Summary
This is about helping others to benefit from your expertise and experience. It involves clarifying what people need, and explaining issues and concepts, making sure you recognise the limits of your expertise and knowledge.
What you need to show
You must make sure that your practice meets the following requirements.
a Encourage the person you are working with to explain clearly what they want to achieve.
b Identify what is needed and expected from you, and ascertain and explain what you can deliver to support the person you are working with.
c Use your experience and knowledge in the most appropriate way to help the person you are
working with.
d Explain issues and concepts in your area of expertise in a way that the person you are working with can understand.
e Identify and recognise when things are going well.
f Identify when something is not working and take appropriate action.
g Identify when the help required is outside your area of expertise.
What you need to know and understand
You need to know, understand and be able to apply each of the following.
Communication and interpersonal skills
1 How to use effective interpersonal and communication skills.
2 The benefits and drawbacks of different kinds of communication (for example, face-to-face
contact, phone, fax and e-mail).
Working with others
3 How to set clear expectations of what each party hopes to achieve from the support relationship.
4 You need to understand and take account of;
o the boundaries of the relationship between you and the person you are working with;
o the limitations of your role and responsibilities; and
o the different ways people like to work.
5 How and when it is appropriate to review progress.
Knowledge and experience
6 The aspects of your experience that can add quality, relevance and credibility of the advice you offer.
7 The limits of your own skills, knowledge and experience.
8 How to recognise when the person you are working with needs more specialist:
o personal support (for example, if they bring issues into a conversation which have nothing to
do with the context of your working relationship); and
o professional advice (for example a professional, specialist or someone with more experience
than you)
9 When and where to get additional sources of support.
Personal behaviours
You need to be able to:
10 Tailor your approach to align with the clients’ goals and circumstances. IiP1.2
11 Respect your client’s need for information, commitment and confidentiality. IiP1.3
12 Gain respect by operating in a professional and credible manner. IiP2.1
13 Engender cooperation by considering the perspective of others. IiP2.2
14 Handle disagreements or resistance constructively and fairly. IiP2.3
15 Apply knowledge/experience effectively, yet be open to exploring new ideas. IiP3.4
16 Listen and respond effectively, and check understanding. IiP4.3
17 Have a rigorous but impartial questioning style. IiP4.4
18 Adapt your personal style to empathise with a whole range of clients. IiP6.1
19 Build and maintain rapport over sustained periods. IiP6.2
20 Invite a two-way exchange of information and feedback with clients and others. IiP6.3
21 Remain positive and maintain effort despite setbacks, changes or ambiguities. IiP7.3