About Amy Barnes Consulting

Who is Amy Barnes?

I work with individuals and teams to help them improve the way the work with each other so that they can deliver the results they desire. My background is in Organisational Effectiveness and Development (OE&D) and Human Resources (HR). I was born in Hong Kong, attended school in Wales from the age of 13 and have stayed in the United Kingdom ever since. My parents live in Canada. Diversity, conflict, challenge, adaptation and an appreciation of the paradoxical nature of reality have become key themes in my life.

I worked in a number of sectors before starting my own business. I have always been more passionate about organisational effectiveness and being close to the business than the transactional aspects of the HR function. In my early career in HR I remember feeling totally at odds with and disconnected from the day-to-day routine of HR departments. It wasn't until I joined a manufacturing firm in the Midlands that I was able to extend my role, become more integrated into the operational issues of the business and develop business improvement skills from talented colleagues. From there, I found organisational effectiveness and development (or they found me). Suffice to say that I felt it was much closer to how I could add value based on my passions.

In the last few years, reflecting on some of the most stimulating work I have done to date, working with groups and teams is an area of specialisation that has become of particular interest to me. What is particularly challenging when working at the collective level is that groups present a level of complexity and uncertainty which lends itself to infinite variety and learning. To facilitate groups also demands the blending of 'hard' and 'soft' skills flexibly in response to what is observable and what is inferred.

I have always been drawn to and have chosen to work with people, projects and jobs which have an inherent challenge in some way. I have had my fair share of successes, unexpected outcomes, missed opportunities and failures. To help me maximise my learning from these experiences and to deepen my practice, throughout my career I have undertaken formal education and training alongside my work experience.

Qualifications [top]

MBA (Distinction), Warwick Business School
BSc (Hons), University of Surrey
Chartered Member, CIPD
Certified Practitioner, NLP
Trained facilitator, Open Space Technology

CPD [top]

I am dedicated to working on my 'craft' and have undertaken formal continuous development since 1990. Recent short programmes include T-Group training at NTL, Bethel, Maine; Introductory Gestalt Workshop at Metanoia Institute, London; Effective Conflict in Groups at Metanoia Institute, London; and One to One Process Skills, Tavistock Consulting Group, London..

My guiding principles [top]

there's no substitute for learning by directly experiencing something;
it's OK not to have the answer, because it signals a learning opportunity;
the edge of what we know changes as we get to the edge;
the more we know, the more there is to know;
be as honest as we can in the light of the situation.
Plus, Edgar Schein's 'Ten Principles' in relation to consulting work:
always try and be helpful;
always stay in touch with current reality;
access your ignorance;
everything you do is an intervention;
it is the client who owns the problem and the solution;
go with the flow;
timing is crucial;
be constructively opportunistic with confrontative interventions;
everything is a source of data, even the inevitable errors - learn from them;
when in doubt share the problem.

The benefits of working with Amy Barnes Consulting

As an independent consultant, Amy enjoys relative freedom in serving the needs of teams, by focusing on the processes at work rather than the content, yet being familiar enough with that content to be able to be an effective process facilitator and coach.

The main benefits are: [top]

that she is able to work with you at a pace that is right for you;
that she is responsive to your needs, unconstrained by a rigid corporate framework;
that she allows themes to emerge, rather than working to a pre-set agenda;
that she gives you undivided attention, rather than rushing on to the next 'billable client';
that you partner with someone who has worked in a range of organisations and can relate to your issues;
that she is dedicated to her own development as well as to yours, so that what you are paying for is knowledge and skills that are constantly being renewed.

Collaborations [top]

Potential Consulting - Learning, Training and Development projects

Chris Tero - Movement, embodied practices. See 'Embodied Presence Practice' on blog

Wendy Pye

Billy Lui - Not for profit work

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