Heather Barker

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Regions:
London, Willing to travel
Heather Barker

Background

I started my working life in a multinational company in the oil industry, and then established my own successful broking company. This gave me an invaluable insight into corporate life – the ingredients for success as well as areas that cause stress and can be personally challenging, the challenges faced by anyone setting up their own company, and the importance of communications and team working.

As the nature of the oil industry changed, I looked for other challenges and worked as an interim manager and “trouble shooter”, with companies and organisations offering services from the transport of humanitarian aid in East Africa to childcare in Swindon and inner-city regeneration in London.

Although wide-ranging, the work had a common focus – the value of clear organisational and personal objectives; effective communications and consultation; and the importance of interpersonal relationships.

Currently

My current focus has moved towards consultancy work within the private, public and voluntary sectors.

I am often contacted when things “begin to go wrong” and my approach is to find out what, why and how the situation is affecting the organisation and those who work there. Only then can you begin to move forward!

Recent work has included:

  • Development of a programme of effective communications and customer care within healthcare settings
  • Public consultations on health and social care policies
  • “Planning for an unknown future” with organisations in the private and voluntary sectors
  • Training and support in listening skills and communications
  • Evaluation of publicly-funded business support and employability programmes.

I also work closely with organisations to review their governance, business processes and risk management strategies.

Executive Development

Much of my current work focuses on the need for change and its impact. My development work is built on understanding underlying issues and concerns and working with individuals to develop solutions that are right for them and their organisation.

I enjoy working with individuals who are “trying to make sense of things” and understand how challenges can become opportunities and threats can become positive catalysts for the future.

Executive Development provides a safe environment in which to challenge yourself, re-evaluate some deep-seated beliefs and plan for the future. The results can be very rewarding!