FEATURE
Step-by-step to consultancy
Alan Dowler offers top tips on how to deliver a constructive and effective consultancy programme
T
here are a number of reasons why a business may want to employ an external consultant to review and offer guidance on transforming internal processes and team
structures. It is crucial that consultancy, of any discipline, results in tangible, measurable benefits for a business, whether it is to help with succession planning, improving services, or prepare a team for change.
Improving staff performance and service delivery takes time and energy, but many companies are willing to invest in their teams. In fact, research shows that employers in Britain spend approximately £49 billion per year on external training and development (UKEAS), suggesting demand is high for outside support1
. For consultants delivering external training,
the challenge is that a ‘one size fits all’ approach does not work for companies. Beyond boosting efficiencies and performance, organisations will have their own reasons for hiring a training consultant. A call centre for example may want to ensure
they are recruiting people with the right skill sets to improve the provision of customer service, whilst a small business may want to know how it can allocate teams effectively for the future. For external training consultants that have
been working in the field for a long time, it is inevitable that the way they work will evolve with each experience and extra piece of knowledge they garner. However, to achieve the best results, it is crucial they don’t rush to deploy a tried and tested method from their past without fully understanding the business they are working for. Incorrect perceptions, assumptions and a retreat into a comfort zone will create endless activity with little benefit to the client. To this end, it is crucial to personalise a business development plan to suit the client and develop a programme that will adhere to its proposition and vision for success. For consultants, there is a natural tension between a creative and a systems approach. Both have their place. A creative approach is very open minded, artistic and can address a problem from any perspective, and in comparison a systems approach follows a step-by-step process
www.trainingjournal.com September 2015
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