Team Consultancy

You want to be part of a communicative, collaborative, effective team where members speak openly and honestly about how they are working together. A team who trust and support each other.

You are committed to building this kind of team.

You've tried:

1-1 coaching for the leadership team and team members
Training opportunities for the whole team
Team away days led internally
Team away days led by an external facilitator
Building teamwork tasks into appraisals and performance reviews
Ignoring any problems and just getting on with the job

But you're still experiencing:

Unclear communication in the team
Lack of trust between leadership and staff
Team behaviour that’s unproductive or off task
Individuals who feel unmotivated and unhappy
Confusion over why this team struggles to work well together

Team consultancy

Working with me will help you uncover what is really going on beneath the surface. This can lead to a more aware, cohesive, collaborative, open and honest team.

Team consultancy can help you and the team to:

Open up and share how they really think and feel
Recognise how individuals contribute to the group dynamic
Get clear on individual and group roles and responsibility
Understand where, when and why the work gets difficult
Uncover how to work through and resolve tensions or conflict
Build more effective, trusting working relationships
(Re) focus on roles and tasks
(Re) gain the satisfaction of working well

My approach

My team consultancy approach is built on my training and experience in an established theoretical framework of group dynamics ('systems psychodynamics') that examines the conscious and unconscious behaviours of humans in systems. This enables me to create a space where teams can truly open up and explore their work together at a deep level. I respond and adapt to the specific needs of every team I work with. I don’t have a fixed structure or plan: every intervention is uniquely designed and focussed on your team at this time in this organisation.

At every stage of our work we:

Explore individual and group real-life experiences
Hold the team’s system and context in mind
Apply practical techniques to deepen the team's awareness of self and each other
Consider what needs to be different and how to make changes happen

What is it like to work with me?

What is included in Team Consultancy will be discussed and agreed before we start and may be adapted as the work progresses. It may include some or all of the list below:

Team observation. I observe a team meeting or activity. Early in the process, this allows me to see the team at work without interacting. This can reveal a large amount of data about the team, the task and the organisation in a short space of time that feeds directly into the work.

Team sessions. In-person team meetings (eg 90 minutes). We will agree which team members (whole team or representatives) will join the intervention and the regularity of meetings (eg fortnightly, monthly) before we start. Meeting in person is a key part of the commitment to the work. Meeting for over one hour enables space for deeper reflection. This can also be a hybrid arrangement with some sessions online.

Check-in sessions. I meet in-person or online with the commissioner of the work or leadership team. This ensures the intervention is on track, is progressing well and if anything needs to be amended.

Development tasks. Members follow up between sessions (eg reading articles, journalling, gathering materials, follow up discussions etc). This enables the work to continue to evolve and space for individual reflections. This feeds back into the work.

Activities. During sessions individuals draw, work on card-based tasks, pairwork etc. Activities often generate energy and creative ideas that are not always accessible through group discussion and tap into the team’s experience at a deeper level.

Working notes. I share my reflections on the work. Seeing these written down can generate further discussion and ideas.

Coaching support. 1-1 coaching gives individuals the opportunity to reflect on their own experience and helps to ensure their continued full engagement with the work.

Each team intervention is designed around your needs and the needs of your team and we will agree a timetable for the work. This might be five-ten sessions across ten-twenty weeks or six sessions across six months or a year – it's a configuration that we agree. I may meet the team before the work starts to answer any questions and we will have regular check-ins as the work progresses to make sure everyone continues to get the most out of the work.

Do get in touch to discuss. The sooner we work all this out, the sooner we can get started and the sooner you and your team can start to shift.

Fees

Cost and payment terms are based on the elements, time and number of members of a team / number of teams that are involved in the intervention. This is agreed and clear in advance.

Get in touch

Team consultancy is for leaders and teams who want to develop an in-depth understanding of their team dynamics, recognise where and how things get difficult and who want to work together to build a (more) communicative, effective team.

Fill out the contact form, tell me a little about you and your team and I'll be in touch to arrange a discussion to begin to explore your situation and how we can work together.

About me

I'm Julie and I'm an Organisation Consultant.

I have a Master's in Consulting and Leading in Organisations: a psychodynamic and systems approach and have worked as Associate Lecturer on the course at the Tavistock Centre since 2021. In addition to my current roles working with groups at a very deep level, I have extensive experience working with groups through teaching, training, managing, advising, presenting and delivering events.

