1. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
ABP Conference
Are we focusing so much on what we do that we are losing sight of what needs to be done?
May 2009
Steve Whiddett
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

2. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
“…a focus on measurement and comparison has …… resulted in a tendency to overlook or ignore more dynamic aspects of sense-making and power relations at the heart of selection and assessment …”
Silvester & Patterson, (2007)
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

3. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
“ the trend today has been for .. consultants to go straight into the action or change. ………... work in organisational psychology …. lends itself too much to single disciplines.
The early pioneers of action research soon found out that different types of knowledge and disciplines were needed to make best use of the data gathered. ……...”
Solvik & Heller (2007)
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

4. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
“…. the world is increasingly full of more and more people getting better and better at doing less and less. Soon, someone will emerge who will be absolutely brilliant at doing nothing at all” ……
Kenneth Williams
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

5. Based on Alan C. Filley (1995) Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
What do we do?
Consultancy
advice, instruction
Research and report
on issues
Provide tools and
expert advice
42.5%
19.5%
Diagnostic
activity
Service
delivery
N=399
10.5%
27.5%
Explore problems
and propose solution
Provide an expert
pair of hands
Consultancy
action
Based on Alan C. Filley (1995)
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

6. What do we focus on? Behaviours & Outcomes Strategic direction
(Mission, values, goals)
Strategic direction
Behaviours
&
Outcomes
(Attitudes, skills, knowledge)
(Processes, regulations,
cultures, resources etc)
(Attitudes, skills, knowledge)
Conditions
People
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

7.  ? ? ? So what? Strategic direction
Stress, wasted effort, high sickness and high staff turnover
The right behaviours and the right outcomes
Confusion, inconsistent outcomes, high wastage  ? ? ?
Inappropriate behaviour and poor outcomes
Conditions
People
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

8. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
Three examples
Context
Competencies
Management training
Development centres
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9. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
Competencies ?
Are the behaviours necessary?
Are the behaviours possible? ?
Context
issues
Are the people ready? ?
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd. 9

10. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
Management
training ?
What do the senior team do?
What do ‘managers’ do? ?
Context
issues
What do managers want to do? ?
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd. 10

11. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
Development
centres ?
Is the process necessary?
How will the process fit? ?
Context
issues
What happens to the people? ?
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd. 11

12. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
So!
Are we focusing so much on what we do that we are losing sight of what needs to be done?
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

13. So, what is it that needs to be done Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
for our clients?
Use the full range of our knowledge and skills
Explore and understand the whole picture
Address causes not just symptoms
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

14. So, what is it that needs to be done Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
for ourselves?
Fully exploit the investments in ourselves
Get our communities working together
Differentiate ourselves – play the long game
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.

15. Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.
ABP Conference
Are we focusing so much on what we do that we are losing sight of what needs to be done?
May 2009
Steve Whiddett
Copyright 2009 © WHE (UK) Ltd.