Amandeep Singh_BLP045_Consulting_03Jan’12

Today’s consulting class was very interesting. Topics like dealing with resistance and stage of discovery were being discussed in the class. These topics could have helped you very well clear an interview for the role of consultant. However while these topics were being discussed in class we were busy being interviewed by Mercer, for the role of a consultant.

Chapters in discussion were Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 of Flawless Consulting by Peter Block.

Chapter 9 teaches us the way that how should a consultant deals with resistance from its clients. One of the fundamental aspects to deal with resistance is to never take it head on and try not to fight with it, until you completely listen to the client’s authentic perspective. This will help the storm to pass and also help you have a better understanding of the problem being faced by the client. This chapter teaches us 3 steps to handle resistance:

1.       Always pick up the cues from the manager and then describe to yourself that what is happening.

2.       Always state in a non-punishing way the form of resistance you see. And say in a neutral language to your client.

3.       After expressing yourself, keep quiet and listen to the client. Being an effective listener is the key to deal with resistance.

This chapter teaches us to follow some rules while consulting which will increase the overall effectiveness of the work. Here are few to be listed:

1.       Don’t look for emotional support, approval or affection from the client.

2.       Don’t expect to share a 50/50 responsibility with your client.

3.       Expect arguments and criticism.

4.       Don’t ask client for understanding and don’t ask for agreements.

5.       Don’t take the responses as directed personally.

So following some of them makes consulting more effective and helps to ease resistance between the client and the consultant, which ensures smooth result driven consulting and lays the foundation of a strong relationship.

Chapter 10 helps us to move from diagnosis stage to discovery stage of the assignment. It teaches us different approaches to take this journey from diagnosis to discovery. One being the traditional approach where you find the problem and see for possible remedies which can be given and hence prescribe the best solution.

The other approach this chapter talks about is the asset based approach or the strength based approach. This approach gives more emphasis giving more attention towards strengths rather than the weakness and provokes us to use our strengths in a more effective way to solve our existing problems.

To summarize this chapter, we need to remember the below points:

1.       Ask questions about the client’s personal role in causing or maintaining the presenting or target problem.

2.       Ask questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the presenting or target problem.

3.        Involve your client in interpreting the data collected.

4.       Recognize the similarity between how the client manages you and how they manage their own organization.

5.       Condense the data into a limited number of issues.

6.       Use language that people outside your area of expertise will understand.

Amber Agawral_BLP057_Consulting_03Jan'12

Butterflies in the stomach, restless night, lot of anxiety; these are the things one expects before a job interview, especially if it is with a brand as big as Mercer. However ,I had none.

After a good night sleep I woke up relaxed and followed my routine and reached college well in time. As we were clearly communicated of the proceeding for the day, we had our first briefing by the Mercer team at 9:15 after which the three panels started interviewing us. 

While the interviews were going on, we were in parallel having our consulting skills class by Anil sir. I found it difficult to concentrate in the class because I was constantly thinking of the three questions that I will have to answer in my preliminary round of interview. I would say, I knew the answers of the two of the three questions however I was unsure of my answer to the question “if I have had a failure/regret and what have I learned from it”. One of my biggest failures was when I did extremely badly in my class 12^th board exams. I was not sure if I should be citing that however I thought I should be honest and admit that it has been my biggest failure.

With the butterflies in the stomach starting to come alive, I waited patiently in the library. Nithya shanti’s teachings crossed my mind and tried calming myself through deep breaths. My name was called; I went in, spoke for 1 min 30 sec and came out. Phew, that was quick I thought. Even though it was short I was happy,” I did well” I thought. I was able to communicate what I wanted to and I was content to say the least.

Next round was the most interesting and exciting in the entire process. Eight groups of 7 members each were give a case study to crack in 25 minutes. We all had to come to conesus and then present it to the audience. I personally loved the activity. It involved brainstorming as a team and then preparing the best possible solution. Luckily our team got the turn to present first and I was chosen by my team members to take the lead in presenting it to the audience. We had 5 minutes to present of which I used 3 minutes and left the other two minutes for my team to add something in case if I missed anything. I think we did a great job as a team in not only covering the minute details but also in collaborating and displaying great team working skills.

