Consulting Skills

Consulting Skills

Introduction to Consulting Skills

Being a consultant is a strange place to be.
Origionally the word consultant comes from the Latin consultare means “to discuss”, note not tell or do but discuss…

Often a consultant provides expertise to clients who require a particular type of knowledge or service, often for a specific period of time. In other situations, companies implementing a major project may need additional experienced staff to assist with increased work during that period.

A Typical Consulting Process

Entry –> Diagnosis –> Action Planning –> Implementation –> Exit

Management and Business Consulting

Management consulting refers to both the industry, and the practice of, helping organizations improve their performance.
The main vehicle used is through the thorough analysis of existing business problems and development of plans for improvement. Organizations engage the services of management consultants for a number of reasons, including, for example,

• to gain external and more objective advice and recommendations,
• to gain access to the consultants’ specialized expertise,
• or simply as temporary help during a one-time project, where the hiring of permanent employees is not required.

Because of their exposure to and relationships with numerous organizations, consultancies are also said to be aware of industry ‘best practices,’ although the transferability of such practices from one organization to another is the subject of regular debate.

Consultancies may also provide a source of:

• organizational change management assistance
• Development of coaching skills
• Technology implementation, strategy development, or
• Operational improvement services.

Management consultants generally bring their own, proprietary methodologies or frameworks to guide the identification of problems, and to serve as the basis for recommendations for more effective or efficient ways of performing business tasks.

Does consulting add value to an organization?

Commonly management consultants are criticised for overuse of jargon and buzzwords, reliance on, and propagation of management fads, and a failure to develop plans that are practical and easily executable by the client.

Some consulting providers are frequently accused of delivering empty promises, despite high fees. It is often said that they state the obvious and lack the relevant experience on which to base their advice.

These consultants bring few innovations, and instead offer generic and “prepackaged” strategies and plans that are irrelevant to the client’s particular issue.

The consultants may fail to prioritise their responsibilities, placing their own organization’s interests before the clients’.

On the other hand more reputable firms, adhere to and internalise specific codes of ethics to strengthen client relationships by offering fair advice and accepting transactions only if they benefit their clients. In effect, if the consultancy cannot provide effective services to their clients, it will decline the project opportunity, even if the client is willing to pay the fee.

Consulting skills and tools

Consulting organizations that use holistic and structured tools rather than rely on simple process are more likely to provide clients with a rounded and appropriate review. The Business Improvement Review is one such tool. It is holistic in that it looks at all of the PRIMO-F factors:

• People
• Resources
• Ideas and Innovation
• Marketing
• Operations
• Finance

Included in the People element is culture and management style as well as the usual roles and skills.

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RapidBI is an organizational effectiveness consultancy based in the UK but working internationally.
© RapidBI & Mike Morrison 2011 - this article/ page is free to copy and use on the condition that an active link back and reference is made to this site and page. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

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