| Core Concept |
| Consultancy involves giving advice to change or improve a situation, where the consultant has no control over the implementation.
A consultant is not a surrogate line manager. |
| Agent of Change |
| Change can be effected by presenting a new solution, or the transfer of new knowledge to enable the client to solve the problem. |
| Roles |
| Schein identifies three ways in which consultants work |
| Expert |
| Manager elects to play inactive role, reviewing the solution at the end of the process. Responsibility for solving the problem delegated to consultant who makes decisions, gathers data and assumes technical control.
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| Pair of Hands |
| Manager takes active role, making decisions, gathering data and retaining technical control. Manager evaluates solution from close-up.
Consultant responds to requests, applying their expertise to the problem. |
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| Collaborator |
| Manager and consultant work interdependently, bilateral decision making, control. Goal is to solve the problem and leave the manager with the knowledge to solve it next time. |
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| Skills |
| Three kinds: Technical skills (your expertise), Interpersonal skills (ability to team-work) and Consulting skills (ability to methodically analyse, evaluate and present a solution) |
| Goals |
| To ensure buy-in, so advice is used
To produce actionable recommendations
To utilise position as a trusted third party
To address the underlying issues so client can solve them next time |
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| Process |
| Consulting can be considered as a methodical 5 stage process |
| Contracting |
| First meeting, explore problem and client's expectations.
Result: terms of reference for the assignment. |
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| Discovery |
| Consultant investigates the problem to gain understanding, which is shared with the client. Involves an ongoing dialogue with client and their experts. |
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| Feedback |
| The data collected and analysis is reported to the client, reduced to a manageable number of issues. Planning begins now, setting the ultimate goals for the project and intermediate action points. |
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| Implementation |
| Plans from previous step are enacted, typically by client's organisation. Consultant aids the implementors in a design or advisory capacity. |
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| Termination |
| Evaluation of implementation, decisions taken on whether the project is extended, recycled or terminated. |
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