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Jo Clift Consulting

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Policy Engagement
Consultant and Coach

Policy Engagement for Academics & Universities
_{I work with Universities who want to grow their capability in Policy Engagement, and increase their profile within Whitehall and Parliament. I work collectively and individually with academics to help them build their individual profile and the profile of their work.}

Allice Hocking, Head of of Research Impact and Partnerships, University of Plymouth
"Jo has helped the University of Plymouth to make significant progress with our Policy Engagement work. Not only has she enabled our academics to understand the complex workings of Government, Parliament and policy making; she has also given them the confidence to explore those links, build the connections and reap the rewards. Both our senior and junior academics speak very highly of her work."

Sheela Agarwal, Professor & Co-Director Centre for Coastal Communities
The training gave me a sound understanding of how government (Parliament, the Cabinet Office and the House of Lords) and Select Committees operate and of how to find out whom to contact regarding my research. Aside from this content and perhaps more importantly, Jo gave me the belief that my research was valuable and insightful, she gave me the confidence to approach relevant people within the policy community and empowered me to be pro-active and share my work. As a result of Jo’s training I have been very engaged with the policy community, am now offering an evidence base which is informing decisions centrally, and am in regular contact with strategists in the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and a number of House of Lords Peers who are using my work to lobby the government for action. I also run a very successful webinar series featuring key academics and policy-makers which I would not have had the confidence to do before Jo’s training. In short I recommend Jo as a trainer and a coach unreservedly. I have got an enormous amount from the policy engagement training and 121 sessions with Jo and it is now one of the most fulfilling and rewarding aspects of role as a professor.
Consulting services
I help organisations to understand and engage with Government and Parliament. I support them in getting the best out of their engagement with Whitehall, officials and opinion formers.
It might be about selling work, or selling ideas or creating and building lasting relationships.
I work with a range of organisations from Universities to high tech firms to National Museums.
I spent over two decades at the heart of Whitehall, mainly at the Cabinet Office. I held senior roles in policy, communications, strategy and legislation, including a role at Number 10.
_{Engagement & Interaction with Whitehall}
_{Helping you and your organisation to work with and engage Government & public sector stakeholders}

_{Explaining how Government and Parliament work}
_{When you want to know how government & Whitehall work & how to speak their language}

_{Getting impact in Whitehall and Parliament}
_{Helping you get your voice heard in Westminster, including Media training and Select Committee training.}

Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome

A lot of academics suffer from Imposter Syndrome. They somehow feel that they do not deserve to be heard or that their work does not deserve to be promulgated beyond their immediate network. This may be because many academics are not natural publicists for their work. The problem is - that in this age of Impact, Policy Engagement and Public Engagement - Imposter Syndrome can get in the way of academic success. If, for example, you are not using social media and other networks to publicise your work, is that because you are afraid of being visible?
 
Why not tackle this at my workshop on Imposter Syndrome? I have been working with academics for over three years, helping them with Policy Engagement and building their confidence. I have gained a lot of insight into how the Imposter Syndrome is affecting academics, but also how releasing people from those fears can help them to be much more effective and visible.
 
The workshop covers….
- What is the Imposter Syndrome & how does it affect us?
- What are the Imposter Syndrome challenges within academia and how can we tackle them?
- Is the imposter syndrome affecting your current role and your career path?
- The best ways to tackle the imposter syndrome
- Tips for confident Networking
- Reminding yourself about your skillset
- How to get support on the journey
 
 
Tina Joshi
Associate Professor of Molecular Biology
Your training and mentoring gave me a big confidence boost. Now I know the routes to making an impact with policy makers in my area, and I am becoming quite high profile. You have opened doors for me and I have walked through them.
 
 
Professor Sheela Agarwal
I have got an enormous amount from our sessions, so thank you for this. The biggest thing you have achieved is to have equipped me to feel empowered…this has encouraged me to be proactive, and have the confidence to get in touch with policy makers. 
 
In short, I recommend Jo as a trainer and coach unreservedly
 
Featured in Times Higher Education 
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/when-am-i-going-be-found-out-tackling-academic-impostor-syndrome
 
 

My work in Times Higher Education
Show off your projects, features, or clients in this section.
When am I going to be found out? Tackling academic Imposter Syndrome
Read More
How to succeed at Policy Engagement. Part one - define your purpose
Read More
Jo Clift
Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome Workshops

Sometimes it's hard to remember our own worth, skills & experience. The Imposter Syndrome is very common, but can be tackled. I only offer 16 places maximum for each workshop so that you can get individual attention and coaching as part of the workshop.

The Imposter Syndrome describes a condition where we feel that we don’t deserve the position or responsibility that we have. We find it difficult to take pride in our achievements and have the feeling that we are a ‘fraud’. It is staggering how many people suffer from the imposter syndrome.

