04/2012Nucleus-International.net1 The Nucleus Counsellor Nucleus-International.net Tasks Profile Performance

04/2012Nucleus-International.net2 The Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks Moderation of meetings Group Counselling Execution of activities Individual Counselling of members

04/2012Nucleus-International.net3 Tasks of the chamber counsellor To assist / support / counsel the CEO and the board of directors To marketing / sell the services and activities of the chamber To represent the chamber (not legally) To know the member entrepreneurs To identify the needs and wishes of the members

04/2012Nucleus-International.net4 Tasks of the chamber counsellor To move around in order to know service providers for different sectors –Consultants, technicians and institutions (training, suppliers, research, etc.) To be a link between –Chamber and enterprise –Enterprise and knowledge sources / service providers To contribute to improve the –Development of the member enterprises –Development of the local economy MOTTO : "I do not have an answer to everything, but... I know how and where to look for them! "

04/2012Nucleus-International.net507/20085 Profile of the chamber counsellor General –General knowledge about business administration and technologies –To be a specialist on one subject may be an advantage –Trained in counselling Entrepreneurial thinking With maturity and responsibility With empathy Important: Positive attitude and ethics

04/2012Nucleus-International.net6 What qualifications does a Counsellor need ? Experience with SMEs Able to work with people / in groups Open minded and willing to learn Communication & networking skills Entrepreneurial thinking Leadership qualities Analytical skills Good public relation competencies Confidence to face challenges Computer literacy “Social intelligence” : to perceive what happens –in the minds of the participants –among the participants and to react adequately

04/2012Nucleus-International.net7 Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks Stimulation and organisation of the communication process amongst members = Moderation Focal point: the group dynamic Objectives : –High quality of the discussions –Strong orientation towards goals No confusion, no "blah blah blah.."

04/2012Nucleus-International.net8 Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks Strategy : –Stimulate the identification of common problems and ideas –Stimulate the exchange of know-how, experience and solutions among members –Implementation of activities as defined by the Nucleus members  courses, visits to suppliers, trade fairs, etc.

04/2012Nucleus-International.net9 Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks Strategy : –Direct the discussion to problems which members can solve on their own  internal causes – decision maker : SME = great chance of success –Avoid problems that members cannot solve by themselves  external causes – decision maker : others, who are to be influenced = lobby = less chances of success

04/2012Nucleus-International.net10 Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks At the “right” moment, the counsellor –Participates actively in the discussion –Contributes with - questions, - ideas, - experiences, - comparisons, - proposals = Counselling Nucleus

04/2012Nucleus-International.net11 Nucleus Counsellor : Tasks Observations: Group dynamics come first Moderation without counselling is ineffective

04/2012Nucleus-International.net12 Nucleus Counsellor Recurrent questions : Why should the entrepreneur accept and respect me as a helpful counsellor ? What can I do to be accepted and respected by the entrepreneur as a helpful counsellor ?

04/2012Nucleus-International.net13 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur What to do to be accepted? –Knowing to listen –Being oriented to the needs of the entrepreneurs –Perceiving the world with the "eyes" of the entrepreneur –Expressing empathy –Speaking the “language” of the entrepreneur –Showing responsibility and good judgment Important: To show clearly the will and the ability to help and support

04/2012Nucleus-International.net14 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur What to do to be accepted? –The more similarities in thinking the entrepreneur perceives between him-/herself and the counsellor the higher is the chance to accepted –But a counsellor thinking exactly like the entrepreneur does not serve!  The entrepreneur will not get something “new” through and from the counsellor

04/2012Nucleus-International.net15 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur What to do to be accepted? –The “input” of the counsellor is to break the common / the “tunnel” thinking of the entrepreneur –The highest praise a Nucleus counsellor can get from the Nucleus members is S/he has good ideas!

04/2012Nucleus-International.net16 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Attitude –Discreet / ethical –Reliable –Maintaining distance and independence –Being a “partner” within professional boundaries (avoid personal advantages / influences) –Being absolutely neutral between the Nucleus members, treating all in the same way –Efficient auto-organisation

04/2012Nucleus-International.net17 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Strategies –Definition of responsibilities –Expression of selfconfidence –Development of alternatives / suggestions –But: Do not assume the entire execution of the decided activities !!! –Encourage group participation –Using the technique: “Do we want to work together"?

04/2012Nucleus-International.net18 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Limits in the relationship –Never provide individual personal favours –Control your emotion –The counsellor presents alternatives, controls, advises... The entrepreneur decides and executes, the responsibility remains with him / her –The counsellor is responsible for participation, involvement and satisfaction … The entrepreneur should feel that s/he found a reliable and valuable partner

04/2012Nucleus-International.net19 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Avoid confrontations –Arm yourself with information and arguments –Show humility and admit mistakes –Present relevant fact and data –Listen carefully –Advise and do not impose –Do not insist on being right –Reconsider positions

04/2012Nucleus-International.net20 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Counsellors’ most common mistakes –Creation of dependency –Acting with superiority / arrogance –Appearing as “God of the truth“ –Wandering around due to ignorance of the subject –Prejudicing the enterprise or the entrepreneur –Making promises / announcements and not fulfill them (Example: deadlines)

04/2012Nucleus-International.net21 Relationship between counsellor and entrepreneur Counsellors’ most common mistakes –Making contacts in inadequate environments (disorganization, interferences...) –Talking too much without objectives (long winded, diffuse) –Not maintaining secrecy or discretion Deadly Sins –Talking about an entrepreneur’s problem to others –Joking about an entrepreneur’s mistake

04/2012Nucleus-International.net22 Positive attitudes of the Nucleus counsellor Assuming neutral position in the discussions Remaining attentive and interested Varying the communication means –card, flip charts, video, panels, etc. Organizing the work in a democratic way Acting as counsellor and moderator Not providing turnkey solutions

04/2012Nucleus-International.net23 Negative attitudes of the Nucleus counsellor Making long conferences about each topic Not informing the participants in advance about the agenda of the meeting Improvising the discussion of a topic Starting long justification about the adopted rules and techniques Imposing your own analysis

04/2012Nucleus-International.net24 Nucleus-International.net This file is part of our material to present and illustrate our activities to professional and elected officials of business associations, personnel from technical cooperation projects, and other people with an interest in this field. We are involved in a constant process of elaborating and improving this material, and targeting it to the demands of specific groups. You may use, copy, and change this file as you like (we do not insist on a copyright). We would, however, like to ask you for the following: please send us a copy (as a file or printout) and additional information if you use the file or parts of it. Thank you! The Nucleus-International.net team