OPINION
Julie Drybrough has a problem with the “C” word… I
sometimes cough the word ‘consultant’ when people ask me what I do, slightly embarrassed at the tag I’ve attached to myself. The word can feel soaked in negative meaning – perhaps because I’ve
heard much of the criticism levelled at L&D/ OD consultants – some might be as follows below.
Criticism 1. “Oh. You are one of those people who comes in and tells us what we already knew for lots of money?” “Er, no. I hope not.” Criticism 2. “Oh. You are here to sell us something we don’t need.” “Why would I do that?” Criticism 3. “You are here to save us from the dastardly director/deep change hole/organisational sickness.” “I generally find underpants on the outside to be a fashion faux pas. As a rescue alternative, I can offer you a conversation and some co-created solutions which will last in the longer term – is that of interest?” Criticism 4.“Oh. You want a cape? Ah...”
Consultancy in the L&D/OD culture space is a fascinating place to be operating right now. The market is awash with freelancers and bespoke consultancies jostling alongside big players. The scale of available work runs from large impressive tenders that seem to bear little or no resemblance to the actual solutions or thinking required, to more smaller: “I’ve known X for years. They’ll crack on and get it done” projects. It’s a minefield to navigate – both as client and as consultant – and my belief is that some honest conversations between in-house and external operators are long overdue. I have, for instance, worked in client systems
where consultants were running amok, bestowed with too much power, too few checks and balances and a far-too-developed sense of their own right- ness. The effectiveness (and to a larger extent, the ethics) of this approach to working with ‘externals’ baffles me. I’ve listened to wonderful practitioners who
have balked under the weight of a client’s forceful resistance to anything new: “this is how we do things. If you want to get paid, fall in line”. The client inevitably gets some risk-free, dull, half-baked solution; possibly even a replica of what they could
62
do/are doing already, see criticism 1 left. I’ve seen mediocrity touted as the next big
thing by consultants; with clients paying for ideas or gimmicks that make me concerned about my chosen profession. Arguably, the most effective in-house/external
work is respectful collaboration. It’s when the client has a non-desperate need and the consultant is being accessed to bring new thinking or additional resource. It’s when the boundary between client and consultancy is clear and well contracted. It is when the relationship is based on the consultant offering a range of solutions and ideas (after they have built up an understanding of the organisation they are working with). Note the word ‘range’. Anyone who has one-trick: “this solution works everywhere, every time” should be politely asked to pack up their snake oil and kindly move on. Consultants are supposed to keep up to date with current thinking. Part of their purpose is to bring difference to the client system. Not collusion, but difference. If in-house L&D/OD practitioners are focusing on getting stuff delivered in their organisation, consultants add value by bringing news from the outside world. The relationship ought to be creative. And
purposeful. There should be awkward moments where the ‘difference’ brought feels uncomfortable – that is part of any effective change. It should not just be about the money. In my more altruistic moments, I’d say it also ought to be enjoyable. My point is this: I don’t want to be embarrassed
to say I’m a consultant. I want to be amongst those who have kept themselves relevant and connected to ideas and research. I want us to offer useful and purposeful solutions to clients, year-on-year, developing as the market and context changes. I don’t want to be labelled as a charlatan, a pointless expense or a quick-fixer making no overall difference. So help me out. Those of you in-house, take a
long hard look at who you are working with and why. Talk to them soon. Test them a little. Those of you working as consultants, ask yourself: Are you challenging yourself and your clients or banking the money complacently? This is my plea – can we make these relationships better?
Julie Drybrough
runs fuchsia blue ltd – an OD and culture change consultancy. Follow her on Twitter @fuchsia_blue, read the blog
www.fuchsiablue.com or email info@
fuchsiablue.com
September 2015
www.trainingjournal.com
Final word
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64