New Dog, Old Tricks: Defining Consulting Psychology for the New Professional
Jennifer Boyce, Ph.D.

Stop, think, and define consulting psychology. Division 13 is making an active effort to increase membership among fellow psychologists and promote the profession as a whole. But there is only one problem. The target audience – psychologists - does not know exactly what it is we do. Click here for full story Past Spotlights are available on the Archives page

Society Of Consulting Psychology Announcements

SHARED INTEREST GROUPS (SIG)

The Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) will be celebrating their first birthday this year at the 2005 Mid-Winter Conference in San Antonio.  The SIGs were launched to provide members with similar interests the opportunity to network and share knowledge with one another.  During the past year, SIGs have: contributed five articles to the Consulting Psychologist; provided two distance learning programs on succession planning in family business and best practice in executive coaching; met face-to-face at both the Mid-Winter and APA Conferences; established four listservs to enable members communicate electronically with one another; hosted teleconferences to speak “live” with one another.  We are extremely pleased by the traction these groups have gained in their first year.

The Shared Interest Groups will again be meeting face-to-face on Friday evening, February 11th in San Antonio at the Mid-Winter Conference reception.  Several SIGs will also be providing programs the following Saturday afternoon at the Conference.  We are especially grateful to Greg Pennington, the Diversity SIG leader, for providing two of our keynote speakers: Jeff Howard & Watts Wacker.  

We encourage you to join one or more of the Shared Interest Groups.  Membership in the SIGs is free to Society of Consulting Psychology Members.  You will be able to benefit from joining even if you are unable to attend the Mid-Winter Conference.

We would like to thank each of our SIG leaders for their efforts in making this launch year successful!  We have listed the names of the SIGs along with e-mail addresses of the SIG leaders below:

Internal Consultants.  Leader: Brian  Buford.  The Internal Consultants Special Interest Group shares knowledge and perspective about the unique set of challenges faced by consultants inside of an organization.  Our primary activity is sharing the best practices and engaging in honest dialogue.

Transitioning to Consulting.  Temporary Leaders: Gene  Ondrusek and Andrew Berns.  For more information about this SIG, please contact the leaders. 

Family Business Consulting.  Leaders: Mark  Sirkin and Bernard Kliska.  Our numbers are growing as more and more people want to participate in a Family Business SIG. Family business consultant Bernard Kliska with the Family Business Consulting Group in Chicago, IL has taken the position of co-chair of this SIG. We have a Distance Learning opportunity coming up on Thursday November 11 (4:00pm-6:00pm EST, 1:00pm-3:00pm PST). It is entitled: "Tale as Old as Time: Succession Planning in Family Businesses" featuring Dr. Bernie Kliska. Contents follow:

Family business succession is the most frequent "presenting problem" that family business consultants encounter.  Family business continuity presents a challenge that most family businesses are unable to achieve. Successful succession depends primarily on how the family approaches the process and manages the natural frictions between the generations, as well as residual frictions within each generation. This program outlines the necessary steps to develop and implement a successful succession plan and identify the roles of key participants in the process. He will discuss techniques and some "do's" and "don'ts" that he and others have found useful.

This course is appropriate for both beginning and experienced family business consultants.  Please join us for an informative session, and tell your friends! In addition, the Family Business SIG will be conducting a panel discussion on Consulting Issues with Family Businesses at this years Mid-Winter Conference.  We invite suggestions for meeting topics that members, or potential members, would be interested in.

School Consultants.  Leader:  Sylvia  Rosenfield.  For more information about this SIG, please contact the leader. 

Professional Affiliates Membership.  Leaders:  Amy  Owen and Mark  Sirkin.  This SIG is gradually building up its membership of professional non-psychologists such as managers, directors, or  HR professionals.  Its aim is to increase the 'voice of the business client' in the Division. 

International Consulting.  Leader: Sandra Foster and Kerry Cronan.  Ann O'Roark recently handed over the chairing of this SIG and international liaison effort to new co-chairs, Sandra "Sam" Foster and Kerry Cronan. Sam now lives in London and Milan after many years in San Francisco. Kerry is a native Australian and consults there and elsewhere in the world. The International SIG presents a program at APA each year on consulting outside the US. Kerry is also planning programming for the 2005 Midwinter conference. Those interested in corresponding about overseas consulting or living/working abroad can contact the leaders.