After all the teams had presented, we were asked to take leave and only the shortlisted ones would be called back. I grabbed a quick bite and went back to the class at 1:00 PM to attend Anil sir’s class which would start at 1:30 PM.

Sharp at 1:28 PM I got a call stating that Vivek and I have been shortlisted from BLP and are among the 7 others from HRLP. My heart started pounding as if I just finished a 100 meter sprint. I was told that at 1:35 PM I will have to present a 3 min presentation on a subject which I had in the 2^nd semester called Global Business Strategy. I scrambled for my notes, tried to find some relevant points and ran to the 3^rd floor. I was asked to enter the room at sharp 1:35 PM to make my presentation.

The board room looked different today. I had been in this room many a times but all of a sudden it felt different and impersonal. I remembered the good times when I gave my first presentation to the board of SOIL after winning the business idea competition and the many meetings which I had with the CF management team regarding my work as a CF member.

I was asked to start speaking for 3 minutes. I tried to structure my thoughts and make a logical conclusion, but I found it hard to recollect what I had learnt. I stumbled upon disconnected thoughts and tried my best to put up a good show. My time was up and I was asked to leave and send the 2^nd candidate in.

I knew I had not done a good job. I was not prepared to make that presentation. If only I could have prepared well, if only I could have structured my thoughts. There were many such if’s, but the moment had passed and the present moment never has any problems. I thanked Nithya Shanti for the wisdom again and went back straight to class.

As I entered the classroom I found the class submerged in a conversation with Anil sir, of which I had the least idea. I took my seat and tried to make sense of what was on the board. A few minutes later, the remaining 11 candidates who had applied to McKenzie but had not gone through the interview with Anil sir were asked to analyze the SOIL’s proposal to Axis bank to fund the residential campus. For the next one hour the activity went and some intelligent and some not so intelligent questions were asked by the aspiring consultants.

I had gone to my introspecting mode trying to analyze what I could have done better. I got a very simple clear answer; I was not prepared well to take on the interview.  Had I been better prepared I would have done much better.

The day was quite eventful and I gained a key lesson out of it; Nothing Beats Good Preparation.

Ankit Ahuja_BLP043_Consulting_03Jan’12

3^rd January 2012 the day started with excitement and anxiety all around. One on hand -Mercer one of the world’s largest HR Consulting firm was in the campus to recruit and there was a consulting class scheduled. The first thing I learned was how to imply the learning instantly as I was able to utilize the initial learning of how to deal with the clients in the Mercer interview. During the course of the day we learned many things like of Proposal Development, Dealing with Resistance and Stages of Discovery. I read the chapters 9 and 10 of Flawless Consulting by Peter Block as a part of the pre reading for the Consulting class.               `              

Chapter 9 of “Flawless Consulting” gives the detailed picture of how consultants find it difficult to talk to their clients because of resistance and the associated feelings. Dealing with resistance is difficult but we should engage the client in relation with the central problem. A consultant should stay away from defending himself, rather he should ask questions and encourage his client to talk. Best way to handle resistance is to blow itself out, like a storm, and not to fight it head-on. 

The three step process of dealing with the resistance as stated by Peter Block:-

1.) Pick up cues for resistance

2.) Name the resistance

3.) Be quite and seek response

Chapter 10 of the book explains about the discovery phase. The goal of discovery is to be effective and powerful. In this phase consultant should have the clear understanding of the client’s business and the context. Root cause analysis should be done to unframe the underlying problem which can be different from what client was stating.In the end  consultant should provide the information about  How the things needs to be managed and finally follow up with the necessary recommendations.

The day ended with the financial review of the SOIL’s future plan of building a residential campus and the transparency that was maintained all through the review session was amazing and it was a great learning curve that happened on the day.