Did you know that Meryl Streep, Albert Einstein and Maya Angelou all suffered from this condition? It can have a negative effect on your work and the way that you view yourself in the workplace. It can certainly stop talented people from progressing at work and getting the roles that they are capable of.People who suffer with Imposter Syndrome may often also suffer from some perfectionism and a fear of failure, but they often forget to think about all the things that they do achieve and all the skills and qualities that they do have.

The workshop covers….
- What is the Imposter Syndrome & how does it affect us?
- Is the imposter syndrome affecting your current role and your career path?
- The best ways to tackle the imposter syndrome
- Reminding yourself about your skillset
- How to get support on the journey

I have designed the workshop to be supportive and encouraging to those who have this type of confidence issue in the workplace. I run the sessions interactively, for example unmuting those who want to speak and using the chat box for comments and questions.

Testimonials
‘The best training I have done for ages’ Roberta (Global technology company)
‘Great course and presenter’ Mark (Confederation for British Industry)
‘Excellent presenter…she created a very safe and comfortable space’ Rachel (Senior Manager, Government)
About Jo Clift
I worked at the heart of the UK Government for over twenty years, mainly at the Cabinet Office and also at 10 Downing Street.
I worked closely with many ministers and led complex pan-Whitehall programmes.
I help organisations and senior teams to understand and engage with government to achieve their goals.
I provide executive coaching to senior officials and top teams, and I recently trained Government Ministers.
I am an experienced Non-Exec Director, recently for a large Government Agency.
I have an unusually broad experience covering policy, strategy, governance, corporate services, change management, senior appointments and legislation, so I am quick to adapt to many different customer groups. I was a senior manager for Deloitte Consulting
I have particular expertise and interest in helping people to overcome their Imposter Syndrome. I consider my work to be helping people to bring their whole selves to work, and make the best contribution that they can. People describe me as intuitive, supportive, very quick to understand what is going on, and excellent at getting to the heart of the matter.
Get in Touch

joclift3@gmail.com

Jo Clift
@jocliftconsults

+447904 108866
Your training & mentoring gave me a big confidence boost. Now I know the routes to making an impact with policy makers in my area, and I am becoming quite high profile. You have opened doors for me and I have walked through them.

Dr Tina Joshi, Assistant Professor
I have got an enormous amount of our sessions, so thank you for this. The biggest thing you have achieved is to have equipped me to feel empowered…It has encouraged me to be proactive, and have the confidence to get in touch with policy makers.

I realise that you have to show policy officials what is going on in Academia…we are now offering them evidence that they might find useful. Before the training, I didn’t think they would be interested in my area of work.

Professor Sheela Agarwal
Jo has helped the University of Plymouth to make significant progress with our Policy Engagement work. Not only has she enabled our academics to understand the complex workings of Government, Parliament and policy making; she has also given them the confidence to explore those links, build the connections and reap the rewards. Both our senior and junior academics speak very highly of her work.

Allice Hocking, Head of Research Impact and Partnership, Plymouth University
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Jo Clift Consulting

What's really going on here?

Policy Engagement

Consultant and Coach

I work with Universities who want to grow their capability in Policy Engagement, and increase their profile within Whitehall and Parliament. I work collectively and individually with academics to help them build their individual profile and the profile of their work.

Allice Hocking, Head of of Research Impact and Partnerships, University of Plymouth

Sheela Agarwal, Professor & Co-Director Centre for Coastal Communities

Consulting services

I help organisations to understand and engage with Government and Parliament. I support them in getting the best out of their engagement with Whitehall, officials and opinion formers.

It might be about selling work, or selling ideas or creating and building lasting relationships.

I work with a range of organisations from Universities to high tech firms to National Museums.

I spent over two decades at the heart of Whitehall, mainly at the Cabinet Office. I held senior roles in policy, communications, strategy and legislation, including a role at Number 10.

Engagement & Interaction with Whitehall

Helping you and your organisation to work with and engage Government & public sector stakeholders

Explaining how Government and Parliament work

When you want to know how government & Whitehall work & how to speak their language

Getting impact in Whitehall and Parliament

Helping you get your voice heard in Westminster, including Media training and Select Committee training.

Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome

My work in Times Higher Education

Show off your projects, features, or clients in this section.

Jo Clift

Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome Workshops

About Jo Clift

Get in Touch

Social Feed

Check out my latest updates!

_{I work with Universities who want to grow their capability in Policy Engagement, and increase their profile within Whitehall and Parliament. I work collectively and individually with academics to help them build their individual profile and the profile of their work.}

_{Engagement & Interaction with Whitehall}

_{Helping you and your organisation to work with and engage Government & public sector stakeholders}

_{Explaining how Government and Parliament work}

_{When you want to know how government & Whitehall work & how to speak their language}

_{Getting impact in Whitehall and Parliament}

_{Helping you get your voice heard in Westminster, including Media training and Select Committee training.}