ABSTRACT
Cynthia Rogers describes examples of the preparation and mind set it takes to transform consultations into authentic working situations. She suggests early work clarifying, educating, negotiating, conceptualizing, and establishing the boundaries of the relationship. The consultant is expected to set a tone, find a voice and work collaboratively. Where the consultant can engage constructively with negative group dynamics and power dynamics a culture evolves that encourages active participation and quality conversation. A group analytic leadership style sustains this by building on relationships and encouraging creative disagreement. Such a dialogue can engage with median sized groups of 50 to 100 particularly where culture change is needed. Engaging with the client and the participants is described in detail.
Cynthia describes the value of psychoanalytic, psychodynamic and systemic thinking to work with individual business executives, partnerships, NHS teams, and wider professional groups. Group analysis is a body of knowledge and experience which attends not only to the individual but also to their relationship with their context. It provides the interpersonal, relational perspective essential for creating and sustaining thinking spaces in reflective practice and consultancy.
