Welcome to my consulting business!
The website is easy to browse:
Below is a section on things I like to do (and think I do well).
The Resume provides background information on me and my consulting
experience.
The section on Management Wit and Wisdom is intended
to offer some insight into my management beliefs, values and style. I
have included this section because although I find it is usually fairly
easy to assess a person's technical and professional qualifications, it
is not so easy to figure out whether the person will be someone with whom
I will be able to have a professional relationship that is happy and productive.
Hopefully, my choice of items to include in this section will give the
reader some indication of whether we could work together.
THINGS I LIKE TO DO (AND THINK I DO WELL)
Developing effective operational policies for domestic social programs. A true story: A newly-appointed minister was given a mandate by the Prime Minister to reform the delivery of a particular social program. The Minister worked for three months issuing directives to the field offices and at the end said it felt good to have had his hands on the levers of power. He then visited some field offices and found that nothing had changed. He shook his head, and muttered "The levers weren’t connected to anything".
I enjoy making sure that the levers are connected to something — that program changes are backed up by operational policies that can and will be implemented.
I enjoy making sure that the levers are connected to something — that program changes are backed up by operational policies that can and will be implemented.
Monitoring and assessing the delivery of domestic social programs, to determine whether they are consistent with the legislation and policies and that they are efficient, effective and offer a high quality of service to the clientele. This is making sure that the levers remain connected.
Managing short-term international aid projects, or acting as an expert or project adviser on longer-term projects. I have successfully managed long-term international aid projects but no longer wish to make the commitment of time and energy required to do that well. I enjoy managing short-term projects or acting as an expert or adviser on major projects.
Adapting social policies and programs from Canada and other higher income countries so they can be made to work in lower-income countries. This is one of the biggest challenges faced by consultants working in lower-income countries. How to take a program that was developed to operate with a relatively high input of funds and staff and re-engineer it so that it can operate with more modest resources and yet produce useful outputs?
Recruiting experts from Canada and other countries to work in international assistance projects. This involves identifying several experts who have the right qualifications and the personal qualities to work in an international environment. After a selection is made by project management, it includes coaching the selected expert and following through until a final report is submitted.
Organizing and hosting teams of international officials on study tours to Canada. I enjoy using my extensive networks of contacts in the different levels of government, in business and the not-for-profit sectors to find the experts who can best meet the needs of the visitors.
Preparing the various documents required for the approval, funding and periodic reporting of international assistance projects. This starts with being very clear about the aim and expected outputs and outcomes of a possible project. It then moves to the preparation of supporting documentation and of a project implementation plan.
