9 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING USED BY LIVECOMPASSION
INTRODUCTION
Churches and Faith Based non profits that serve the poor share many common needs. One solution for assisting these organizations is to provide the availability of consultants that can work with the local organizations to bring about stability that would otherwise be unavailable.
DEFINITION OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTING:
An independent and objective advisory service provided by a qualified person to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems or opportunities. Management consultants also recommend solutions or suggested actions with respect to these issues and help, when requested in their implementation. In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in private or public sector organizations through the sound application of substantive and process skills.
THE FOLLOWING WILL BE PROVIDED IN A TYPICAL CONSULTATION:
1. Facilitating Client Learning
One of the primary purposes of a consultant is training. Often the training is one-to-one or with the client’s staff. Traditionally, training is a process of identifying needs and then designing and developing training interventions to address those needs. This presupposes a period of time between the development and delivery of training. However, much of the time our training occurs with little preparation time.
One can assume that as a consultant we will:
 Have an understanding of the learning process
Know the appropriate use of instructional methods.
Understand the use and application of learning activities, and
Have adequate presentation, listening, and facilitating skills.[1]
2. Encouragement
Leaders may not be receptive to training or information until we have addressed their discouragement. We must remember that the battle we are waging could be a spiritual one and in those cases we must be willing to use spiritual means to achieve spiritual ends.
We will allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to provide an encouraging work to the leader. Taking time to pray with the leader will always be a priority. Prayerfully listening to the leader is essential.
3. Providing Information
As a provider of information to church and compassionate ministry leaders, we take on the traditional role of consultants. Consultants have knowledge, skills, and experience that are vital to our Compassionate Ministry partners. A key consultant role is to provide information needed by individuals, groups, and organizations to help define problems and make decisions. Through the knowledge of useful information and of effective program examples, we will give suggestions and provide evaluation of present situations.
4. Indentifying and creating resources
Through observation and research, we understand the various needs of the churches, compassionate ministry centers (CMCs), and their leaders. Once we are aware of the need, we then have a mandate to produce or coordinate the production of resources to address the need.
There is a wealth of resources available to those working among the poor. We are committed to identifying and assisting in developing solutions to the particular problems presented.
5. Conducting an Effective Diagnosis
The definition of consulting presented earlier included the component of identifying and analyzing management problems or opportunities. Consultants must first of all discern whether the client wants such a diagnosis. Unwanted advice is normally unheeded!
Effective diagnoses can range from short superficial diagnoses – such as a series of questions, to complete organizational diagnoses. It is important to diagnose the organizational problem correctly so that time, money, and the communities well being are not sacrificed.
6. Write an Action Plan
Careful guidance will be given to write a practical and attainable plan to guide the organization and its leadership in their goal of reaching their community. Implementation steps will be carefully channeled toward the target of successful completion.
7. Recommending Solutions and Solving Problems
The definition of management consulting cited previously states that the consultant helps the client:
† Identify and analyze management problems or opportunities…
† Recommends solutions or suggested actions…
† And helps, when requested, in their implementation….
In this role, the consultant uses the synergistic approach, collaborating with the leader to solve the problem. The consultant must decide how directive to be, taking into account the client’s acceptance of the consultant, the dispositions of both the client and the consultant, the consultant’s knowledge of the problem and the solutions, and the cross-cultural factors in the situation
8. Networking with Other Ministries/Churches.
An important aspect of our work is introducing one organization to another. Within the large network of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are a host of fine leaders and a wealth of ministry materials. Sharing this during the consultation is essential to successfully helping the client. Questions and needs are often similar from one location to the next. Your greatest service to a client may be linking him/her with someone who had a similar situation or problem (of course, this should not be done if it betrays confidentiality).
9. Being a Catalyst for Organizational Change
The management consultation definition cited earlier stated, “In essence, management consultants help to effect constructive change in … organizations through the sound application of substantive and process skills.”
Consultants often take multiple roles in organizational change including:
- Recommending change
- Training a leader how to manage change.
- Training staff how to deal with change. Change is not easy and any assistance that consultants can offer to the client’s staff enhances the effort.
- Building consensus and commitment to change in the organization. Often an objective outsider can do much to influence others in the organization in regard to the need to make the changes recommended by the client.
- Providing ongoing consulting and coaching for a certain period of time to the leader in a change effort.
[1] Gilley, J.W. & Doffern, A.J. (1994). Consulting for HRD professionals. Tools, techniques, and strategies for improving organizational performance. Chicago, IL: Irwin Professional Publishing, p. 15
|
