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The Client Centred programme challenges you to rethink the way you work with clients, not just in theory, but in practice. When faced with difficult decisions it’s easy to lose sight of the principles that make a real difference.
That’s why taking time to define your own Client Centred values, beliefs, and behaviours is so valuable. It keeps you anchored when things become complex, and ensures your approach remains thoughtful and intentional.
To help guide that reflection, we’ve created a downloadable checklist, based on an excerpt from the book. These aren’t rules to follow but are principles that we believe reflect what it means to work in a Client Centred way:
You can download the checklist now or continue reading below.
Values
- Being authentic and genuine about your own thoughts and feelings
- Trying always to do what you are asking the client to do
- Always to keep in mind what is in the best interests of the client
- Always accepting that the client has a choice – to change or not to change
- Balancing a high level of support with high level challenge
- Working to ensure that clients retain ownership of their problem and the solution
Beliefs
- Always starting where the client is – however difficult that is to determine
- Accepting that when you can see options for change which the client cannot see, suggesting such options may be more consultant-centred than you are prepared to admit
- Being very sure of yourself and what you do, whilst also being uncertain about expectations and outcomes
- Believing that clients want to solve their own problems and can do so with a little help
Behaviours
- Ensuring that you spend time gaining entry and contracting even when the client sees them as wasting time and really wants to get on to solving the problem
- Being Client Centred rather than problem-centred and involving the client rather than not involving the client
- Being prepared to speak the unspeakable rather than collude with the client
- Not necessarily always giving the client what they want, but working hard to help them assess what they really need
- Having the courage to confront the client with inconsistencies between their stated intentions and their behaviour, which may be preventing them from being effective
- Confronting senior managers in organisations even though you know that there may be a risk to your role with the company
- Helping clients progress around the ‘consulting cycle’ in order from gaining entry to disengaging without reversing the order – i.e. going from data collection to implementation as many clients want to do
- Spending as much time as it takes to look at the problem from every angle and to agree with the client what the actual problem is from their point of view
- Staying with the client’s diagnosis and frame of reference when all your instinct and intuition is telling you that the presenting problem is not the real issue
- Not manipulating or playing ‘devil’s advocate’ to get the client to do what you want
- Being prescriptive only as a last resort and then only when the client is really at the end of their tether
- Working on tasks, systems, procedures, human process issues and how people feel in the client system
- Being able to survive and stay with the client in situations of extreme ambiguity
The Power of Client Centredness
Client Centred consultants work from a grounded place “I value me, I value you.” They show up with self-awareness, belief in their client’s competence, and the ability to stay present through uncertainty and discomfort. They resist the urge to take control and instead create the space for real ownership and change.
If you’ve taken time to write your own version of Client Centred values and behaviours, we’d love to hear what you came up with.
Sharing your reflections helps keep this work alive beyond the course. And as always, if you’d like support with anything covered on the programme, just get in contact.