Arun Sahu_BLP004_Consulting_03Jan'12

Proposal Writing is amazingly the application of ‘significance of understanding the context’ in real life is as high as significance of consuming water. Every situation, moment, problem, relationship, challenge or subject needs through understanding of the context of the matter being looked upon. And that we understand the criticality of the concept well, Anil Sir told about a real incident/case which he encountered, that’s how you study consulting at SOIL.

For flawless consulting the most important thing that counts for a consultant is relationship which he/she holds with the client than the expertise.  The consultant should address the following questions to address the real problem of the client should devise a solution according to it    

•     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 and the underlying

       problem.

•     Elicit and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed

Gaurav Shahare_BLP035_Consulting_03Jan’12

Consulting...

It is something that you do when one of your friends come to you for the solution of a difficult numerical, when your younger siblings seeks your help in choosing career path, etc... In a simple terms helping someone solve their issues. So in a way every one of us is a consultant in one or another way. Professionally, it seems to be miss-understood. People seems to mix it up with heavy jargon such as strategy, framework and what not. I don't have any issue with that, but problem arises when the same is expected out of you rather than the solution. It often happens that people are typecasted in it...

I think I am deviating away from the topic. Let's talk about chapter 9 & 10.

In chapter 9, Block talks about Handling the Resistance. He says that there always is a hidden feeling under the resistance. As a consultant, fist one has to find out ways to identify such feelings and subsequently figure out ways to handle it. Here he says that consultant should pick up the cues from manager then figure out type of resistance and finally confront it with the manager.  

Chapter 10 deals with moving on to the discovery phase. It states that after handling the resistance, problem moves into discovery phase. Here root cause of the issue should be identified. Often it happens that there are underlying problem to the apparent one. It should be properly identified and then communicated to the manager.

Thats all for this time.  

Swetanshu_BLP052_Consulting_03Jan’12

During the last session of self leadership , I learnt that one should ask his/her client what he/she feel about the situation by doing this its becomes easier for the consultant to understand about the his client ideas about the situation. The basic strategy is to help the resistance blow itself out, like a storm, and not to fight it head-on. This way of dealing with resistance by not fighting it head –on-has a ZEN quality to it. Getting the client to talk more about their concerns is helping the storm to pass. Defending methodology is keeping the storm alive. That is what happen when you push back against the resistance. You get stuck, the tension goes up, and the energy is drained.

The three steps for handling resistance are:

·         Pick up the clues – first step is simple to notice what is happening, trust what you see more than what you hear.

·         Name the resistance-the next step is to encourage the client to make direct statement of the reservation he/she is experiencing

·         Be quiet, let the client responds-Once the resistance has been identified and highlighted, further conversation should be started from client side rather than from consultant side.

Chapter 10 deals with moving from diagnosis to discovery. When the contract is clear and you are ready to deal with resistance, attention turns to the discovery phase. Develop an independent and fresh way to looking at what is going on and to create a process that’s leads to client commitment, ownership, and action.

There are two quit distinct ways of thinking about this part of the work. One that focuses more on possibilities than problems. This is variously called an asset- based approach or strength –based approach. One methodology that is future and asset based is called Positive Deviance.

Regardless of whether you choose a problem –based discovery process or a future – and strength –based discovery, the focus on relationship that was emphasized in contracting. If we give the clients what they ask for, we run the risk of not having served them well. However, we tell them that the solution will take awhile, will cost more time and involvement will be required of them than they want to give, we run the risk of alienating them. A better approach is to define our task as a process of discovery and dialogue more than as an act of diagnosis and prescription, independent of whether we are looking at problems or gifts and possibilities.

Rahul_BLP063_Consulting_03Jan’12

Next Phase of my consulting journey started on 2nd Jan'12.

I had to study Chapters 9 & 10 for Anil's Class & have to prepare for Mckinsey interview with Anil sir.  

Chapter 9 explains " How to deal resistance from your Client ?"

Simple Palm exercise explains the crux of the chapter. Best way to handle resistance is to blow itself out, like a storm, and not to fight it head-on. 

