Associated Consultants International (ACI) existed as a Peer Consulting Organization for 40 years. We believe what we developed will be useful, and we are sharing these processes:

  • Learning and Development Methods
  • Peer Consultation
  • Peer Review
  • Distributed Leadership Organizational Model
  • Organizing Principles
  • Diversity Statement
  • Statement of Ethics
  • History of ACI – example for study

It is our sincere hope that others will make use of this information either in full or as research for developing new processes.

Learning Processes and Development Methods:

  • Received confidential Peer Consultation on challenges and opportunities in current work.
  • Peer Reviewed personal practice and growth every four years.
  • Developed new competencies to keep practices up-to-date.
  • Heard ACI members present in-process projects, model development, research findings, and reflections, responding to each other’s requests for mutual inquiry and learning.
  • Sponsored senior professionals in the field to teach new processes and models.

Peer Consultation

The disciplined process developed for Peer Consultation insured necessary focus, divergent points of view, and confidentiality. ACI’s Peer Consultation was recorded by Gene Morton, then reviewed and edited by the membership. Revised for publication online February 2022 by Mary Miura, Chris Hoffman, and Lola Wilcox. For the process description go here: Peer Consultation.

Peer Review

Associated Consultants International (ACI) was created to establish criteria for competence as a consultant, develop standards for practitioners, and support its members to meet and exceed those standards. We are making our Peer Review processes available in hope that individuals or other groups will find the information helpful in their own collegial explorations.

The Peer Review process encouraged a consultant to be fully competent in at least one of five areas of consultation knowledge and skills. The process from the Curriculum Vitae first step to the Peer Review is here.

Distributed Leadership Structure:

ACI was a not-for-profit business association, founded in 1971. When incorporated these legal documents were required: Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Whistle-blower policy, Conflicts of Interest Policy.

Other than this superstructure, the organization operated as a Distributed Leadership model and with democratic principles. Lacking a hierarchy encouraged active membership and shared responsibility. How Distributed Leadership functioned is described here.

Diversity Statement

ACI seeks to attract, embrace, and uplift individual members who reflect the larger community. The larger community includes differences in race, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, culture, religion, and any other variety of blessing.

Statement of Ethics

This statement was signed by members of the organization as part of each Peer Review.

“ I ascribe to the highest professional ethics, and commit myself to supporting and acting in accordance with the following ethical guidelines…..