Dealing with resistance
In a consulting assignment,there will be many instances when the client feels and displays resistance.Resistance is an emotional process as there are feelings of the client attached to it.Taking on the resistance and fighting it head on is not the right strategy.Here the skill of a consultant comes into picture.How the consultant can put those feelings of clients into words which will in turn demand the consultant as well as the client to be authentic.
If you fight the resistance head on,it will help in intensifying the resistance.Defending your methodology when the client is questioning it is like keeping that resistance alive.There are 3 steps suggested in this chapter in order to handle resistance effectively.
1.Firstly,identify in your own mind what the form of resistence.Here the skill is to pick up the cues and then analyse the situation.Listen to yourself and trust what you see than what you hear.
2.Try naming the resistance in a neutral and everyday language.By neutral,it means the language used should not be biased,rather it should bring out the clear picture of the resistance,irrespective of who is reponsible for this state.
3.Lastly,be quiet.Let the client respond to your neutral frame of resistance and live with the tension by not talking too much.
Also,few helpful tips are:
1.Do not take things personally.Defenses and resistance are a sign that you have touched something important and valuable on client's side but is coming out in difficult form.
2.Also,if a client ask a question,give two good-faith responses to every question.After two such responses,consultant need to deal with the problems of commitment and taking responsibility.Treat the question the third time as form of resistance.
Finally,dealing with resistance is the meat of the consultation.
From diagnosis to discovery
This chapter discusses the stage when
the contract is clear and the consultant is ready to deal with the
resistance.The next phase is of discovery.There are two purposes for
this phase:
1.To look an independant and fresh way of looking at the situation.
2.To create a process that leads to client commitment,ownership and action.
The tradiational way is the diagnosis way i.e. client has the problem,want a solution and wants the consultant to deliver that solution to them.The limitation with this method is that it is strictly problem focused and the consultant does the bulk of discovery.
Further,two methodologies - namely Positive Deviance(where something is working well in a system e.g. businesses,hospitals and villages) and Appreciative Inquiry(in an organization's context,what is working well,right traditions being followed,dreams or vision for future), have been discussed.
The focus on relationships that is emphasized in contracting,is a very important aspect in the discovery phase.Also,resolution of a problem often requires a change in thinking and action on part of the client and this is a challenge.
This improved method of discovery,engagement and dialogue helps in giving best shot at building client capacity and solving problems.
1.To look an independant and fresh way of looking at the situation.
2.To create a process that leads to client commitment,ownership and action.
The tradiational way is the diagnosis way i.e. client has the problem,want a solution and wants the consultant to deliver that solution to them.The limitation with this method is that it is strictly problem focused and the consultant does the bulk of discovery.
Further,two methodologies - namely Positive Deviance(where something is working well in a system e.g. businesses,hospitals and villages) and Appreciative Inquiry(in an organization's context,what is working well,right traditions being followed,dreams or vision for future), have been discussed.
The focus on relationships that is emphasized in contracting,is a very important aspect in the discovery phase.Also,resolution of a problem often requires a change in thinking and action on part of the client and this is a challenge.
This improved method of discovery,engagement and dialogue helps in giving best shot at building client capacity and solving problems.
The discovery model of problem solving has following steps:
1.Presenting Problem
2.Redefining the initial problem statement for the client.
3.Making a clear and simple picture of the situation.
4.2 aspects: How the problem is being managed and the technical/business problem.
5.Finally,the recommendations are made.
Other important aspects of discovery phase are:
1.Presenting Problem
2.Redefining the initial problem statement for the client.
3.Making a clear and simple picture of the situation.
4.2 aspects: How the problem is being managed and the technical/business problem.
5.Finally,the recommendations are made.
Other important aspects of discovery phase are:
- Ask questions about the client’s personal role in causing or maintaining the presenting or target problem.
- Ask questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the presenting or target problem.
- Involve your client in interpreting the data collected.
- Recognize the similarity between how the client manages you and how they manage their own organization.
- Condense the data into a limited number of issues.
- Use language that people outside your area of expertise will understand.
- Distinguish between the presenting problem(superfacial) and the underlying(real) problem.
- Uncover and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed.
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