Three Steps in Dealing with resistance are

1.  Pick up the cues

2.  Understand Resistance & Name the Resistance

3.  Wait for Client to Respond

Chapter 10 discusses about discovery phase

It emphasizes on importance of Relationship & Client's approach towards the problem

Discovery model of problem solving

Arpit Gupta_BLP055_Consulting_03Jan12

‘Dealing with Resistance’, things which I learnt from the class is that one should ask client that what he feels about the situation and ask the client to be authentic and share whatever he experiences about the situation. So getting the client to talk more about the concerns is helping the storm to pass and defending one’s own point of view keeps the storm alive.

An important point to learn is that a consultant should never take things personally. So despite the words used, the resistance is never designed to discredit your competence.

After we are ready to deal with resistance, the next phase is to develop an independent & fresh way of looking at things. There are two processes for discovery phase:

1. Problem based discovery process (here the focus is on problems)

2. Future and Strength based discovery process (here the focus is on possibilities)

We choose any method but focus on relationships still remains important in the discovery phase. It is also very important that the client is part of this overall discovery to implementation phase and takes ownership of the action that needs to be taken.

Adarsh Raj_BLP060_Consulting_03Jan2012

                                                                                Consulting

A consultant faces many challenges during his assignment. One of them is the resistance from the client which is one of the most difficult challenges to counter because resistance is an emotional process. The best strategy to deal with resistance is – not to fight it and let it blow itself out.  By fighting the resistance one will rather end up intensifying it than conquering. As consultant one needs to be more authentic and encourage clients to express their concerns and finding solution according to it in most authentic way.

Basically there are three main steps for handling resistance  

·         Picking up the cues – As a consultant one should be in a position to identify any sign of resistance like uneasiness or odd body language in client, repetition of same points being explained again and again or feeling of disengagement from the conversation with the client.

·         Naming the resistance – Once we become aware of resistance the next step is to encourage the client to make direct statement of the reservation he/she is experiencing.  

·         Let the client respond – Once the resistance has been identified and highlighted, further conversation should be started from client side rather than from consultant side.

Consultant should not take this resistance from client personally. The main reason of resistance is sign of dealing with something important and valuable and which is coming out in a difficult form. The majority of questions which a consultant gets are expression of discomfort and defensiveness of client. The best way to counter this is to give two good faith answers to every question and still if the question is asked for the third time then it should be considered as resistance and should be handled in appropriate way.

When contract is clear and we are ready to deal with resistance, attention turns to discovery phase. In recent years a new approach of consulting has evolved where the prime focus is more on possibility than on problem which is known as asset based approach or strength based approach. This is mainly done to concentrate on organisation’s strength and take advantage of those assets rather than looking at weaknesses and one of the prime tool which can be used in this method is appreciative enquiry..

For flawless consulting the most important thing that counts for a consultant is relationship which he/she holds with the client than the expertise.  The consultant should address the following questions to address the real problem of the client should devise a solution according to it    

·         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 and the underlying

       problem.

•     Elicit and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed

Manu Malhotra_BLP036_Consulting_03Jan’12

As always I woke up early in the morning saying to myself – ‘I choose to make this the happiest day of my life’. Thank you Nithya Shanti for this beautiful thought that I chant daily once I get up in the morning.

The day was special and big in many ways. Mercer Interview was lined up, consulting skills class was on the calendar and the big fish – ‘Mckinsey preliminary interview’ was scheduled in the evening. It was all in all, an action packed day.

Morning circle kicked off at 9:00 am sharp. We had two special guests- an international student from MIP Italy named Faustino and the team from Mercer. Consulting skills class began and the very first topic of discussion gave me insight about the - Overriding question! What is it that we first intend to do as we meet the client? We define the context! Simple isn’t it. But handful of us actually figured it out. But at least all of us now know! I learnt that we define the context. We define the state of departure, the state of arrival and how we assess the movement from the point of departure to point of arrival. How would we measure that we have achieved what we were set out to achieve.

