Consultancy skills

This programme provides a challenging insight into consulting through a collaborative, customer-centred approach that adds real value and engages new opportunities.

Level 

Programme is appropriate for learners at entry, intermediate and advanced levels.

Objectives

  • To appreciate consulting from the customer’s perspective
  • To develop a facilitative, customer-centred approach to consulting
  • To create a solutions focused partnership 
  • To build capability in a range of skills in consultancy
  • To identify different customer types and how to influence these
  • To build confidence through demonstrations and simulations

Process 

Consultancy Experience – Share best experiences and worst experiences of consulting and what it feels like to be a customer and consultant. Identify key insights and practical actions. STOP, START, CONTINUE.

Understanding Consultancy – Definition of a consultant. Role as expert (tell) vs. facilitator (ask). Interactive exercise identifying personal preference. Implications and development.

Learning Cycle – Appreciate how we learn and the difficulties with changing behaviour – comfort zones, habit, conscious choice through self-awareness.

Styles of Intervention – Identify 4 styles of consulting – acceptant, catalytic, challenging, directive. Implications and practical application.
Consultancy Process – 4Es consultancy process – entry, exploration, execution, exit. Priorities at each stage from customer’s and consultant’s perspective.

Building Relationships – Relationships as partnerships. Mean by a partnership. Ladder of customer perception. Johari Window – trusted partner. Trust and credibility. Stakeholder analysis. Transactional Analysis.

Making an Impact – Perspectives on communication. Communication 3Vs – verbal, vocal, visual. Advocacy vs. enquiry. Communication skills – listening, questioning, rapport, summarising, silence, empathy decision-making, and feedback. Influencing strategies. Power and politics.

Solution Selling – Key steps in solutions selling process. Use of questions to stimulate dialogue and elicit information. Developing a case for change.

Leading Change – Understanding change. People and change. DREC change curve – denial, resistance, exploration, exit. Influencing people through change. Support and communication.

Dealing with Conflict – Experiential exercise – Reds & Blues. Defining conflict. Conflict handling styles. Self-assessment – Thomas-Kilman. Emotional intelligence – dealing with emotions. Self-management.

Customer Types – Identify different customer types – dominant warm, dominant hostile, submissive hostile, submissive warm. How to influence different types.

Practice – Practice learning through simulations and demonstrations based on a variety of practical scenarios.

Options 

Programme can be adapted as a 1 or 2 day workshop for approx. 8 to 10 learners, with 1 or 2 facilitators, with the possibility of using professional role players.