Consultancy

Mannie Sher

Mannie works as an organisation development and change consultant in health and social care, industry, the financial sector, public protection agencies, faith organisations, the arts, charities, voluntary organisations and professional associations.

He concentrates on redefining organisational aims, introducing new operational strategies, addressing staff morale, fostering inter-dependent systems of work and understanding the role of technology. He works on intra- and inter-group relatedness; group belief systems; group identity, role, task, authority, culture and the exercise of authority and leadership.

Mannie has a special interest in the part thought and thinking plays in strategic development and the operations of organisations and is currently undertaking research in this area. In 1997, he was appointed Director of the Group Relations Programme of the Tavistock Institute, succeeding the late Eric Miller in that role. In this role, Mannie has developed and directed Authority, Leadership & Organisation (the Leicester Conference) and other group relations conferences world-wide. He also consults executives individually on their roles at work and teaches and enjoys writing.

Mannie’s approach to consultancy is based upon principles derived from the Tavistock open systems socio-technical and technico-economic methodologies which emphasise inter- and intra-group relatedness; understanding group belief systems; motivation and productivity; role, task, authority and the exercise of effective leadership; individual, group and organisational identity. Consultancy to individuals and to small and large organisations focuses on 'culture', resistance to change and understanding and working with the rational and irrational influences that characterise organisational practices and relationships. The thrust of Mannie’s consultancy is to strengthen leadership and facilitate creative thinking and decision-making among leaders, managers and operational staff across organisations.

Relevant assignments include:

Conducting an 18-24 month executive, leadership and management development programme to transform the strategy and total leadership structure in one of Britain’s largest independent social care organisations.

Conducting a major 2-year Transformational Programme of a foreign national bank penetrating banking systems throughout the country to improve cross-business collaboration capability; increase market share and share value (up 40% in 9 months). The Tavistock intervention had significant impact on that country’s economy with increased wealth-creating opportunities for sections of the population that were previously excluded from full economic participation.

Two-year project to improve senior management’s capabilities in Cross Boundary Management in a British Health Economy.

18-month project Developing Leadership Capability in the Senior management cadre of an international construction PLC. An interlocking programme of individual and team development for meeting the challenges of collaboration across the Business Groups; adapting to and influencing new market environment; developing the construction-to-services policy; improving workforce skills; improving Executive Board effectiveness; introducing succession policies.

Selected Publications

Brunner, L., Nutkevitch, A. & Sher, M., (eds.). (2006)
Group Relations Conferences: Reviewing and Exploring Theory, Design, Role-Taking and Application. Karnac Books, London.

Childerstone, S., Gorli, M. Nicolini, D., & Sher, M., (2003)
In Search of the ‘Structure that Reflects’: Promoting Organisational Reflection Practices in a UK Health Authority. In: Vince, R. & Edwards, M., (eds.) Organising Reflection. Blackwells, London.

Childerstone, S., Nicolini, D. & Sher, M. (2003)
Can Organisations Learn from Experience? Intervening to Improve Cross-boundary Management in Health and Social Care. Journal of HealthCare Management, Vol. ? No. ? October, 2003.

Sher, M., (2003)
From Groups to Group Relations: Bion's Contribution to the Tavistock - 'Leicester' Conferences. In: Lipgar, R. M. & Pines, M., (eds.) Building on Bion: Branches. Contemporary Developments and Applications of Bion’s Contributions to Theory and Practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. London

Sher, M. (2004)
Leadership. In: Encyclopaedia of Leadership. Berkshire Publishing Group, Boston, Mass

Sher, M. (2004)
Corruption. In: Encyclopaedia of Leadership Berkshire Publishing Group, Boston, Mass Sher, M. (2004). Systems Theory and Groups. In: Encyclopaedia of Leadership, Berkshire Publishing Group, Boston, Mass.