I moved out of the class in some time to appear for the Mercer interview with Mr. Muninder Anand. It was a five minute interview. The three questions that I was supposed to answer, I had them very well prepared. It is hard to actually figure out the learning from that interaction as it was more of one way communication. One definite take-away that I can draw is, it is extremely important to be good at 1 minute/2 minute interesting small talks. They help in engaging the client and in that process the more effective you are, the better impression you leave. Interview was followed up by a Group activity. The basic learning form it was, we should be quick to think on our feet and generate out of box ideas. Moreover, building a rapport within the team within no time is also of utmost importance.

The second half of the day was pretty interesting. Financial plan of Soil for new campus was given to us and we had to analyse the case. One key learning from it was, it is equally important to understand the practical applications & implications of the concepts of accounts and corporate finance that I have studied. I have already started working on it. I thank Anil sir, my classmates and Gaurav sir for making me realise it. I will leave no stone unturned to become a role model in accounts & corporate finance.

Ankur Kansal_BLP008__Consulting_03Jan'12

In the chapter ‘Dealing with Resistance’, Peter Block explain how crucial it is for the consultant to deal with resistance in a consulting assignment. Resistance is an emotional reaction and is a natural and predictable response while dealing with a complex problem. There are ways to deal with resistance and solve a problem. The motive is not to fight head on with it but to get the resistance blow out itself. Picking up the cues is a very important task in a consulting assignment and the consultant has to trust what he see more than what he hear. He has to pay attention to the nonverbal message from the client like

a.       If the client is constantly moving away from you?

b.      Shaking his head each time you speak?

So, as a consultant your duty is to identify these cues and handle the resistance by the following ways

1.       Identify in your mind the form of resistance.

2.       Name the resistance and use neutral language.

3.       Be quiet and let the line manager respond to the statement about the resistance.

The effort of the client in all these steps is to be authentic and that will result in more authentic responses from the client and the consultant should not take the client responses personally.

Chapter 10 deals with moving from diagnosis to discovery. After the contract is clear and you are ready to deal with resistance, the attention of the consultant turns to the discovery phase. There are two primary objective of this phase.

1.       To develop an independent and fresh way of looking at what is going on.

2.       To create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership and action.

The main objective is not to be right but to be effective and powerful. When the line manger feels that there is something wrong in the organization, they want someone else to come in and look afresh at the problem and provide a cheap, easy to implement solution. The solution should be told to client in such a way that will help in solving the problem in a best possible way and also building best relationship with the client because it is the relationship that matters.

So the steps in this process are

1.       Redefine the problem or the cause of the problem.

2.       To develop a clear and simple picture of the situation.

3.       Include the description of the technical or business problem the client has asked for help on.

4.       Also include How the problem is being managed and possibilties that surround the technical or business issue

5.       Finally, it leads to recommendations on handling the business situation and how group manage itself.

Prabhdeep Singh_BLP011__Consulting_03Jan'12

Chapter 9 talks about how to deal with resistance in a consulting assignment. It emphasis that whenever a consultant comes across a resistance with the client, the basic strategy should be to help resistance blow out and not to fight against it head on. One should ask client that what he feels about the situation and ask the client to be authentic and share whatever he experiences about the situation. So getting the client to talk more about the concerns is helping the storm to pass and defending one’s own point of view keeps the storm alive.

This chapter also talks about three steps for handling resistance:

1.        The first step is to pick up the cues to see if the client is showing any resistance. It should identify the kind of resistance the client is showing.

2.       Then a consultant has to state the kind of resistance he is facing from the client side in an un-punishing way.

3.       Then consultant should remain silent and listen to the answers from the client’s side.

An important point to learn is that a consultant should never take things personally. So despite the words used, the resistance is never designed to discredit your competence.

Chapter-10 deals with from moving to discovery to the diagnosis phase of the contract. There are two primary purposes of this phase:

a)      To develop an independent and fresh way of looking at what is going on.

b)      To create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership and action.

The earlier traditional approach considered the medical diagnosis of the problem followed by prognosis and then offering the prescription/solution but the new approach known as the asset based approach or strength based approach focuses more on strengths and advantages, and focuses more on how these strengths could be enhanced to get more advantages. The third approach which is working well is the Appreciative Inquiry approach initiated by David Cooperrider. This approach focuses more on what is working well in the organization and to find out what rituals and traditions are worth sustaining.

