THE INTERNAL CONSULTANT

How competitive is your offering?

As an expert within a company do you even see the need for a competitive offer?

Are you losing work to people outside of your organisation who do what you do? With the emphasis on outsourcing, business units in organisations are finding other resources for the work they require.  Corporate resources are finding they need to adopt a competitive view of the work they offer.  This has blurred the line between managers and consultants in many organisations.  In fact it is often more effective to view staff roles as a bit of both.  Are you making the most of the opportunity to package and deliver your service in a competitive way?

You can learn to consult flawlessly

Operating as ‘consultant’ rather than ‘employee is valuable to you and your ‘clients’. The distinction can be difficult to accept but if you see your role in a consulting context it can be refreshing and invigorating.  Furthermore, it is possible to consult with ease and without error.  Of course you will find it more rewarding if your consulting approach allows you to develop strong relationships with those who use your services.  Especially if you are able to offer more effective solutions more regularly.

This may different from what you are doing now

Successful consulting begins with an understanding of how consulting actually works. The process of consulting can look complicated and amorphous.  Sometimes we present ourselves as the all-knowing consultant.  Or we offer ourselves as labour, nothing more than a pair of hands.  Both of these approaches can lead to misunderstanding and frustration.  And throughout we need to shift from our old mindset in which we are entitled to the work.

But consulting does not have to be complicated.

Master seven phases for successful implementation

There is a process to consulting. For each step in the consulting process there is a specific business to complete.  In this coaching process we will work through the phases of a successful consulting intervention as well as the business to be completed in each phase.  You and if appropriate your team will go out and implement the phases.  We will then meet regularly to reflect on what is working and to consider how you can address what is not.

The coaching may cover:

  • An overview of seven generic phases of the consulting process.
  • The roles and goals of a consultant
  • Different models for the consultant/client relationship.
  • Dealing with resistance
  • Marketing yourself as an internal consultant