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Module 1 Outline

INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT WHAT IS RATIONALE FOR TYPES OF CONSULTANTS ASSESSMENT/TEST

CONSULTING CRITERIA/LEARNING CONSULTING/WHAT DO CONSULTANTS
OUTCOMES CONSULTANTS DO?

RECOMMENDED
READING
 Objective - This unit is aimed at those who wish
to gain an understanding of the role of a
consultant. It identifies the importance of

Module 1 - professionalism and client engagement.

Introduction Learning Outcome

Identify reasons why an organisation may

to Consulting employ the services of a consultant

 1. Identify reasons why an organisation may
employ the services of a consultant
Module 1 2. Explain how a consultant can add value
to a client organisation
Assessment 3. Discuss the importance of professional
and ethical conduct in consulting
Criteria 4. Explain how a consultant can develop
credibility for effective engagement with
client organisations
• Perfect the skills
required to successfully
lead a consulting project
• Present ideas, proposals
and recommendations
confidently and
persuasively
• Master the basic
techniques for advising
an improvement or
change process
• Develop the ability to
recognise, understand
and address a client or
business issue
Structure
What is it to Consult?
• Seek
• Ask
• Clarify
• Advice
• Lead
• Counsel
• Insight
HOW DO I GET FROM A TO Z ?
 What is Consulting?
Consulting is the practice
of helping organizations
to improve their
performance, operating
primarily through the
analysis of existing
organizational problems
and the development of
plans for improvement.
WHAT DOES
CONSULTING
INVOLVE?
• Facilitation
• Analysis
• Strategic
• Options
• Execution
• Review/Feeback
Consulting Demographics

• It’s never too late to start your

consulting business.

• Over 60% of the consultants we

polled are 40-60.

• Nearly 20% are older than 60.

• 20% are 40 or younger.

Consultants
Types of Consultants
• 30% are management consultants
• 16% are strategy consultants
• 13% are marketing consultants
• 7% are operations consultants.

• 4% Financial Advisory
• 3% HR consultants
• 4% IT consultants #
• 3% Sales consultants
• 1% Design consultants
• 19% selected other.
Other Areas
• Public Health Consultancy
• Technical Consultancies
• Development Consultancies
• Financial Consultancies
• Media and Social Relations
• Branding and Profiling
• Real Estate Consulting
• Bio Sciences
• etc
What is Consulting?

Definition of consulting –Institute of Consulting, UK

"The provision to businesses of objective advice and assistance relating to the strategy, structure, management and operations of an
organisation in pursuit of its long-term purposes and objectives. Such assistance may include the identification of options with
recommendations; the provision of additional resources; and/or the implementation of solutions."

Consulting is the process of helping clients solve their most pressing business problems or issues. Consultants are enablers

A consultant provides external advice for organisations that require specialist expertise or an objective outside perspective on their
business
 Institute of Business Consulting…
In addition, the Institute of Business Consulting also offers the following definition of a management
consultant:

A management consultant is a person who is professionally engaged in advising on and providing a

detached, external view of a company ’s management techniques and practices.

A consultant can operate as a specialist or a generalist. The client ’s requirements dictate which
skills and expertise are most appropriate and the situations in which to use a consultant.

Source: Institute of Business Consulting

 • A consultant is a person who is an expert in a
particular field who gives professional advice
Who is a to individuals and businesses in their area of
expertise
• A consultant is a professional who provides
Consultant? expert advice in a particular area such as
business, education, law, regulatory
compliance, human resources
 According to the ILO these purposes are:
• Achieving organizational purposes and
Reasons for a objectives
• Solving management and business purposes

Consultant • Identifying and seizing new opportunities

• Enhancing learning
• Implementing changes.
 • Rent a brain. You don't have the human resources you need because some internal person
has quit or your head count has been slashed, so hiring a consultant for a project or on a
temporary basis can fill the gap until a full-time internal person is found. You won't have to
make a consultant a full-time employee, so breaking off the relationship is relatively easy and
cost-effective.

• Manage change (and take the heat). Consultants are experts at fostering change in
organizations, so if your midsized company is rife with internal squabbling concerning
imminent changes, bringing in a consultant can break the logjam. Consultants know that
they're often brought in for political cover and will shoulder blame for unpopular changes

Why Employ •
such as reducing head count and other cost-cutting measures.

Teach and implement best practices. Consultants are often the leading experts in the fields
they work in. They not only have academic and theoretical expertise, but they've also worked
directly with leading companies to implement change. If you want best practices in areas

a Consultant?
such as IT and management, then consultants are the best source available. Why try to
invent a best practice when consultants have already implemented some with multiple
clients?

• Infuse creativity. Consultants have a fresh perspective on your business, so having an

outsider come in and offer ideas can be tremendously helpful. Sometimes your in-house
people are too close to your company and don't have the perspective to examine the bigger
picture within your market, but consultants can share valuable insights that boost your
internal creative thinking.