One important aspect we get to learn from this chapter is importance of developing a relationship with the clients. No matter which approach of diagnosis and solving a problem we may apply, a great relationship with your client always helps to deliver the best results. It also teaches us that as consultants we constantly need to see beyond the problem definition given by the client. A consultant has to sometimes re-define the problem and come to the root cause of the existing problem by great probing skills and always use language which is simple and understood easily.

Patankar Pramod_BLP041_Consulting_03Jan’12

"If we are blessed with best analytical mind, should we enjoy this by asking somebody else for a solution or honor the blessings by consulting our brain"
It is very important to know the context, this gives us the holistic view of the situation or may be we can get the direction to approach. And when we set the context, three main factors stand tall for solution:
a. Point of departure
b. Point of arrival
c. Assistance required in moving point of departure to point of arrival

Movement is very important but it should be either towards the resources or away from scarcity. We need to understand where is the resource, it may be in the form of people or data.

Yash Dogra_BLP054_Consulting_03Jan’12

The day started with a lot of excitement and anxiety as we were ready to face Mercer interviews as well as to have consulting sessions form Anil sir. The selection process included a brief interview and group activity. Finally a good news came of selection of one of four final shortlisted students. The day went ahead with Anil sir’s consulting session which was as usual wonderful. We got peer learning from our classmates for what we have missed early in the morning during Mercer selection process. We had also read the related chapters from prescribed book and the learning’s are as follows:

One of the important things which a consultant should take care is Dealing With resistance:

For flawless consulting, overcoming resistance is very critical as it is a emotional process and it should not be handled head on. There are basically three steps to handle resistance:

1. In first step, pick up the cues, describe yourself and identify in your mind what form the resistance is taking.

2.Use neutral language to describe the resistance understood from the first step.

3. Finally, Let the client respond to your statement about the resistance.

Whatever would be the result, a consultant should not take anything personally.

The next important thing which should be taken care is to develop our approach from Diagnosis to Discovery:

After we are ready to deal with resistance, the next phase is to develop an independent & fresh way of looking at things. There are two processes for discovery phase :

1. Problem based discovery process (here the focus is on problems)

2. Future and Strength based discovery process (here the focus is on possibilities)

We choose any method but focus on relationships still remains important in the discovery phase. It is also very important that the client is part of this overall discovery to implementation phase and takes ownership of the action that needs to be taken. It is important to do the following things in discovery phase:

ü  Ask questions about the client's own personal role in causing or maintaining the presenting or target problem.

ü   Ask questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the presenting or target problem.

ü  Plan the data collection jointly with the client. Involve your client in interpreting the data collected.

ü  Recognize the similarity between how the client managed you and how they manage their own organization.

ü  Condense the data into a limited number of issues.

ü  Use language that is understandable to people outside your area of expertise.

ü  Distinguish between the presenting problem and the underlying problem.

ü  Elicit and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed.

Siddhartha Anand_BLP025_Consulting_03Jan2012

Mercer would surely be the most spoken word in the campus on 3^rd. Rightly so, because everyone had geared up for the big interview. The Mercer folks gave us three questions for the first round. Simple as they seemed, but only when it came to enunciating them in a structure did we know why were we given those questions. My interview was conducted by Muninder Singh. After the one-on-one interview we were asked to sit in groups for a team workshop. It reminded us of the innumerous survival series that are telecasted on channels like NGC. Students had wonderful ideas; some creative enough to make the producers of those survival series think hard enough.

In the second half, Mckinsey shortlisting process was conducted for the remaining candidates. It was one of the most apt exercises for revising one’s finance concept. What made it more interesting was that the project discussed was the extension of our own school. How often do we get a chance to work on a live project, that too for something that we already are a part of? In a nut-shell, it was a fun filled day with a hell lot of learning. 

