2018 Consulting Psychology Conference

Conference Call for Proposals
February 8 - 11, 2018
Savannah, GA 

Full Conference Submission Instructions

SCP CE Checklist and Guide

CE Eligibility Requirements - Key Points 

Submit Proposal HERE

Conference Theme:

For the organizations, teams, and leaders Consulting Psychologists work with, the VUCA global landscape can feel daunting and unrelenting. Whether we work internally or externally to the organization, Consulting Psychologists help organizations maintain their competitive advantage, hire and develop the best leaders and talent, rise above challenges, and highlight untapped synergies.

Diversity and Inclusion- Division, tension, and violence is still alive and well around the globe. Whether in identity politics, sex/gender pay disparities, national or organizational policy making, or community engagement, navigating the intersectionality of identities in organizations, teams, and individuals is fraught with challenges.

• How are you helping C-Suite leaders navigate the intersectionality of social identities in the workplace?
• What are research based approaches you are using to decrease the distance and division that can occur between diverse social identities in the organization?
• How are you coaching teams and leaders to create equity in the workplace or remove systemic barriers altogether?
• How do you help future leaders understand the realities of power, privilege, and marginalization as they lead at higher levels of the organization?
• What is our ‘professional identity’ today and what do we want it to be in the future?

Business of Consulting- Consulting Psychologists are taking on management and leadership roles as solo practitioners, in consulting firms of every size, and internal to large domestic and international enterprises.

• How are you managing transference between what your clients are encountering and similar realities you may be facing in your own firm or organization?
• How do you measure readiness to change during your consultative entry and contracting phase?
• How do you maintain client engagement as an internal consultant when there is often no exchange of funds for services rendered, high variability in contracting since you are an agent of the organization, and not always a C-Suite level leader?
• What is the role of the HR Business Partner from the perspective of the internal versus external consultant?
• How are you engaging in succession planning for your firm to sustain its legacy and longevity after you retire?
• How do you create synergy and value with other consultants – relying on one another to consult on tough engagements, sharing resources, and being able to work side-by-side with one another?

An Uncertain World- In a world with uncertainties from politics, war, racism, and terrorism to climate change and cyber attacks, consulting psychologists must teach clients to be agile, scalable, and to continuously improve.

• How do we help the leaders and teams we consult with build capacities to preserve themselves and build resilience in a relentless VUCA economy?
• What are new areas of research you are tapping into in order to meet the emerging needs of your clients as they seek to succeed in this uncertain world?
• What research based systems and safeguards are you helping organizations implement to prevent massive ethical transgressions, toxic organizational cultures, and avoid the swirl of social media?
• How do we prepare new leaders to lead in a world such as this?
• What is it like to engage in large-group change methods as a part of, not apart from, the evolving system? 

Proposal Type:

We encourage you to submit a proposal for the following presentation types. Only one can be selected.

Workshops are in-depth breakout and skill building sessions. They are either 4 or 8 hours in duration and should include a blend of lecture and other learning methods. 

Concurrent Sessions are breakout sessions consisting of lecture style presentations, best practice reviews via case study, or skill building opportunities with hands-on learning activities. They are 90 minutes in duration.

Panel Presentations allow seasoned professionals to come together to present the work they are doing, share their experiences or insights, and engage in discussion with session attendees. Proposals should include the names of all planned panel presenters. Sessions will last 90-minutes.

This year, we are encouraging the submission of either a full panel presentation proposal, which should include a fully outlined panel presentation as well as the panel presenters and a moderator OR an individual can submit a proposal to be considered as a part of a panel about either INTERNAL CONSULTING or DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION in our field, which the conference planning committee will help to arrange and moderate.

• Full Panel Presentation Proposal: Please list the MODERATOR as the Lead Presenter and include all panel presenters in the Co-Presenter spaces above.
• Individual Panel Presentation Contributor Proposal: Please include whether you would like to be considered for INTERNAL CONSULTING or DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION as a part of a panel, as well as what your experience is and why you would be a good candidate for a panel. The conference planning committee will review submissions and work to bring together panels with similar topics, experiences, or messages.

Focused Discussion Groups provide an opportunity to bring individuals together who are engaged in similar work, function within the same industry, or have other connected interests (e.g., health care industry consultants, internal consultants, individuals who have an interest in talent management practices, etc.) to discuss hot topics, share best practices, and explore future trends.  Sessions will last 60 to 90 minutes.

Poster Presentations provide an opportunity for both students and professionals at all levels to showcase their qualitative or quantitative research during a poster gallery walk. At least one of the authors of the poster must be present during the poster session to discuss their work and answer questions.