“Crucial Insights”
The following is a copy of an article by Jeremy Clare in Faith in Business Journal where he sets out how the group formed in 1997 - the 2007 conference has led to some changes but here Jeremy gives a Crucial Insight into where we came from
The first thing that strikes me on applying myself to this writing task is the journal’s name. This article will be “effective” in that almost anything I write is bound to have some effect…....but exactly what effect will it have?
That prompts me to ask exactly what effect our consultancy work has, and who decides whether it’s the desired effect? How good are we at what we do and where would we begin to find out? If we have ethical dilemmas about how to proceed in a particular assignment, what then? If you have such questions, then where do you take them, I wonder? Here are a few possibilities:
To your own thought processes, analysis and reflection
To your own network (some of whom you may regard as “competitors”)
To your clients
To your Professional Association or Institute meetings
To your mates down the pub
To your family
Each of these options has some advantages and also some obvious drawbacks, which I have no space to expand on here. But I can tell you that I have discovered something important over the last 10 years of self-employment: I am an independent consultant who is also highly dependent. I really need and enjoy a well-informed and empathic forum in which I can openly discuss an eclectic mix of personal, professional and business-related issues – somewhere I can both give and receive feedback and good counsel. Does this strike a chord ? Well, I am going to tell you a story:
In 1997 a group of 25 consultants met for a two-day seminar designed for “Christians in Consultancy”, and titled accordingly. It was held at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, under the auspices of the Ridley Hall Foundation. The programme was extremely helpful and informative, looking as it did at a variety of ethical and practical issues faced by consultants at many different levels from large firm to solo independent. The quality of the presentations and discussions was high and many people present wished that discussions could continue.
One consultant voiced his desire to meet up again with this supportive and well-qualified group and from that seed a group has both formed and grown, meeting regularly every 4 months for the last nine years. The simple facts are these
- We meet at Ridley Hall for an evening meal, stay overnight and all the following day
- Some 10-15 come to any one meeting - we have 30 - 40 on our e mail list
- There is an ongoing e mail exchange of news and views between meetings
Discussions, which cover personal situations as well as professional dilemmas, are relevant, frank and thought provoking
An appropriate level of confidentiality and discretion is maintained throughout
Well, there’s the story! The purpose of this article is to encourage others to start similar groups and to enjoy the benefits which I believe to be -
A safe place to discuss difficult issues in a supportive atmosphere
A chance to reflect a little on deeper aspects of our work
An opportunity to see one’s own story as part of a bigger story
A listening, caring and flexible support group
A veritable treasure-house of knowledge and experience on hand
Straightforward to join and leave – a simple “pay as you go” approach
A welcome (and rare) rest and recuperation day in an increasingly busy world
Costs are few:-
A day not earning (offset perhaps by new ideas and refreshment received)
B&B and a small per capita administration fee to cover room hire etc
A degree of risk (but not much) in self-disclosure
Stories and situations will vary and any such group you might start will inevitably be different. There is no intention in our group at Cambridge to grow a larger organisation, to charge or to earn fees or to canvas for work collectively , though all these have been discussed! However, there are plainly opportunities for useful networking built in.
It might be helpful to say a little about how the meetings are run. This has developed over time to suit our group:
After dinner on the first evening everyone has an opportunity to bring the group up to date with business and personal situations. Common themes emerging are noted on a white board ready for the next day. Any individual requests for particular subjects to be covered are also noted.
We use the whole of the next day for open discussion and for teasing out different perspectives on the issues raised. This group has an additional Christian perspective (remembering its origins) – brief biblical insights and prayer or meditation over particular issues are frequently found to be relevant and helpful. The e mail group has adopted the name “Crucial Insights” because that is what we both offer each other and receive in return.
There is no appointed leader, it’s a self-facilitating group and all the richer for that. We’ve found it to be more creative and productive in open discussion to have good process skills and not primarily a “results”orientation.
It’s not difficult to get such a group up and running. Half a dozen like-minded people could schedule a day in their diaries a few months hence and invite others to join them for the day. There really is everything to gain and nothing to lose. If you go ahead and do it, there will soon be a new story to write about a new group!