Hersh Sharma_BLP049_Consulting_03Jan'12

Today's Consulting session took place after a long gap. It was a great start to our new year & term. The session was focused on 'How to write a proposal' & how to win it. It is very important to understand the context of the engagement in order to initiate an effective proposal. The context should be made clear & crisp by asking the right questions to the client. In a very structured way we should set:

>  Point of departure 

> Point of arrival 

> Objective of the engagement 

> Benefits after the objective is met. 

It is also very important to ask the client what they expect from the consultants & how can a consultant fill the gap from current situation to desired situation. After this, we need to work on the Base-Line Logic Sheet to understand the client requirements clearly.

The day ended with lot of group exercises to learn how to put these theories in to practice. A fruitful session indeed. 

Krishnan Lakshmikanthan_BLP017_Consulting_03Jan’12

There is a lot that goes into consulting but to simplify the logic, unlike any product, in consulting the product is apparently just an idea. An idea that is generated through sought out information from established firms that deal with extensive number crunching, equipped with skilled personnel that adds up to the credibility.

The fact remains same, that selling has a lot of resistance to be faced by the person who pitches them. The resistance comes in the form of questions, frowns, comparison, silence and time. Facing each of them under different and difficult condition adds to the challenge that demands consultants to be extraordinarily skilled and talented.

This becomes all the more intense as the parameters that consultants touch upon are very critical for the organization and this asks for great determination and assertiveness for changing the direction and momentum of the organization. Also what is at stake is the belief of the system and policy of the organization which has been shaped with deep faith and understanding. So it is quite understandable that the effort it demands is high on intellect and willpower.

The best way is to take into faith, few people if not most of them of the client organization, who eco the voice of consultants among themselves putting them in a position to think intensely on the subject. This is the best way to make the point heard and get the attention of the system towards something that has existed and been followed since the inception of the organization but never questioned.

From a consultant’s side, it is important to be authentic, transparent and engage in lengthy discussion so that every concern is expressed clearly and the reason behind such concern be understood. Studying and responding to every cue that experienced consultants readily get from human nature of clients acts as an aid to extract the best of possible detail, concerns and resistances.

Resistances and vocal raise is associated to something important and relevant that needs more time to be given. Thus when a consultant faces the client, the direction of discussion should be under constant check so that any new direction can be explored in detail and not just driving the familiar lane.

But how often do we meet a client who speaks at lengths. Clients with the consulting firm are the top management people unlike any other sale-purchase deal of commodity where people will respond with all humility. This calls for dealing with the ego of tough people and being answerable to stern attitude. Under such circumstances the chances of getting frequent approval during the course of discussion is not possible. Here the best would be to expect the worst.

Do not expect

·         Approvals

·         Shared responsibility

·         Client to express his feelings, or speak about owns feeling

·         Agreement but understanding

·         Client to give out control to a consultant

In fact expect the client to 

·         Pose frequent criticism and argument

·         Ask for justification

·         Get anxious

·         Get hooked onto details

Here the best way forward would be to

·         Speak boldly and clearly without looking for approvals

·         Give supporting facts wherever possible

·         Keep moving at an adequate pace

·         Show confidence

·         Express where the clients support is critical for action

There is again a lot that goes into consulting and it becomes more difficult as said earlier, because with just an idea generated through collected details and experience the consultants are trying to change the high inertia of the organization.

The bigger the organization, larger is the inertia and larger is the task at hand.

Aparna Chowdhry_BLP040_Consulting_03Jan’12

In the consulting class today, we learnt about the initial stages of Proposal Development. We discussed topics like Dealing with Resistance and Stage of Discovery.

Chapter 9 of “Flawless Consulting” emphasizes on the fact that it is difficult for consultants to talk their clients out of resistance because resistance is attached to feelings. The best way to deal with resistance is to get the client talk more about their concern. A consultant should stay away from defending himself, rather he should ask questions and encourage his client to talk. A consultant should not push back at resistance, but face it and talk through it in an authentic and in a sincere manner. Peter Block mentions 3 steps to handle resistance:

1.) Pick up cues for resistance – A consultant must notice what is happening and pay attention to non-verbal messages from the client. A consultant should pay attention to his own feelings while in a discussion with client. Boredom or irritation in a discussion is early sign of resistance.

