Consulting and Business Partnering Flashcards
What is the value TD brings to senior leaders of an org?
- help make strategic decisions
- create solutions
- implement change to achieve the outcomes an org requires
Partnering vs. Consulting
The key difference is the amount of time involved - partnering is ongoing; consulting is a short-term engagement.
Partnering:
- an ongoing role
- mutually established
- a common goal
- continuous engagement at all levels
- collaborative decision-making process
- requires good listening skills, trust, and respect
- TD professionals must gain credibility for clients to agree to a solution that will achieve org results
Consulting:
- includes a start and finish that follows a short-term, defined process defined by the consultant or the client
- extension of partnering when support requires more defined process
- goal is to facilitate change and achieve desired outcomes by moving from current state to desired state
- can be internal or external
- typically focused on one project
- rarely have formal authority to implement recommendations
Standard chain of events in consultation (5)
- Define the issue
- Gather and analyze data
- Present findings and decide on next steps
- Implement the solution
- Evaluate the results
Edgar Schein
consultants should focus on adapting a solution to the organization as opposed to accepting a packaged solution presented by expert consultants
Richard Beckhard
defined organization development as it is known today: An organization-wide, planned process initiative that is managed from the top to increase organizational effectiveness
Chris Argyris
single, double, and triple loop learning, and contributed to the development of organizational and experiential learning, the reflective model, and the ladder of inference
W. Edwards Deming
brought his 14 points and process improvement concepts first to Japan and then the United States.
He popularized the plan, do, check, act (PDCA) cycle for continuous process improvement, showing the benefits that occur when all employees are involved in making incremental quality improvements
Peter Block
His book, Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used is currently used by most consultants and has been recognized by the OD Network as the most influential book for organization development practitioners in the past 40 years.
His five phases of consulting provide the basis for most current consulting models.
Single-loop learning
Chris Argyris
people learn and use new skills for necessary incremental change
“Am I doing things right?”
Double-loop learning
Chris Argyris
focuses on a fundamental change in thinking patterns and behaviors. People often refer to this act as reframing or changing the context
“Am I doing the right things?’
Triple-loop learning
Chris Argyris
individuals make fundamental shifts in how they view themselves, and then willingly alter their beliefs and values about themselves and the world (a transformational act)
Ladder of inference
Chris Argyris
a thought process model that describes the stages individuals go through, usually without realizing it, to get from a fact to a decision or action. The thinking stages are like rungs on a ladder; individuals select certain aspects of events that they introduce into their thinking, feeling, and interactions.
Organizational learning
Chris Argyris
the way companies build, supplement, organize knowledge through their daily practices, routines, and culture, including how they identify and correct errors and adapt for organizational efficiency
Reflective learning
Chris Argyris
helps learners analyze their learning experience and use critical thinking skills to improve future performance
PDCA
W. Edwards Deming
Plan, Do, Check, Act - determine the problem, implement the solution, track/analyze/evaluate the results of the change, reflect and act on lessons learned
Model of continuous process improvement
The 4 Roles of the Consultant
Expert: a directive role; generally viewed as the authority, provides advice, and implementation is often conducted by others
Facilitator: neutral role; facilitates meetings or teams that address process improvement, team building, and other actions, where the goal is to draw out answers from a group
Process consultant: examines processes, systems, interactions, traditions, culture, funding sources, and other interfaces to determine their effect on each other and the results; generally takes the longest and is the broadest coverage
Other pair of hands: role focused on analyzing, planning, and project roll-out; consultant plays a supporting role and client is in charge of outcomes. Best for short-term projects with fewer stakeholders.
Skills and Tools Shared Between TD and Consultants
Skills: Teamwork, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, performance improvement, project management
Tools: risk assessment, needs assessment, planning, communication plans, vision statements, mission statements, guiding principles
5 Ways TD professionals build credibility with partners
- be proactive
- focus on organizational success
- apply business acumen
- participate and communicate
- deliver value
How can TD professionals build credibility by being proactive?
- Partner with key leaders to identify the organization’s issues.
- Get involved with new projects, improvement teams, and task forces.
- Anticipate needs
- Propose initiatives that address current business issues
- Take initiative in the organization’s strategic planning process
How can TD professionals build credibility by focusing on organizational success?
- Spend time doing what senior management values.
- Demonstrate relevance by tying it to the bottom line.
- Anticipate corporate needs and discuss them with senior leaders.
- Establish a reputation for recognizing that business must come first.
- Think and act strategically
How can TD professionals build credibility by applying business acumen?
- Learn more about all aspects of the organization.
- Further explore the industry the organization is in.
- Read the same journals that senior leaders do.
- Learn more about the organization’s competitors.
- Investigate which strategic challenges the organization will face in the next few years.
- Complete an organizational scan focusing on the trends that will affect the organization in the future.
How can TD professionals build credibility by participating and communicating?
- Network, especially with influential leaders—both formal and informal.
- Attend or review senior leaders’ presentations.
- Learn more about customers, their expectations, their issues, and their satisfactions.
- Read the senior leader meeting minutes
How can TD professionals build credibility by adding value?
- Complete tasks even when they do not know how to do it; someone will be able to help.
- Learn about the organizational politics without allowing them to affect results.
- Establish credibility as a results-oriented player.
- Exhibit a positive can-do demeanor.
- Remain professional, honest, and ethical.
5 Phase Consulting Process
- Assessing the Need
- Understanding the Issue
- Present Findings and Interpretations
- Developing and Implementing a Solution
- Completing the Project and Evaluating Results
What happens during Phase 1, Assessing the Need?
TD professionals begin to understand the client’s organization, department, and needs.
- Use an exploratory meeting to develop relationship and agree on roles
- discuss expectations and actions of each
- agree on expected goal, deliverables, and outcomes
What happens during Phase 2, Understanding the Issue?
This phase is used to discover and analyze the data.
- Begin to collect data to understand the issue and the environment
- Determine criteria for collecting data, such as time, cost, comfort level and trust, confidentiality, and culture
- Select data collection method, or a combination of methods
- Analyze data
- Prepare to develop options and recommendations
What happens during Phase 3, Present Findings and Interpretations?
This phase is used to deliver the findings and decide on next steps. The TD professional provides the client with data findings and interpretations, as well as recommendations.
- Frame the findings or issues.
- Create effective feedback agendas.
- Conduct feedback meetings and decide on next steps/approach together with client.
- Determine next steps and adjust goals/deliverables, if needed.
- Manage sensitive information.
- Address resistance.
