Introduction to consulting
essentials
Calvert Markham
A consulting relationship can mean a
range of things
A contractual
relationship
With
individuals
A professional
engagement
With
organisations
Elevation Learning definition: what is
consultancy?
Delivering
specialist
skills in a
client
environment
Consultant
The
hierarchical
organisation
Consultancy skills
The area
of interest
Consultant’s
specialist
knowledge
Application
This is what
you know
Understanding
organisations
...and so is
this
Qualifications in Professional Consulting
• Launched by the Institute of Consulting and their
parent, the Chartered Management Institute in 2012
• The qualifications fit on the national Qualifications
and Credit Framework at:
– Level 5, equivalent to HND
– Level 7, equivalent to post-graduate
• Available from selected Approved Centres, of which
Elevation Learning is one
How they work
• The syllabus and examination
standards for a number of “units”
on topics in Professional
Consulting have been specified
for each level
• Successful completion of a unit
wins a specified number of
credits for the learner
• The learner can accumulate these
credits to progress from an
Award, through Certificate, to
Diploma at each level
Number of credits needed for...
Award
Certificate
Diploma
Level 5
7
13
43
Level 7
6
13
52
Learners should allow up to 10
learning hours per credit to include
both guided learning and private study
and on-job activities
Why bother?
There are benefits for all:
To consultants
A lifelong and a public recognition of ability
A powerful way of consolidating the learning on a training
programme and applying it to develop performance back at
work
To employers
To clients
Examinations provide an incentive to apply and demonstrate
learning by improving performance, on the job
Offering a lifelong qualification could appeal to potential
recruits and also deter defections to employers who do not
offer this benefit.
Qualifications provide reassurance that a particular
consultant is suitably equipped to carry out a piece of work
What topics are covered?
The core units are:
LEVEL 5
LEVEL 7
Introduction to consulting essentials
Organisational structure and culture
Planning and managing consultancy
interventions
The client relationship
Entry and diagnosis
Communication for consultants
Communicating strategies for consulting
Group dynamics and facilitating skills
Problem solving tools and techniques for
Managing consultancy interventions
consultants
The role and responsibilities of a consultant Tools and techniques for effective
consulting
Managing the business of consulting
There are additional optional units for the Diploma
Today’s messages
• Be clear what you should be
famous for
• Make sure people know
about you and your services
• Use opportunities to
develop your network
• Do good work
Today’s messages
• Be clear what you should
be famous for
• Make sure people know
about you and your services
• Use opportunities to
develop your network
• Do good work
The power of brands
“Your brand is what
people say about
you when you are
not in the room.”
Jeff Bezos, quoted
in: Brand you
Core story
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
We are a large, well established, specialist
training company
–
Supporting facts
–
What this means
–
Illustration
We design and deliver high quality
development programmes
We work internationally across all sectors
We are highly regarded by our clients
Our consultants are first rate trainers and
developers
We have a significant impact on individual
and corporate performance
Ask “so what?” to get to
client benefits
Have “golden nuggets”
available to back up
your story
Today’s messages
• Be clear what you should be
famous for
• Make sure people know
about you and your
services
• Use opportunities to
develop your network
• Do good work
Recognition of need
Does client recognise the need?
No
Do we recognise the
need?
Yes
No
Yes
Build value
of doing
something
Develop
a sales
discussion
?
Maintain a
dialogue
Use campaigns to support your
marketing. Our policy in 2013
Getting a yield from existing
clients
• Campaign “Maintaining the
presence” so they think of us
should a need for our services
arise.
• Use campaigns to promote
specific sales propositions
Client acquisition
• Promotional activity should
attract new clients to our web
site
• Cold calling does not work in our
business. We need to link to new
markets via intermediaries
Today’s messages
• Be clear what you should be
famous for
• Make sure people know
about you and your services
• Use opportunities to
develop your network
• Do good work
The leverage of association
Others
Alliances leveraging
off others' client
relationships
Consultancy firm
Client
relationships
Me
Sole practitioner
Alliances utilising
others'
capabilities
Me
Others
Capability
17
Today’s messages
• Be clear what you should be
famous for
• Make sure people know
about you and your services
• Use opportunities to
develop your network
• Do good work
Cornerstone client survey
Critical attributes
• Your staff has the excellence in technical skills required to do the job
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
You work with us as a partner  we trust you
You don’t wait for me to initiate everything; you anticipate
You have a high level of integrity and professional ethics
Your service offered excellent value for the fees charged
Your people are accessible
You show creativity in your proposed solutions
You have a good understanding of our business
You are very flexible and willing to adapt to our changes
• You keep your promises on deadlines
The CONSULT delivery process
Entry
Contracting
Diagnosis
Intervention
Closure
The STAR approach
Situation
appraisal
Tactics and planning
Review
Action
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
S
T
Entry/
engagement
Establishing a
relationship with a
new client
Client profiling
Contracting
Setting up a
project
Diagnosis
Progress review
meetings
Establishing
terms of
reference
Understanding
what is the real
problem
Intervention
Making
recommendations
Closure
Case review
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Creating change Influencing and
in a client
persuasion
techniques
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
S
T
Entry/
engagement
Establishing a
relationship with a
new client
Client profiling
Contracting
Setting up a
project
Diagnosis
Progress review
meetings
Establishing
terms of
reference
Understanding
what is the real
problem
Intervention
Making
recommendations
Closure
Case review
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Creating change Influencing and
in a client
persuasion
techniques
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
The reception test
Your organisation is hiring consultants for a project. A prospective
bid team is in reception and your boss says, “Walk through
reception and tell me what you make of them.”
