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Consulting Skills 101Consulting Skills 101An OverviewAn Overview

November 2004

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IntroductionsIntroductions

Paul HindsDirectorOperational and Systems Risk ManagementPricewaterhouseCoopers

PAUL.HINDS@US.PWC.COM

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OverviewOverview

•Types of OSRM Consulting Assignments

•EAGLE Consulting Model Active Listening Consulting Orientations

• Business Partner• Expert• Doctor-Patient

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Types of OSRM Consulting Types of OSRM Consulting AssignmentsAssignments•Risk Management Services•Security Consulting Services•Compliance Services•Audit Support•Systems Quality Services•Systems Selection•Other Special Projects

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Consulting SkillsConsulting Skills

•Business of Consulting Section 1•Explore Section 2•Agree Section 3

Not Covered

• Leverage Section 4• Execute Section 5

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Top 5 ListTop 5 List

1. What is the business driver? Current problem, potential problem, lost opportunity?

2. State a solution in their terms, not yours. Value statement.

3. Understand how they perceive your services. Business partner, doctor, expert? Approach.

4. Make sure of the facts. Assumption or hear-say can kill you. Bad data is worse than no data.

5. Keep focused, keep it simple. 1-10 pages, and then add supplemental data to the back.

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Eagle Consulting ModelEagle Consulting Model

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Eagle Consulting Model - Eagle Consulting Model - ExploreExploreExplore critical business issues and develop trust and credibility with clients by:

• Conducting a front-end analysis using the Client Understanding Model

• Developing powerful questions for client interviewing

• Marketing (your firm’s) capabilities• Applying active listening skill• Responding effectively to issues of power

and influence

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Eagle Consulting Model - AGree Eagle Consulting Model - AGree

Reach agreement with client by:

• Developing a shared assessment of client business issues and needs

• Clarifying specific expectations and outcomes needed for success

• Managing issues of communication, control and commitment

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Eagle Consulting Model - Agree Eagle Consulting Model - Agree (continued)(continued)Gaining buy-in for your project approach

including:

• Budget/time requirements• Project definition/boundaries• Defining client roles• Confirming investment of client resources

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Eagle Consulting Model - Eagle Consulting Model - LeverageLeverage

Leverage global capability of your firm to provide unsurpassed client service efficiently by:

• Accessing key firm technologies, people and centers of excellence

• Demonstrating effective use of leading-edge methodologies

• Employing current firm best practices and lessons learned from previous engagements.

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Eagle Consulting Model - ExecuteEagle Consulting Model - Execute

Execute engagements with clients by:

• Maintaining regular communication concerning progress and issues

• Teaming effectively with client and specialty teams with the firm

• Managing tasks and people effectively• Applying robust data gathering and analysis tools• Generating actionable recommendations supported by

focused arguments• Employing effective presentation strategies

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Eagle Consulting Model – Eagle Consulting Model – PerformancePerformanceAchieve new levels of performance by:

• Facilitating measurable results in client organizations• Creating value for clients• Developing long-term partnerships with clients

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The Client Understanding The Client Understanding ModelModel

The Client Understanding Model represents a framework for conducting client and industry

analysis

Purpose

Performance

Operations

Organizational Drivers

Industry Forces and Dynamics

Product & ServiceStrategy

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Active ListeningActive Listening

What does it achieve?

• It opens people up rather than shutting them down• It encourages people to

• Start talking• Keep talking• Fully express their ideas and concerns

• It enables you to interpret as accurately as possible the meaning another person is trying to convey

• It conveys to other person your understanding and acknowledgment

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How is it Done?How is it Done?• This kind of listening is not passive. It requires you to work

with the other person to make sure you have heard them and to communicate that you have heard by:

• Physically attending to the other person using eye contact and posture

• Actively encouraging the other person using:• Attentive silence promotes ("tell me more", "go on", uh

huh")• Infrequent questions ("what happened then?")• Door openers ("you look exhausted - what happened?")• Responding to the whole message . . .

• Paraphrasing or summarizing• Reflecting both the content and the feeling in a way that

demonstrates understanding and acknowledgment• Checking that you have understood by asking ("Have I got

this right?", "Have I heard you correctly?")

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Active Listening TechniquesActive Listening TechniquesTechnique Purpose Typical Lead-in Phrases

The "String" 1. To show interest2. To help the client open up

1. "Uh, huh"2. "Tell me more."3. " I understand"

Restatement and Paraphrasing

1. To verify your interpretation2. To demonstrate listening and understanding3. To help the client to further analyze the situation

1. "Let me see if I understand . . ."2. "So you're saying . . . :3. "In other words . . . "

Summarizing 1. To focus the discussion2. To clarify priorities or actions3. To reach agreement

1. "To summarize, then . . ."2. "Let me see if I can summarize . . ."3. "So, the key issues are . . ."

Clarifying 1. To acquire additional information2. To further explore a problem3. To clarify your understanding4. To verify agreement

1. "I want to make sure I understand, are you saying . . ."

2. "To make sure we are both clear . . ."3. "Do you mean . . ."

Empathic 1. To demonstrate understanding of the clients feelings

2. To enable the client to vent their emotion

1. "How did you feel when . . ."2. "You obviously have some feelings about

that . . ."3. "You seem . . ."

