The Corporate Learning Institute
Management consulting is a service that helps support organizational development. Many companies have needs that go unmet by internal resources and need additional support in the area of management consultation. Management consultation involves the practical application of technical and interpersonal skills to facilitate change within organizations
The Goals of Consulting include:
- To establish collaborative relationships
- To solve problems so they stay solved
- To ensure attention is given to the business problems and relationships
Ultimately, the goal of management consulting is to enable people and organizations to manage themselves differently. A good management consultant plays a variety of roles.
As an identified content expert, an effective consultant works within this mental framework:
• The solution lies with consultant’s technical expertise
• The client plays less active role; collaboration not as important
• The consultant plans and implements events
• The client judges results at conclusion
As a capable pair-of-hands, a consultant working within this mental framework
• Believes that the solution lies with client’s technical expertise (usually before engagement)
• The client plays less active role; collaboration not as important
• The client specifies actions to be implemented by consultant
• The client evaluates during project and judges results at conclusion
As a collaborative partner, a management consultation working within this mental framework believes that:
• The solution lies with consultant’s technical expertise and client’s knowledge of the organization/technical expertise
• The client plays active role; collaboration and communication critical
• The consultant and client plan and implement events
On this final role example, both the client and the consultant evaluate the results gained. Management consultants serve a vital function in assuring that organizations receive the support they need, when they need it, and customized to their particular needs.