What factors would make a good or poor impression on you?
You never get a second chance to make
a first impression
Mehrabian on impact
7%
How you look
38%
55%
How you sound
What you say
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
S
T
Entry/
engagement
Establishing a
relationship with a
new client
Client profiling
Contracting
Setting up a
project
Diagnosis
Progress review
meetings
Establishing
terms of
reference
Understanding
what is the real
problem
Intervention
Making
recommendations
Closure
Case review
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Creating change Influencing and
in a client
persuasion
techniques
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
Managing expectations is key
Contract
Expectations are
set in the precontract stage...
...and met postcontract
...but often need to be renegotiated to take
account of changed circumstances
Checklist of expectations
• What is to be covered - the scope?
• What is the client going to get - and when?
• What are the respective responsibilities of consultant and
client?
• How is the engagement to be managed - e.g. progress review
meetings
• What are the unwritten expectations of this client
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
S
T
Entry/
engagement
Establishing a
relationship with a
new client
Client profiling
Contracting
Setting up a
project
Diagnosis
Progress review
meetings
Establishing
terms of
reference
Understanding
what is the real
problem
Intervention
Making
recommendations
Closure
Case review
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Creating change Influencing and
in a client
persuasion
techniques
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
Be clear about whether you are working
in the Problem space or Solution space
What COULD the
problem be?
Problem space
Where we identify
the problem and
diagnose the
situation accurately
P
What COULD the
solution be?
Solution space
Where we identify
the possible
alternatives and
propose a valid
solution
What IS the problem?
S
What SHOULD the
solution be?
Time
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
Entry/
Establishing a
engagement relationship with a
new client
Contracting
Diagnosis
Intervention
Closure
S
T
Client profiling
Setting up a project Establishing
terms of
reference
Progress review
Understanding
meetings
what is the real
problem
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Making
Creating change Influencing and
recommendations in a client
persuasion
techniques
Case review
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
Recommendations need to meet a
number of criteria in order to be valid
Achievable
The WIIFM factor
What’s
In
It
For
Me?
STAR and the CONSULT process
Critical activity
S
T
Entry/
engagement
Establishing a
relationship with a
new client
Client profiling
Contracting
Setting up a
project
Diagnosis
Progress review
meetings
Establishing
terms of
reference
Understanding
what is the real
problem
Intervention
Making
recommendations
Closure
Case review
Impact and
meeting
preparation
Helping clients
be good clients
Knowing what
soft data is
needed
Creating change Influencing and
in a client
persuasion
techniques
Assessing
Case
success
conference
Situation analysis: analysing what’s going on
Tactics: planning what to do
A
R
Meeting skills
Process review
Selling yourself
and your firm
Negotiation
Assessing risk
Questioning
skills
Assessing the
state of
Handling difficult readiness for
client situations - change
assertiveness
Client
Embedding
presentation
change
Extension
selling
Case review
Action: techniques to use with the client
Review: outcomes achieved and what to apply next time
Closure
Key activities
• Extension or disengagement
• Technology transfer
• Sign off with client
• Invoicing
• Documenting the project
• Maintaining the relationships
• Knowledge management
Pitfall 1: Order taking is easy selling
You are an HR consultant. A new prospective client
calls you up. “We need someone to profile our
people. It needs to be done yesterday.”
It falls in your area of expertise. So why should you
hesitate - or should you hesitate at all?
Pitfall 2: What’s in a name?
The project has started, but you need to give it a
name. You’re from JKL consultants, and the client
says, “Let’s call it the JKL project - and it will be
good publicity for you.”
Pitfall 3: Sam’s the man
The client says, “It’s a good idea to have someone
responsible for the project from our side. Sam will
be responsible. I’d like you to work with Sam, and
he will report to me on progress from time to time.”
Pitfalls in delivering consultancy
#1
Doing the wrong job
#2
A mismatch of expectations
#3
Forgetting that all projects are
joint ventures
#4
Losing contact with decision
makers
#5
Being subservient to clients
#6
Sacrificing the good for the
ideal
Good work needs good clients
• You have to help
your clients be
good clients
• The amount of
effort depends on
the complexity of
the project and the
maturity of the
client
High
Maturity
of client
Low
Low effort
Medium
effort
Medium
effort
High effort
Low
High
Complexity of project
Thank you
• Calvert Markham
• calvert.markham@elevationlearning.co.uk