Problem solving
Workshops, facilitation, consultation, comms…
Much of my work is about problem solving – either me doing it or helping my client to do it. Assignments are rarely scoped out in fine detail at the start, with all activity clearly defined at that stage. Rather, they evolve and, along with it, my role as a consultant needs to change. Consequently, I have developed several techniques that can be brought into play. These can used as part of a project or commissioned as an assignment in their own right.
Workshops
Since founding Greenhill Consulting in 2002, I have periodically been asked to design and run workshops for a range of business-related purposes. Examples include 2-day workshops about how to start a business, short workshops on marketing and business planning, and even short courses on basic IT skills.
Apart from being a specific service that I offer, workshop design and delivery, together with presentation skills, are valuable attributes I can apply to my other services when required.
Presentations and websites
It’s important to be able to formulate business messages and present them in a graphical way to help create understanding and clarity. Throughout my career I have developed and delivered presentations for a variety of reasons: major corporate events, internal briefings, project planning sessions etc. My experience covers content development, design, creation and delivery using Powerpoint and video as well as mind mapping software and cloud-based tools like Prezi.
Whilst I don’t claim to be a website developer, sometimes an assignment calls for a web presence, in which case I can quickly put together a rudimentry website such as the interim one I designed for the 4SX consortium. I prepared all of the copy and illustrations in this example.
Facilitation
Strategic planning in a business environment is usually a collective process involving several people. Someone external to the business, faciltating a planning session, can release the full potential of the management group to progress the planning process and and identify solutions. This ensures the organisation responds effectively to changing requirements and environments in the easiest and most effective way.
Marketing communication and PR
Marketing and communication are cornerstones of any business plan, whether for organisations in the private or not-for-profit sectors. As a qualified marketer and marcomms manager with many years experience, I can offer both marketing planning and execution. My background includes running teams producing a range of marketing collateral; managing a corporate function responsible for internal and external comms, CSR and community relations; and working in local authority press offices.
Photography
Although photography is not a discrete service that I offer, my background as a professional photographer and lecturer in photography has proved to be an advantage in delivering several assignments.