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5 Straight "A's" For Your Active 5 Straight "A's" For Your Active Listening Skills:Listening Skills:• ATTEND to what the person says, does and

communicates non-verbally• AVOID jumping to judgments, interpretations or

solutions• ACKNOWLEDGE what the person is communicating to

you; let them know you have got the message• APPRECIATE and genuinely try to understand their

point of view• ASK open-ended questions to encourage the person to

talk more freely and openly

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Active Listening SummaryActive Listening Summary

Do's:• Try to pick up and reflect back to the client key words

which express their major concerns and feelings about the issues

• Invite them to tell you more• Ask them to draw charts or organizational pictures of

those involved• Let them describe situations without judging or

interrupting them• Use nonverbal behavior to encourage the client to

communicate with you as fully as possible• Use open ended questions• Support their efforts to get a clearer understanding of

the problem and their own role in it

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Active Listening SummaryActive Listening Summary

Don'ts:

• Don't show lack of interest or impatience• Don't contradict the client• Don't put your own judgments or labels on what is

being said• Don't imply that you approve or disapprove of what

the client says about others• Don't offer solutions before the client has asked for

them

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The Client Understanding ModelThe Client Understanding Model

The Client Understanding Model represents a framework for conducting client and industry

analysis

Purpose

Performance

Operations

Organizational Drivers

Industry Forces and Dynamics

Product & ServiceStrategy

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Consulting OrientationsConsulting Orientations

Consultants must negotiate their primary approach with clients, choosing from among three essential orientations.

• Expert• Doctor-Patient• Process Consultant or Business Partner

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Consulting OrientationsConsulting Orientations

• The Business Partner role provides the greatest opportunity for delivering lasting value to clients and facilitating effective organizational change. The Business Partner Role:

• Maximizes client investment throughout the consulting process,

• Provides the greatest degree of flexibility for clients and consultants, and

• Facilitates the development of new client skills for addressing future challenges.

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Consulting Orientations - Consulting Orientations - Business PartnerBusiness Partner

“You know your people and your organization.

I have the experience and know the methodology that can help you get where you

want to go.

We're in this together."

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Consulting Orientations - Consulting Orientations - Business PartnerBusiness PartnerDefining Characteristics:

• Client maintains ownership of the problem• Diagnosis is shared• Solution generation is shared• Client learns skills for future challenges• Diagnosis and intervention are intertwined

Critical Success Factors:• Client does not know the source of the problem• Client does not know what expertise may be

needed• Client knowledge is need to effectively diagnose

problem and determine solution• Client and consultant are committed to common

goals

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Consulting Orientations - ExpertConsulting Orientations - Expert

Here's my problem; bring me an answer and tell me

how much it will cost. You are the expert...you solve it.

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Consulting Orientations - ExpertConsulting Orientations - Expert

Defining characteristics:• Client diagnoses problem• Client determines expertise needed• Consultant "owns" problem• Consultant generates solution• Consultant receives praise of blame

Critical Success Factors:• Client correctly diagnoses problem• Client correctly identifies consultant capabilities• Client correctly communicates problem and expertise

needed• Client accepts potential consequences of intervention

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Consulting Orientations (continued)Consulting Orientations (continued)

Not Appropriate When:• Problem is too complex• Diagnosis is difficult• Possible results are "too hot to handle"

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Consulting Orientations - DoctorConsulting Orientations - Doctor

"I'm a doctor, I can help.

Where does it hurt?"

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Consulting Orientations - DoctorConsulting Orientations - Doctor

Defining Characteristics:• Client identifies symptoms• Consultant diagnoses disease and prescribes a cure• Consultant "owns" problem• Consultant receives praise or blame

Critical Success Factors:• Diagnostic process itself is considered valuable and

helpful• Client correctly identifies symptoms and area of

"sickness"• Those involved with the "sickness" provide accurate

information needed for a valid diagnosis. Data is not hidden, nor are the symptoms exaggerated.

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Consulting Orientations (continued)Consulting Orientations (continued)

• Client understands and correctly interprets the diagnosis provided by the consultant and implements the prescription offered

• Client remains "healthy" after consultant leaves

Not Appropriate When:• Symptoms or "sickness" is not clear• Client is not willing to be dependent upon a

consultant for both diagnosis and prescription• Client is concerned to learn the skills needed to

address similar occurrences in the future

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The Consulting Model - ExploreThe Consulting Model - Explore

Explore critical business issues and develop trust and credibility with clients by:

• Conducting a front-end analysis using the Client Understanding Model

• Developing powerful questions for client interviewing

• Applying active listening skills• Marketing the firm’s capabilities• Responding effectively to issues of power and

influence

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Top 5 ListTop 5 List

1. What is the business driver? Current problem, potential problem, lost opportunity?

2. State a solution in their terms, not yours. Value statement.

3. Understand how they perceive your services. Business partner, doctor, expert? Approach.

4. Make sure of the facts. Assumption or hear-say can kill you. Bad data is worse than no data.

5. Keep focused, keep it simple. 1-10 pages, and then add supplemental data to the back.