Engaging others to get your expertise applied

This first workshop in the Consulting Skills programme focuses on client engagement, contracting and interviewing as part of the consulting process.

It is a “how to” gold mine for consultants wishing to find out their clients current and future requirements. It dovetails with the Influence For Impact workshop, building on a foundation of relationships where the consultant works closely with clients to design and implement the right solution, to meet their real objectives and to influence their overall business success.

Who is the workshop aimed at?

The workshop is designed for anyone who has a consulting aspect to their role and is involved in any of the following:

• building productive relationships with clients, colleagues and third parties;
• tolerating client engagements which are currently unproductive;
• gaining client trust while setting realistic expectations;
• finding appropriate long-term solutions for business issues;
• exploring business needs by interviewing clients to determine their objectives and opinions;
• working in the capacity of technical expert and solution facilitator;
• helping clients to define changes to organisational systems, procedures, tasks, technology or behaviours;
• make recommendations by formally and informally presenting solutions to clients.

What are the programme objectives?

1. To make consultants aware of how much personal influence they have in client relationships.
2. To demonstrate a process which leads to successful client engagements.
3. To develop skills which allow consultants to:

• build and maintain rapport with clients;
• remaining resourceful in any situation, and influence clients likewise;
• generate practical, well-formed goals with clients;
• notice, and utilise, more of what is happening during client communications;
• interview clients to elicit information using precision questioning;
• build commitment by presenting recommendations in powerful ways;
• have more flexibility during interactions with clients and colleagues.

What are the expected outcomes of the programme?

1. Consultants will form relationships that are seen to add-value beyond their day-to-day work.
2. Consultants will feel more confident in dealing with sales people and clients during the contracting process.
3. The quality of communication with customers and staff will improve because of the consultant’s capability to listen and ask better quality questions.
4. Results from consulting engagements will improve because of the consultant’s ability to design outcomes, which satisfy client’s needs.
5. Consultants will behave in ways that influence their ability to effect new and repeat engagements.

What will Consultants have the opportunity to learn during the workshop?

The workshop is experiential and designed to improve capabilities and behaviours while also enhancing each participant’s identity and beliefs around consulting excellence. During the workshop Consultants will have the opportunity to discover:

• a context for building and sustaining productive client relationships;
• a process for engaging and contracting with clients;
• steps to consulting excellence;
• tools for maintaining a resourceful state of mind in any situation;
• ways to establish trust, harmony and co-operation with any client;
• how to help clients build long-term solutions by focusing on well-formed outcomes;
• interview questions which unfold the client’s ‘mental map’ and elicit their needs precisely;
• the use of metaphor and reframing to influence client perceptions;
• how to present recommendations in ways which build commitment;
• ways of closing engagements which make re-entry simple and desirable.

What is the format of the workshop?

This workshop is concerned with learning attitudes, strategies and technology rather than teaching theory. The workshop facilitators model the same client engagement process that is taught during the workshop. This allows consultants to experience first hand the power behind each of the techniques. The workshop is structured to be driven by the participating Consultant’s needs and issues. New skills are learnt through active participation in a safe group environment where instant coaching and feedback is available.

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