For this assessment, you will develop a group-level intervention plan for a case study scenario. Your 10-12 page document will include a review of two theories that could inform your work with this case, suggested strategies for dealing with client resistance, a rationale for each selected intervention, an implementation plan, and an evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness of your interventions.
Introduction
For this assessment, you will develop a group-level intervention plan for the case-study scenario you developed in Assessment 1. Your 10–12 page document will include a review of two theories that could inform your work with your case-study scenario. In addition, you will suggest strategies for dealing with client resistance, a rationale for the chosen interventions, an implementation plan, and an evaluation plan to assess the selected interventions.
Industrial organization consultants develop group-level interventions and must have an evaluation plan to demonstrate outcomes for the stakeholders.
The implementation of a consulting project working with groups of people in an organization often begins with some kind of team training or workshop utilizing methods such as World Café, future search, Rapid Results, Six Sigma, balanced scorecard, or action learning. Holman, Devane, and Cady’s 2007 text, The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today’s Best Methods in Engaging Whole Systems, includes information on these techniques and many more.
Consultation does not always succeed, and one factor that can greatly inhibit success is lack of knowledge or understanding of working with resistance. It is important to understand that resistance to change is a natural phenomenon and is, to a large degree, adaptive. Peter Block explains that managing resistance can be the hardest part of consulting and a key to successful intervention. According to Block (2000), as consultants we may “feel that if we can present our ideas clearly and logically, and if we have the best interests of the client at heart, our clients will accept our expertise and follow our suggestions” (p. 129). That is not always true because resistance is often an emotional process within the client that has nothing to do with the rational data and justification the consultant has presented.
Managing resistance requires that you first understand its sources. According to Block (2011), “resistance is a predictable, natural, and necessary part of the learning process. When as consultants we wish resistance would never appear or would just go away, we are, by that attitude, posing an obstacle to the client’s really integrating and learning from our expertise” (pp. 129–130).
Evaluation is vital to determine the effectiveness of consultation work. It is critical for the consultant to be flexible and knowledgeable enough to adapt to consultee and contextual variables. In addition, it is important for the consultant, along with the consultee, to monitor the efficacy of the intervention and redesign it as necessary.
In most situations, the consultant is involved in the process of evaluation. Evaluations can be used to determine the extent to which the consultation intervention is achieving established goals, as well as to make decisions regarding continuing services, modifying interventions, or determining that progress has been satisfactory.
There are many ways of measuring the effectiveness of the consultation process. Evaluation can provide you with the tools to complete the following:
Identify whether a good result was achieved.
Provide learning for future projects.
Make recommendations for continuation of next steps.
Contribute to the current knowledge base and literature of your profession.
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.
What are some strategies for handling client resistance during the consulting process? Is resistance necessarily bad?
How does a consultant decide which technique is appropriate to implement for a given consulting project?
Why is evaluation of the consulting process and consulting outcomes a crucial component of any consulting project?
What are the four levels of Kirkpatrick’s seminal training evaluation taxonomy?
Reference
Block, P. (2011). Flawless consulting: A guide to getting your expertise used (3rd ed.). Wiley.
Instructions
Prepare a paper that lays out the implementation plan for your consulting project that you developed in Assessment 1. Your implementation plan should include these elements:
Select group-level interventions appropriate for helping the client improve performance. Based on the specific problems, strengths, and dynamics noted in your case study, address the following:
What are appropriate group-level interventions for helping your client improve performance?
How do you know your choice of interventions is appropriate for your scenario? Justify and support your recommended interventions with research and scholarly references.
How will these interventions improve interpersonal and intergroup dynamics?
Create an implementation plan for the group-level interventions.
What are the goals?
How will the intervention or interventions be implemented? What is the process?
What are the activities and tasks? Who will be responsible?
Develop strategies for managing resistance for your case study scenario.
What are the potential points of resistance you are likely to encounter in this consulting project?
What are at least three strategies that can be used to overcome the anticipated resistance?
Develop an evaluation plan for group-level interventions.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen evaluation process?
What are the expected evaluation outcomes for your consulting client?
How will you provide feedback on the evaluation results to your client? What will your feedback plan look like?
What are the implications for further development of your own consulting skills, competence, and practice ?
Be sure to cite peer-reviewed journal articles for supporting your implementation and evaluation plans. Provide relevant examples to further elaborate your points.
Use the following subheadings in your paper and format your subheadings in APA style:
Subheading 1 – Group-level Intervention Selection.
Subheading 2 – Client Resistance Strategies.
Subheading 3 – Implementation Plan.
Subheading 4 – Evaluation Plan.
Subheading 5 – Conclusion.
Subheading 6 – References.
Additional Requirements
Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current edition APA style and formatting guidelines.
Length: 10–12 typed, double-spaced pages.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
Competency 2: Apply appropriate models and phases of psychological consultation to specific contexts.
Select group-level intervention(s) appropriate for helping the client improve performance.
Develop strategies (at least three) for managing resistance in your case study scenario.
Create an implementation plan for the group-level intervention(s).
Develop an evaluation plan for the group-level intervention(s).
Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.
Use grammar, punctuation, and mechanics expected of graduate-level composition and expression.
Use current APA format and style.