I know that for many people, working with others can be challenging, stressful and difficult. It can also be meaningful, fulfilling and fun. I work with teams to share my knowledge and experience to develop awareness, understanding and respect for each other, to build trust and motivation for collaboration, and to enjoy the satisfaction of doing good work well.

This is for you if...

You're a new leader or leading a new team and you want to establish a culture of open-ness and trust
You believe your team is not reaching its potential but you’re not sure why
You have a sense that things are being left unsaid and you want to open up the discussion
Your team has been through a challenging time (eg change / re-structure / redundancies / rapid growth / loss) and you need space to process and move on
Individuals are skilled and knowledgable but don't seem to gel as a team
There’s conflict in the team and you don't know how to repair it
You've tried to resolve issues with the team but you're out of ideas – you need an external perspective

This is not for you if...

If you are looking for a quick and easy fix
If you are looking for me to offer a blueprint or deliver solutions
If you don't have time or money to invest in the work
What you really need is advice and guidance on a re-structure / redundancies

FAQs

What exactly do you do in a 'consultancy' or an 'intervention'?

This might include observing teams at work, group meetings, 1-1 meetings, activities in the meetings, sharing thoughts, feelings and ideas, development tasks between sessions, check-ins to keep us on track and to adapt the work, reflecting together on what is going on and what (if anything) needs to change, working notes from me summarising the work.

Do you only work with teams that are struggling?

No. The starting point for the work may be from a strong position or it may be from a difficult place. This kind of team consultancy can benefit any group working together. However, where I can make the most impact is with teams who are stuck or troubled or not functioning well and who need support to explore group dynamics at a deep level.

How soon can we start?

We need time to meet and discuss your situation and agree the scope of the intervention and the timeframe. I need time to write out the proposal and you need to get the budget agreed. This can take a couple of weeks or a couple of months. I work on a range of projects and I can be flexible and can usually start when you can.

How much does it cost?

The cost depends on the scope of the intervention, how long we will be working together, if you want to include 1-1 support, if long-distance travel is required etc. I will work with you to design a consultancy that fits within your budget.

How long does it take?

This depends on the nature of the intervention. For the work to have impact, your team needs to be able to allocate time to attend meetings, reflect on the exploration and take actions between meetings. We might work intensively across a couple of months. We might work across an academic or calendar year. This is something we agree together. This is not a quick or easy fix. That’s why the rewards can be great.

Can you do this kind of thing at an away day?

Kind of. I can design an intervention to work with you and your team for a day but it would be a taster of my team consultancy. In my experience, in order for the work to go deep and to have real impact, the team needs to work together over time.

What if some members of the team don't want to join?

We agree together who needs to be involved in the work and it's your call if people are 'invited' or 'required' to attend. It's healthy to have some skeptical members in the team but the aim is for everyone to find value in the work. If some members that need to be part of it don't join, the impact may be more limited but it doesn’t mean the work can’t go ahead or that it won’t be meaningful.

Can you work with us if you don't know our sector?

Absolutely. My expertise is in working with groups and I assume that you are experts in your line of work. There are some advantages to having background knowledge and I've gained an understanding of a broad range of organisations through my work but there are considerable advantages to not knowing – and no team or team context is the same. A fresh, outside perspective can be extremely helpful.

What size of team can you work with?

A good size for group work is anything from three to twelve but I can also work with a pair and I can work with larger teams. If you have a large team, we can agree how best to work together – as a whole or by splitting up into groups. I can also bring in other experienced colleagues.

What are your credentials?

I have extensive experience working in teams in the UK and overseas, in education, third sector and private sector. I have a Masters in Consulting and Leading in Organisations: psychodynamic and systemic approaches from the Tavistock Centre and am Associate Lecturer on the programme where I take Experiential groups and teach theory. I have attended and staff on Group Relations conferences – immersive experiential group events which explore at a deep level what it means to work in a group. I also have over 500 hours 1-1 coaching experience.

I am accredited by the International Coaching Federation and follow their code of ethics. I attend CPD in my role at the Tavistock Centre and I have regular individual supervision.

I have a question that isn't answered here, how do I get in touch?

Click on contact at the top of the page and send me your question - I'll reply within 48 hours.

Get in touch!

I design and deliver bespoke consultancy for leaders and teams who want to communicate more openly and effectively with each other (and with other teams) understand where, when and why the work gets difficult - and identify areas for development and change.

You decide who is involved, how long we work for and when we start – I design an intervention tailored specifically to your needs and within your budget.

Fill out the form below to arrange a time to discuss what's going on for you and how I might be able to support you and your team.