Management Consultation: The most important step in the CIR?

When we respond to a workplace, there may be a variety of unstated expectations placed upon us, like; everyone is going to feel better; you are going to take our pain away; you have a magic technique that we get us back to normal; or you know all about us. When we fail to accomplish these impossible goals, the On-site leadership complains that we did not do our job!

I maintain that our first contact with the On-site leadership by phone, and then again when we arrive is our best opportunity for having a successful series of interventions! We start by introducing ourselves as representatives of the EAP (or CCN if no EAP). We then verify that we have the latest information about the event and inquire if there are other factors that make this especially difficult (previous events, downsizing, labor management issues, etc). Once we have the facts of the situation in hand, we explain the concept of “Circles of Impact” with On-site Leader and starting putting names to them. At this point we are ready to suggest the most effective types of interventions based on this knowledge (Education Group Briefing; Targeted Group Briefing and One on Ones) and explain why. Hopefully we have then arrived at a common agreement on how to use our time on site, and demonstrated that we know about Critical Incident Response. This can only enhance the opportunity for a successful intervention.

What things have you found helpful in “shaping the intervention” once you have arrived on site?

CCN Author: Dennis Potter, MSW, LMSW