Dr Mark McKergow is co-director of sfwork - The Centre for Solutions Focus at Work. He is an international consultant, speaker and author. Many people around the world have been inspired by his work in Solutions Focus - presented wth his inimitable blend of scientific rigour and performance pizzazz.
Mark is a global pioneer applying Solutions Focus ideas to organisational and personal change. He has written and edited three books and dozens of articles; his book The Solutions Focus: Making Coaching and Change SIMPLE (co-authored with Paul Z Jackson) was declared one of the year's top 30 business books in the USA, and is now in seven languages. He is also co-author with Jenny Clarke of Solutions Focus Working and Positive Approaches to Change.
Mark was instrumental in the founding of the SolWorld (Solutions in Organisations Linkup) conference series, and is a member of the SolWorld international steering group. He founded SolutionsBooks with Jenny Clarke in 2005; their most recent book is the case study collection Solutions Focus Working (2007). He has been elected to membership of Jack Canfield's Transformational Leadership Council, and speaks and works regularly in the USA and Asia. He is a founder member of SFCT, the professional body for SF consultants, coaches and managers.
A scientist by training and by nature, Mark continues to seek simplicity and reliability in learning and change. His PhD research in self-organising systems provides a basis for his work, with influences ranging from systems thinking ands brain research to language, narrative and philosophy. His MBA degree specialised in creative and HR management. He has presented on every continent except Antarctica, and is an international conference keynote presenter.
Mark is a member of the Association for Management Education and Development, the Association of MBAs, the Association for NLP, the International Alliance for Learning (IAL) and the Professional Speakers Association.
An accomplished musician, Mark is fascinated by links between music, learning and the brain. He is also a jazz saxophonist (his jazz orchestra UltraSound attracted backing from the Arts Council of England and recorded 2 CDs), and he acted as Deputy Leader of the SIM-phone-ya Orchestra, the world's first mobile phone ensemble, at the Cheltenham International Festival.
Jenny Clarke MA
Jenny Clarke has a huge range of experience of applying SF. She is co-author or editor of three books, including 57 SF Activities for facilitators and consultants (2008). She has wide functional experience in industry, including operational research, strategic and business planning, dealing with Government and regulatory issues, public inquiry management and administration.
Jenny works as a solutions focused facilitator and trainer, helping people who want to change what they do or how they do it. She works with large organisations who are adapting to change, and as a personal coach to managers and directors. Her strengths are in communication, presentation, consultation and negotiation. These, allied with a facilitative style, enthusiasm and human insight make a vital contribution to meeting her clients' objectives.
Recent clients include BP, Freescale, Nationwide, Syngenta, Energoatom (Ukraine), BBDO (Canada) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.
She has travelled the world hosting workshops for managers, consultants and coaches and is a regular presenter at the International Alliance for Learning's annual conferences. A founder member of the SOL International Steering Group, Jenny was a key member of the organising committee for the first 2 SOL international conferences and has presented at SOL conferences since then (see www.solworld.org). She is a founder member of SFCT, the professional body for SF consultants, coaches and managers.
Dr Alasdair Macdonald MB ChB FRCPsych
We are delighted that Alasdair Macdonald has joined our team as Consultant Supervisor. Alasdair's experience in both research design and evaluation and psychiatric uses of the SF approach will help ensure that our collective SF experience covers every eventuality.
A consultant psychiatrist since 1980, Alasdair is a past president of the European Brief Therapy Association. He co-ordinates research data and protocols which examine the effectiveness of SF models in therapy and elsewhere.
Antoinette Oglethorpe
Antoinette Oglethorpe is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD who specializes in helping companies retain their best people and develop them to be the leaders of the future through a combination of consultancy, coaching and training. Her expertise spans training, management, leadership and career development coupled with generalist HR and board-level experience across a range of industry sectors.
Before joining the sfwork team she was Learning and Development Director for XL Capital, and worked leading the provision and development of Learning Coaches across Europe for Accenture. Antoinette is an experienced coach and is developing SF approaches to career coaching and conflict management. She has experience of working with a number of different organisation structures and cultures including start-ups, global organisations and matrix structures.
Shakya Kumara
Since the early 1990s, Shakya Kumara has been helping people develop their skills, using Solutions Focused and other approaches. He is an experienced coach at senior management level, and enjoys exploring new applications for SF methods.
Prior to joining the sfwork team, he been a blue-sky researcher, a leader and manager, as well as a trainer and coach. He has held positions with multinational corporations - and with a buddhist business which gives its profits to charity! As an ordained buddhist and keen photographer, he's often to be found enjoying the peace and beauty of nature.
Bruce Woodings, PE
Bruce Woodings has joined our team in support of developing applications for Solutions Focus techniques to the business strategy and performance improvement areas. Bruce is a graduate professional engineer with more than 30 years experience in businesses around the world. Though originally from the United States, he is currently based in London assisting both small and large organisations in their business strategy development. His international experience, bridging many business sectors including the Oil & Gas, manufacturing, performing arts and fashion design, has allowed him to use Solution Focus and Accelerated Learning techniques to align project execution teams on achieving cultural and performance improvements for projects ranging from $1 million to $20 Billion.
Additionally, he provides executive coaching, consortium negotiations and risk & conflict management / mediation to existing and start-up organisations seeking performance improvements.
In support of improved business development, Bruce has made many presentations internationally, including SOL conferences and other business events. He serves as a member of the BBC Philharmonic Advisory Council, in addition to being Director of Empire Enterprises, Inc.
