Is Client-Centred Consulting for you?

Am I responsible for managing change, influencing people and helping them solve problems?

Why is our Client Centred Approach so successful?

Practising real skills, working with real clients with real problems and getting real feedback....

Who has used our programmes and what do they say?

"The course was fantastic, Bill was a real inspiration and the material easy to understand, and more importantly, easy to use and implement"

What will I learn and how will I learn it?

Facilitating change, extending your consulting styles, increasing interpersonal skills, developing self esteem and self awareness.

Client Centred Skills for Leading and Coaching

Adopt a consultative and collaborative style of leading and coaching people...

Consulting for Real People

A practical book for any established or aspiring consultant, leader or manager involved in day to day change in any organisation, large or small.

The Structure of our 5 day Workshop

The workshops are designed to reflect the realities of any consulting assignment. Participants are encouraged to practice skills and deal with difficult issues within the group as they arise. This requires a great deal of flexibility. However there is a definite structure to the programme although timings will vary from group to group.

Day 1.

Gaining Entry

• Building relationships in the group
• Exploring issues of openness and trust
• Dealing with first impressions
• Identifying barriers to gaining entry

Contracting

• Identifying barriers to Contracting
• Individual goals and objectives
• Clarifying expectations of clients and consultants
• Agreeing appropriate ground-rules for the group
• Clarifying the role of the Workshop Consultants
• Exploring contracting dilemnas

Day 2.

Data Collection

• Identifying the range of data available
• How we might use that data to help client groups function effectively
• Exploration of data collection models

Feedback

• Giving feedback to the client
• Giving and receiving effective feedback during the programme
• Principles of effective feedback

Acceptant Style

• Clarifying your understanding of the style
• Practicing the acceptant style
• Consolidating your learning using the style

Catalytic Style

• Clarifying your understanding of the style
• Practicing the catalytic style
• Consolidating your learning using the style

Day 3

Confrontational Style

• Clarifying your understanding of the style
• Practicing the confrontational style
• Consolidating your learning using the style

Prescriptive Style

• Clarifying your understanding of the style
• Risks for client and consultant
• Necessary conditions for the style

Theories and Models

• An introduction to the use of Theories and Models to help clients understand problems and make decisions
• Preparation in small groups to make a Theories and Models intervention

Day 4.

Theories and Models Practice

• An opportunity to work as pairs of consultants making a complete intervention into a client group.
• An opportunity to work on issues of self awareness, self esteem and conflict handling.

Feedback

• An opportunity to get feedback from colleagues on your skills, styles, and impact on others.
• Developing self awareness and self esteem

Day 5.

Decision Making and Planning

• Working on ways in which you will implement your learning back at work.
• An opportunity to carry out a final significant consultation with an individual client and get feedback.

Disengaging

• A crucial phase of the consulting cycle

What Will Be Required Of You During A Workshop

The workshops are designed to be practical with the emphasis on skill building rather than intellectual discussion. To do this they are run as a consulting assignment which follows all the phases of the consulting cycle and within which participants are encouraged to work as consultants to each other and to the group. This ensures that everyone has constant opportunity to test their skills against real issues with real clients throughout the week.

Some of these issues will be problems which participants bring with them and are willing to share; most will emerge from the group as the consulting assignment progresses.

To get the best from the experience participants should:

• Be prepared to work as consultants rather than clients throughout the week
• Take considerable responsibility for their own learning
• Be willing to give and receive constructive feedback about their colleagues and their own skills and behaviour
• Want to contribute to the development of a constructive, open and supportive climate within the group

See below to read about all the other skills you will develop during the Client Centred Consulting Workshop and the Structure of the Programme

Understanding the models you require when facilitating organisational change
Managing all phases of any consulting assignment
Extending your repertoire of consulting styles
Practising the interpersonal skills you require
Improving your self esteem and developing your self awareness
Understanding what it means to be client-centred