„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

costs, courses of action, methods that may be used, expectations, risks involved, and so
on. The client provides the facilitator with information concerning expectations, the
nature of the problem, objectives, people to be involved, time commitments, and so on.
It is important that both the client and the facilitator give each other sufficient
information so that both will be able to make informed decisions. The three ingredients
of valid information, commitment, and free choice (Argyris, 1973) are necessary
considerations.
Valid consideration involves an explicit statement of the benefits that each party to
the contract will confer on the other. Benefits for the facilitator might include money,
additional experience, enhanced reputation, or publishable material. For the client, they
might mean new information, the alleviation of the problem, or training.
Competency concerns the ability of the parties to enter into the relationship. For the
facilitator, the question is whether he or she has the competencies and the background to
do what the client is requesting. For the client, competency may relate to his or her
authority to enter into an agreement. Does the client have the position and the sanction
of the organization to enter into such an agreement?
Lawful object requires very simply that what both parties are agreeing to is legal.
With the framework of these requirements, a checklist of questions can be provided
for the facilitator and the client in order to explore their relationship.
Mutal Consent
What are the time requirements?
What are the financial costs involved?
Are there any risks that the client/facilitator should be aware of?
Who will be involved?
What are the expectations of the facilitator?
Are there any ethical concerns involved?
What methods might the facilitator use?
If there is research involved, how will the information be used?
Valid Considerations
What will the client pay the facilitator?
Are there rewards other than financial ones? If so, what?
What rewards will the facilitator provide for the client?
Competency
Is the facilitator competent to do what the client is asking? What kinds
of backup services are available?
Is the client in a position to enter into the contract?
Does he or she have the authority to do so?
Lawful Object
Is the agreement legal?
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The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer