Summary
The
practice of management consultancy is often misunderstood,
and frequently our clients are not sure what to expect from
us. However in one area it is clear that they (our clients)
should expect us to have excellent skills: we should all be
good at working with groups and teams.
This is rarely taught and often its importance is underrated
and overlooked. However, this set of craft skills (a mix of
facilitation, design, graphic, communication and interpersonal
skills) lies at the core of successful consultancy, mentoring
and coaching.
A large part of the consultant’s role is to do with this craft
skill that is best acquired through practice. The session
will start with an overview of key skills and features of
facilitation for groups and teams. Where time permits participants
will be invited to experiment with some ideas and processes,
followed by reflections on questions from the audience.
Session Objectives:
To promote awareness of the importance of the team and group
facilitation as a set of craft skills that are best acquired
through practice, but which can be made more accessible through
a taught programme.
1. To introduce the audience to the mix of facilitation skills
and techniques that many consultants use on a day to day basis
for working with client groups and teams.
2. To promote an understanding of the central role that these
skills play in change and project management, and in organisational
decision making.
3. To make these skills and techniques more accessible to
the audience.
Biography
Bill
Mayon-White is an independent adviser and consultant on technology,
organisations and change. He has special interests in change,
strategy and decision processes. He has extensive experience
of working at a senior level with teams, and advising and
supporting individual directors in leading international companies
and UK Government Departments. He has considerable operational
and strategic management experience in assisting clients to
move from ideas and plans to clear decisions and the delivery
of change.
He was originally trained as an applied biologist, and worked
overseas and as a scientist in government service. This broadened
his interests to encompass cybernetics, systems theory and
decision-making in organisations. Bill has worked with many
international organisations and has lectured extensively world-wide.
Previously he held full-time academic posts, latterly as Senior
Lecturer and Development Director at Cranfield University.
Before that Bill held a lectureship with the Open University
Systems Group where he was responsible for internationally
recognised work on systems behaviour, methodology, and the
management of change. He has a long association with the London
School of Economics as a senior research fellow with the Institute
of Social Psychology.
Bill is the author and editor of a number of books, monographs
and papers. These include “Managing Change”, first published
in 1987 as “Planning and Managing Change”, and now in its
second edition. Other titles include “Study Skills for Managers”,
and more recently, “Principles of Good Practice for Information
Management” (re-published by the British Standards Institution).
W.
M. Mayon-White. B.Sc. (Hons). MIBiol. CBiol.
Contact address: Contromex Services Limited. 102 Nether Street.
London. N12 8EU
Telephone: (020) 8445 5036 and mobile: 0788 769 3128. E-mail:
wmmw@compuserve.com
