Welcome to

Collaborative
Consulting

Collaborative
Consulting

is focused on maximizing organizational effectiveness and results through enhanced human resources, organizational development and employee involvement strategies. Collaborative consulting provides targeted expertise to address employee relations issues and challenges.

Whether this occurs through outcome-based workshops or facilitation, conflict management interventions, labor/management partnership development or employee search and diversity initiatives depends entirely upon client needs and objectives. Please click the services link above for more details.

 

Group Effectiveness

Often, conflicts result from group activities and meetings. Simple disagreements can escalate into major problems. Sometimes disagreements and problems from prior meetings are continued into the current meeting. Other times, dominant members may shut down and frustrate those who are more quiet and reserved. The following tools can be helpful in addressing and/or managing conflict.

Read more >

 

Labor/Management Collaboration

Labor/Management Collaboration strategies have been instrumental in improving productivity and quality in a number of other organizations. One county nursing home was experiencing a large number of absenteeism and sick leave abuse problems. This increased overtime costs and necessitated employees working in “short-staffed” situations. Interestingly, labor representatives initially raised this issue. The Union identified that sick leave abuse was posing a tremendous problem for the conscientious employees. While some overtime was appreciated, the excessive amount had become a burden. The Union was concerned about providing due process for potential offenders. The union was also concerned that the conscientious employee was not disadvantaged.

Read more >

 

How To Begin

It is important to begin with small steps. Possibly, apply the approach to your next grievance. Possibly, suggest that a small union management committee be formed to address safety issues. Possibly, agree to use this approach during your next round of negotiations. The important thing is to practice the process and build on the successes. Sometimes parties begin too broadly and are unable to respond to the problems that develop.

Read more >

Collaborative Decision-Making

This seven step process can be very helpful in general problem solving and conflict management situations.
Step 1

Define the problem/clarify the issue

Often the reasons for the dispute and background are not clear.

Step 2

Identify interest/concerns

What are the true motivations underlying the situation? Asking the question “what would that get you?” is often helpful in clarifying the interests.

Step 3

Develop options

Brainstorm options to address the interests. It is important to be creative. Go for quantity rather than quality at this point.

Step 4

Evaluate the options using standards

Standards help provide objectivity to the evaluation of options. Fair, affordable, workable and promote or maintain quality are examples of standards that can provide good guidance.

Step 5

Develop a tentative solution

Based upon the application of standards, select options that effectively address the interests. Fine tune the tentative solution to determine that the problem has been resolved and interests satisfied.

Step 6

Develop an implementation plan

Who does what, by when? This is the opportunity to determine accountability for plan success.

Step 7

Evaluate results

After an agreed upon period of time, revisit the solution and assess the actual results.

Read more >
 

 

 

What they say

You did a tremendous job today! You sent out positive and powerful messages. We accomplished a great deal. Thank you.
School Administrator

The use of standards to evaluate options helsp reduce the emotional part of problem solving. This clearly shows what alternatives are most viable.
Union Leader

As you know we have been losing market share to non-union competitors. With your assistance we have a plan in place to address the problem. The foreman training program will help add value for our customers. The collaboration efforts between the union and the contractor’s association will lead to many cost saving initiatives that will translate to increased business and stable jobs for our members.
Union President

Collaborative Decision Making has many uses and can be applied in many different areas. You provided some great ideas that I can apply in my classroom, building leadership meetings and my personal life.
Teacher

Your facilitation continues to amaze me and I am in awe of it.
Building Principal

Your training can increase effectiveness in many situations including work teams and interactions with parents, students and colleagues. Thanks for the insights!
Administrator

Your ideas wil definitely work and be beneficial to the organization. The way you involved everyone helped us learn and better understand the concepts.
Supervisor

Will, I feel that this email is long overdue. I hope you remember me from the Consensus Bargaining training you did for us in Tennessee. I was a bit anxious because I was going out to do the training and facilitation for one of my locals shortly after the training. The bargaining went exceptionally well and all parties were pleased with the outcomes. The Administration even saw uses for pieces of the process in other areas of the school district. We had a big win-win result and real commitment to the process and its use. If you need a testimonial—I’m your woman!
Tennessee Education Association
UniServe Coordinator

The opportunity to apply the ideas and concepts to actual workplace issues was invaluable. I learned the CDM process and was able to solve some nagging problems.
Supervisor

The standing ovation, while nice, did not do justice to the job you did. In addition to providing tools and valuable information, you brought us together as a TEAM. This will be invaluable for the future. Thanks for your contributions to our success.
Superintendent

Content © Collaborative Consulting   —   Webdesign © romann-aas.no