the country.
No matter the organization, I kept noticing the same pattern.
Good people were working incredibly hard, but they didn't always understand why certain conversations felt difficult, why change stalled, or why talented teams struggled to move together.
The answers weren't found in better personalities or better planning.
They were found in understanding the people behind the work.
That's why I created The Leadership Diagnostic Framework™ and ultimately launched The By Design Group.
Today I partner with organizations to uncover those hidden dynamics so leaders can build healthier teams, stronger cultures, and strategies that people are actually equipped to carry forward.
Laura Roland | Founder & CEO
Laura Roland Coaching &
The By Design Group
How We Think About Organizations
People
People carry the mission.
Every mission is ultimately fulfilled through people. When leaders understand how people are uniquely wired, they can align the right people with the right work.
Strategy
Strategy creates alignment.
Strategy is most effective when it reflects the people responsible for carrying it out. Alignment creates clarity, ownership, and sustainable progress.
Purpose
Purpose gives meaning.
When people understand how their work contributes to something larger than themselves, engagement deepens and organizations flourish.
Every Engagement Begins the Same Way
No two organizations are exactly alike, but every engagement begins with the same commitment: to understand before recommending, to listen before leading, and to uncover the patterns shaping your organization before proposing solutions.Whether we're working with a leadership team, a school, a nonprofit, or a board, the goal is always the same:
To help people understand themselves, one another, and the work they're called to do.
Listen First
Every engagement begins with curiosity, thoughtful questions, and a desire to understand your people and your mission.
See Clearly
Using The Leadership Diagnostic Framework™, we uncover the patterns influencing leadership, communication, collaboration, and organizational health.
Move Forward
Together we design practical next steps that fit your people, strengthen your leadership, and support your mission.
Organizations We've Partnered With
From Catholic schools and dioceses to universities, nonprofits, and leadership organizations, we partner with mission-driven teams to strengthen leadership, align people, and create cultures where meaningful work flourishes.