Independent  Consulting.  Leader:  David  Brewer.  The Independent Practice SIG will sponsor a distance learning event December 6th, 4:00pm EST (1:00pm PST): "Best practices and tools for executive coaching". A team of colleagues from the Independence Practice SIG will facilitate large group methods during the Midwinter Conference Town Hall meeting. This idea is to accelerate the communication that takes place in that event and build a comprehensive consensus among all viewpoints. The monthly conference calls for the IP SIG have developed into "Mastery Roundtable" sessions; Each month, colleagues compare notes on a specific question regarding how to master the challenges of independent consulting. We get the most out of our opportunities to make a difference for our clients.

Emerging  Professionals and Students.  Leaders: Rob Fazio and Richelle Reyes.  Our “Breaking into Consulting” two-part series begins with an article in this newsletter.  The article describes the difficulties experienced by emerging professionals—building experience to land your first serious job in consulting psychology.  The second part of this series will be a session at the Midwinter Conference in February 2005.  This will consist of a panel of consultants at all career stages to offer advice and answer questions.  In addition, there will be a social for emerging professionals to informally chat with senior members. 

Diversity.  Leader:  Greg Pennington.  For more information about this SIG, please contact the leader.   

Consultants in Consulting Firms.  Leader:  Laurie Moret.  We address current issues facing consulting psychologists practicing in consulting firms. We learn from others and networking with "like" peers. As we continue to determine our direction as a SIG, we have had quite a bit of activity among our members. Here are a few examples:

• We have a stellar new online discussion group forum/message board that may act as a pilot for Division 13 as a whole

• Judith Blanton was featured in the APA Monitor in the Division 13 article on cross-border licensure for practicing consultants

• Several individuals are presenting at the Mid-Winter conference

• Laurie Moret edited an article in this newsletter on Coaching Cross Roads

If you are a psychologist working in a consulting firm, please consider joining our SIG. We look forward to hearing from you!

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
2005 Harry and Miriam Levinson Award
Call for Nominations

The American Psychological Foundation requests nominations for the 2005 Harry and Miriam Levinson Award for Exceptional Contributions to Consulting Organizational Psychology.  The Levinson award is administered by the APA Office of Division Services in conjunction with APA Divisions 13 (Consulting Psychology), 14 (Industrial/Organizational Psychology), and 39 (Psychoanalysis). The recipient receives $5,000 and a certificate of recognition.

Eligibility.  An annual award is to be given to “an APA member who has demonstrated exceptional ability to integrate a wide variety of psychological theory…into applications by which leaders and managers may create more effective, healthy, and humane organizations.”

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• The New APA Ethics Code and Consulting Psychology.  Drs. Rodney Lowman and Stewart Cooper.  Thursday, October 21st (2:00pm-6:00 pm EDT, 11:00pm -3:00pm PDT).  $180

• Tale as Old as Time: Succession Planning in Family Businesses.  Dr. Bernie Kliska.  Thursday November 11 (4:00pm-6:00pm EST, 1:00pm -3:00pm PST).  $95

• Best Practices and Tools for Executive Coaching.Dr. David Brewer.  Monday December 6 (4:00pm -6:00pm EST, 1:00pm -3:00pm PST)   $95

We also maintain the Training Directory.  If you wish to provide training or receive training, supervision or mentoring, please visit the link on the Society website labeled Training/Mentoring/ContEd.  Our Mid-Winter Conference is the Society’s biggest and best opportunity to learn, connect and have fun.  Be there!

EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award Program is facilitated by the APA Practice Directorate's Business of Practice Network (BOPN). This is a group of representatives from state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations that includes psychologists from a variety of backgrounds. The Practice Directorate has tapped into the expertise of members from both Division 13, the Society of Consulting Psychology, and Division 14, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, as they continue to build their research base and ensure that the program is built on a solid foundation. Additionally, APA is currently working with researchers from the Center for the Application of Behavioral Sciences (CABS) at St. Louis University to further standardize and validate the program's evaluation tools and processes. The principal researcher from CABS in this ongoing project is Matthew J. Grawitch, PhD. Matt is a member of Division 13 as is David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, APA's Assistant Executive Director for Corporate Relations and Business Strategy, who heads up the program for the Practice Directorate.

APA Council Update for 2004

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