2.) Name the resistance – use simple language to describe the form the resistance is taking. This would help client openly share what he is feeling.

3.) Be quite and seek response – A consultant should make the statement about resistance and then remain silent. The idea is to encourage the client to take responsibility and come forward and discuss the issue at hand.

Peter Block also says that the most important of all things is that a consultant shouldn’t take things personally. A consultant should try and answer a question twice and clarify things for the client. But if the same question is asked thrice face the client and make the statement that the client is feeling some resistance to commit to the problem or the process.

Chapter 10 of the book states that once client and consultant are ready to deal with resistance they switch to discovery phase. The goal of discovery is to be effective and powerful. It is important in this phase for a consultant to understand what he knows and what he doesn’t know. A consultant should clearly understand the context of the client’s issue and the client’s industry. He should get to the root of the issue and understand the underlying problem – which may be different than what appears or what the client is stating. Lastly, it is important at this stage that the consultant gives a clear picture on how the problem is being managed. He should not be suggesting recommendations at this juncture but should be clearly stating the facts.

These learning's combined with Anil sir's inputs and the case discussion on SOIL made our day really engaging and memorable. It was a day well spent peeling a layer of how an effective consultant should manage his client and make a mark. 

Abhishek Kumar_BLP038_Consulting_03Jan’12

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.
 

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. Ask questions about the client’s personal role in causing or maintaining the presenting or target problem.
2. Ask questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the presenting or target problem.
3. Involve your client in interpreting the data collected.
4. Recognize the similarity between how the client manages you and how they manage their own organization.
5. Condense the data into a limited number of issues.
6. Use language that people outside your area of expertise will understand.
7. Distinguish between the presenting problem(superfacial) and the underlying(real) problem.
8. Uncover and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed.

Kushal Prakash__BLP061_Consulting_03Jan'12

Dealing with Resistance

Peter Block says that “there is no way you can talk {someone} out of their resistance because resistance is an emotional process. You cannot talk people out of how they are feeling.” He goes on to say that “the basic strategy is to help the resistance blow itself out, like a storm.”

Block suggests that there are three steps to dealing with resistance:

1.    Identify in your own mind the form of the resistance

2.    Name the resistance – use neutral language to describe the form that the resistance is taking.

3.    Be quiet – let the person respond to your statement about the resistance. Don’t keep talking. Live with the silence and tension.

Using open ended questions or statements, instead of questions or statements that can be replied to with yes or no answers, we are probably beginning to get the idea. Our statement begins with a description of the behavior which is followed by a question or statement about what is needed or how this affects the work we are trying to do.

This process of identifying, naming and being quiet provides a mechanism for getting the resistance out on the table so that it can be addressed. Being aware of these concepts may help us to identify the form of resistance that we are encountering.

Resistance to the growth of new ideas, processes, and structures is normal even in nature. But, just as in nature, growth is difficult to stop. Leaders who are unafraid to identify and name resistance can clear the path for healthy growth that will bear the fruits of success.

From Diagnosis to Discovery

The purpose of discovery is to mobilize action on a problem. Technical/business problems almost always have accompanying management problems that affect how the technical/business problem gets resolved. The approach of not to address the organizational side and see how technical recommendations get distorted or partially implemented reveals the difficulty an organization has in communicating, trusting, and managing itself.

The kind of discovery, engagement, and dialogue gives us our best approach in building client capacity and solving problems so they stay solved. This action orientation makes the assumption that client readiness to accept our input is as important to discovery as the technical analysis of the problem to be solved.

Thus we can say there are two primary purposes of discover phase. Firstly, to develop independent and fresh way of looking at things and secondly, to create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership and action.

In order to do so following process should be considered worth for:

1.    Asking questions about the client’s own personal role in causing or maintaining the target problem.

2.    Asking questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the target problem.

3.    Involving the client in interpreting the data and generating recommendations.

4.    Recognizing the similarity between how the client manages you and how they manage their own organization.

5.    Condensing the data into a limited number of issues.