Steve Hearsum, who recently joined the Tavistock Institute Council, argues in this talk that consultants all have ethical lines to thread – something that almost seems self-evident. Ask a consultant if they have ‘ethics’ or ‘values’ they work to, and the answer will always be a resounding yes.
In this talk, Steve talks about consultancy and ethics. Drawing on his own experience and research as a consultant, he reflects on his personal ethical conundrums and invites others to do the same, asking them to reflect on their own consultancy practice, particularly when comparing the work of independents and boutique consultancies with the apparent ‘evils’ of big consulting firms.
We are all at risk of functional collusion, the only question is whether we are aware of that and are prepared to do anything about it.
