Facilitation and Conflict Resolution

Executive and Non-Executive Board life is multi-faceted and involves navigating a range of complex, challenging, pressurised conversations and dynamics.  The conditions and culture that Boards create are instrumental to how it functions and performs.

Jo MacLennan, one of Fletcher Jones Directors, has been regularly commissioned to support Boards and workplace challenges.  Her focus is targeted to help individuals and groups to overcome difficult and challenging conversations. Harnessing her qualifications as a conflict resolution specialist and qualified Mediator, Jo applies these expertise to facilitate parties such as senior management teams and Board members, towards common goals in collaborative and constructive styles.

In both Executive and Non-Executive pathways there are copious examples of breakdowns in communication or relationship difficulties that can lead to significant tensions ‘leaking out’ into the Boardroom.  The impact of this can be catastrophic if not resolved, leading to difficulties in achieving collegiate, high-functioning working practices.

Jo seeks to “remove the emotion from the Boardroom” and instead enable Boards to construct more harmonious working environments and sharpen decision making processes. In essence, she seeks to apply alternative dispute resolution techniques to find a better way to overcome conflict.

Having a neutral, impartial experienced practitioner support a Board to work through complex issues regarding strategy, future skills and the needs of a business can be exceptionally advantageous.   Jo conducts her work in a highly confidential manner, respecting the sensitive and privileged information she is being trusted with.

Examples of this include:

• Chair and Chief Executive/Investment Manager struggling to connect and understand one another’s vision/strategic positioning
• Non-Executive Board member(s) demonstrating dysfunctional characteristics and underperformance
• Supporting new Board members to integrate onto a Board, considering the alteration of new personalities and working preferences
• Strategy/Away days- facilitating workshops for Boards seeking independent support and insight to overcome blocks or carve out their 5-year strategic plan
• Working relationships breakdowns within senior management including grievances and impasses

This practice is also exceptionally complementary as an aftercare service to Fletcher Jones’ Board Evaluation process, having already identified key areas to improve and enhance Board delivery. 

Every facilitated discussion or Mediation session is entirely bespoke and tailored to the client.  Dependent upon the nature of the commission the preparation, individual and joint conversations can take place over the course of several weeks.

Two of the key benefits of conflict resolution are its speed and the low cost investment, that in turn can lead to transformational change for a Board and its functionality.

Professional Packages

Example of delivery workplan

• Facilitation/Strategy workshop for Board – 3 days:
  • Day 1: preparation e.g. client calls, papers and materials, exercises to construct etc
  • Day 2: delivery of service e.g. Board facilitation/workshop Day
  • Day 3: write up and recommendations from event, follow up call with CEO/NED’s etc as necessary. 

• Mediation scenario
  • On average, 2-3 days is generally the end to end project delivery time.  This includes: preparation time, client engagement calls/discussions, 1:1 confidential discussions, joint discussions, written agreement write up.

For an informal, confidential discussion contact: jo.maclennan@fletcher-jones.co.uk