Areas of Work

My principle is to work with people, to identify areas for change. This works for a range of issues whether cultural, behavioral, personal, policy or process changes. It uses the talents and ideas of people, who have expert knowledge of their own organisation. It works within the organisation s current system rather than impose a system. Finally, it addresses a whole-system perspective that can integrate change into existing working structures.

Organisation development

Working with the whole organisation is an exacting yet gratifying experience. As an external consultant, it helps to be objective and fresh to the issues, and to be genuinely curious. This perspective encourages openness and co-operation between the consultant and people inside the organisation.

Often the task is to uncover an underlying set of thinking and behaviors, which stops organisation working effectively. People know that something needs ‘tuning’, and come to me with questions like:

• Why are so many people leaving?
• Where has all the fun gone?
• How can I find out why we are working so slowly?
• How can we think about our future?

Working with Teams

Teams, groups or units inside a larger system, often reflect and act as a microcosm of the whole. My work is to help the team understand their environment, their task, their skills, and the blockages that limit their energy.

The need for team development happens differently and can be vocalised at either inception, mid life or at the closure of a project. Managers or team members may express their concerns the following ways:

• We are a new team, and want to develop good ways of working together
• I am a new manager and want to share my ideas, and plans, without devaluing existing work
• I have a completely new team, how can I build trust?
• We are a new project group. How can we start to work together?
• My management style has been called helpful, how and what should I change?

Working with individuals

Most people benefit from using dedicated time and professional coaching to discover the best solution to improve their effectiveness. Coaching or Role Consultation with an individual can entail a number of activities. My methodology is based on the person s needs, their work environment and their aspirations, We build a confidential, one -to -one relationship to understand both effective, and ineffective patterns and habits in their working life. The aim is for this partnership to find the best solutions, crafted for their specific context.

It is based on a model using 'socio-technical' thinking which examines the interplay of the individual in his or her role, and the tasks they perform, within the system (organisation) they work in. This three-layer perspective means the person and their context is seen as an integrated system that effects and influences themselves their colleagues and their work.

Mediation and resolving Conflict

Mediation is "principled negotiation" using an impartial third party.

We spend a great deal of our time at work, so it seems reasonable that we do not always 'get on' together, and can have quite in depth clashes of opinions and ideas. These 'conflicts' often fade away as solutions and compromises are found. However, sometimes the conflict can explode, create friction and a heated atmosphere. This might be the time to ask in an external independent mediator.