• Deliver training. You can hire a consultant to share knowledge about almost anything.
Consultants are born trainers, so they're a natural choice to do a training course or day-long
presentation for your company in almost any area. A good consultant blends theory and
practice, and this can deliver high value to your midmarket company.
 • Consultants are paid to share their expertise and
knowledge to help businesses attain goals and
solve problems
• A consultant is someone who has extensive
What do knowledge and experience in a specific
professional field, and who shares their expertise

Consultants in order to solve business-related issues or

problems.
• They are often used before and during the start-
do? up of a new business, or to re-align a flailing
business.
• Consulting is an enormous field, and consultants
can work for practically every industry, from
fashion to finance
 • A consultant will look at each client
individually, giving them their undivided
attention and performing their work to the
utmost of their abilities and resources.
• They will analyse the situation, offer an
impartial analysis by identifying the problem/s,

ETHICS and come up with a choice of potential

solutions for the client.
• The ultimate goal for the consultant is to come
up with the best strategy and plan for the
client's business.
• Consultants must bring a solid work ethic to
each client, and fully dedicate themselves to
their client's mission.
 • Honesty, transparency, and effective
communication is imperative in order for both
the client and the consultant to have the best

INTEGRITY possible working experience, and to have a

positive outcome at the end.
• All possible conflicts of interests need to be
divulged, and the client needs to know that
they are the consultant's top priority.
 • Edgar Schein suggested 40 years ago that consultancy provision
could be divided into three principal categories which he termed:
• Expert Consulting
• “Expert” consulting is where the client seeks to purchase the
provision of consultancy services by transferring ownership
of the problem to the consultant.

Consultancy • The Doctor - Patient model

• The compromise is a collaborative approach also referred to
as the “doctor–patient” model which gives the consultant

Orientation the task of diagnosing the problem and recommending what

type of intervention will best provide a solution to the
problem

• Process Consulting.
• “Process” consulting which is often founded on the premise
that the client owns the problem and continues to do so
throughout the consultation process.
Consulting Orientations

Consultants must negotiate their primary approach with

clients, choosing from among three essential
orientations.

• Process Consultant or Business Partner

• Expert
• Doctor-Patient
Business Expert

• The Business Partner role provides the greatest opportunity

for delivering lasting value to clients and facilitating
effective organizational change. The Business Partner Role:

• Maximizes client investment throughout the consulting process,

• Provides the greatest degree of flexibility for clients and
consultants, and
• Facilitates the development of new client skills for addressing
future challenges.

34
Business Partner

“You know your people and

your organization.

I have the experience and

know the methodology that
can help you get where you
want to go.

We're in this together."

Business Partner

Defining Characteristics:
• Client maintains ownership of the problem
• Diagnosis is shared
• Solution generation is shared
• Client learns skills for future challenges
• Diagnosis and intervention are intertwined

Critical Success Factors:

• Client does not know the source of the problem
• Client does not know what expertise may be needed
• Client knowledge is need to effectively diagnose problem
and determine solution
• Client and consultant are committed to common goals
Consulting Orientations - Expert

Here's my problem; bring

me an answer and tell me
how much it will cost. You
are the expert...you solve it.
Consulting Orientations - Expert

Defining characteristics:
• Client diagnoses problem
• Client determines expertise needed
• Consultant "owns" problem
• Consultant generates solution
• Consultant receives praise of blame

Critical Success Factors:

• Client correctly diagnoses problem
• Client correctly identifies consultant capabilities
• Client correctly communicates problem and expertise needed
• Client accepts potential consequences of intervention
• Consulting Orientations (continued) • Not Appropriate When:
• Problem is too complex
• Diagnosis is difficult
• Possible results are "too hot to
handle"
Consulting Orientations - Doctor

"I'm a doctor, I can

help.
Where does it hurt?"
Consulting Orientations - Doctor

Defining Characteristics:
• Client identifies symptoms
• Consultant diagnoses disease and prescribes a cure
• Consultant "owns" problem
• Consultant receives praise or blame

Critical Success Factors:

• Diagnostic process itself is considered valuable and helpful
• Client correctly identifies symptoms and area of "sickness"
• Those involved with the "sickness" provide accurate
information needed for a valid diagnosis. Data is not
hidden, nor are the symptoms exaggerated.
Consulting Orientations (continued)

• Client understands and correctly interprets the diagnosis

provided by the consultant and implements the
prescription offered
• Client remains "healthy" after consultant leaves

Not Appropriate When:

• Symptoms or "sickness" is not clear
• Client is not willing to be dependent upon a consultant for
both diagnosis and prescription
• Client is concerned to learn the skills needed to address
similar occurrences in the future
The Consulting Model - Explore

Explore critical business issues and develop trust

and credibility with clients by:

• Conducting a front-end analysis using the Client

Understanding Model
• Developing powerful questions for client interviewing
• Applying active listening skills
• Marketing the firm’s capabilities
• Responding effectively to issues of power and
influence
Essential Skills

• Communication skills
• Analytic & Problem Solving
• Creativity & Innovation
• Planning
• Execution
• Presentation Skills
• Commercial Awareness
• Expertise
• Value Creator
• Decision Maker
 Communication

Top Pick Analytic

Innovation
Exercise – Types of Consultants

• Identity different types of Consultancies

• Based on your experience what type of Consultant would you like to be?
• Identify emerging areas of business consultancies
Recommended Reading

• https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/kz/Documents/strategy
/KZ_management_consulting_services_en_2015.pdf

• https://hbr.org/1982/09/consulting-is-more-than-giving-advice