Whether you are a technical expert or a customer service specialist, your success often depends upon engaging customers (including organizational leaders!) in a partnership for results. The strategies and skills of effective consultants can guide you in this process.

Consulting Tools offers field-tested strategies, action learning opportunities, and coaching to build know-how, confidence, and skill as a consultant.  The workshop provides an overview of consulting, and addresses consulting tasks required at different stages of service or process planning and delivery.  Each session introduces core concepts via interactive exercises, briefings, and demonstration.

Guided practice, self-reflection, group discussion, and coaching assist participants to apply consulting tools and evaluate results.  Participants will receive assignments to use consulting techniques in their work with leaders or customers.  Experience will stimulate learning and build a bridge between the classroom and individual job requirements.  Participating fully can mean breakthroughs in your assistance to those you serve.

The workshop includes three sequential components, which can be delivered separately or as an integrated 3 to 4 day course.  Sessions include:

> Tools of Engagement: How to Develop Effective Consulting Relationships:  This session presents an overview of the consulting cycle, and practical strategies for the initial tasks of engaging leaders or customers, exploring desired outcomes, and getting agreement to plan and deliver relevant products, services, or organizational initiatives.

> Partnering to Plan Solutions:  Participants explore and practice how to:  Assess customer issues or conditions that affect organizational performance and results;  provide feedback and recommendations;  use Results Management concepts to define specific targets for improvement;  and develop plans to reach targets.

> Teaming Up to Achieve Results:  Participants review strategies for effective team performance and build skills to:  Monitor progress of planned activities;  recognize and meet project or service challenges;  and evaluate impact.  A team renewal meeting concludes the workshop and sets the stage for continued learning and consulting work with customers and leaders.

© 2011 Aligned for Results, LLC