The Contracting Process ADLT 610 – Class 4 Fall 2009

Agenda Questions, discussion to this point Overview of Contracting Who is the Client? Exercise in Schein Locating your consultation site

Questions, discussion to this point

Overview of Contracting

Who is the Client? Exercise in Schein

Locating your consultation site

Process Consulting

Two Elements to Consult Flawlessly

What percentage of responsibility is yours, and how much belongs to your client?

Possible Reactions of Client to Being Helped Resentment, defensiveness Relief Dependency, subordination Transference

Resentment, defensiveness

Relief

Dependency, subordination

Transference

Reactions of Consultant to Client Use of power and authority Accept, overreact to client’s dependence on you Meet defensiveness with more pressure, rational discussion Resist entering the relationship, esp. when it means giving up the “One Up” position. Counter transference

Use of power and authority

Accept, overreact to client’s dependence on you

Meet defensiveness with more pressure, rational discussion

Resist entering the relationship, esp. when it means giving up the “One Up” position.

Counter transference

Engage in Active Inquiry to Keep the Client in the “Driver’s Seat” Use active inquiry Remember the psychological dynamics involved in helping Distinguish between three levels of inquiry: Pure inquiry concentrates on the client’s telling of her story Exploratory diagnostic inquiry brings in the client’s feelings, reactions, and reasons in response to the consultant’s questions about how, what, and why Confrontative inquiry engages the client in considering the consultant’s ideas about how, what, and why

Use active inquiry

Remember the psychological dynamics involved in helping

Distinguish between three levels of inquiry:

Pure inquiry concentrates on the client’s telling of her story

Exploratory diagnostic inquiry brings in the client’s feelings, reactions, and reasons in response to the consultant’s questions about how, what, and why

Confrontative inquiry engages the client in considering the consultant’s ideas about how, what, and why

Schein’s Basic Principles 1-6 Always try to be helpful Always stay in touch with current reality Access your ignorance Everything you do is an intervention It is the client who owns the problem and the solution Go with the flow

Always try to be helpful

Always stay in touch with current reality

Access your ignorance

Everything you do is an intervention

It is the client who owns the problem and the solution

Go with the flow

Schein’s Basic Principles 7 -10 7 . Timing is crucial. Be constructively opportunistic with confrontative interventions. Everything is data; errors are inevitable – learn from them. When in doubt, share the problem.

7 . Timing is crucial.

Be constructively opportunistic with confrontative interventions.

Everything is data; errors are inevitable – learn from them.

When in doubt, share the problem.

Questions to Ponder How do you reconcile "going with the flow" (Schein) with following the consulting stages linearly (Block)? … Is it necessary to follow Block's stages literally, or is there a chance that they can be mixed up or be iterative? What do you think?

How do you reconcile "going with the flow" (Schein) with following the consulting stages linearly (Block)? … Is it necessary to follow Block's stages literally, or is there a chance that they can be mixed up or be iterative?

What do you think?

Thoughts about the initial client meeting… Explore the nature of the client’s issue / problem that you are considering Listen carefully and ask questions for clarification – but be careful not to cause defensiveness. Move the client from “what’s wrong” to “what would you like to see as a result?” Explore the readiness for change.

Explore the nature of the client’s issue / problem that you are considering

Listen carefully and ask questions for clarification – but be careful not to cause defensiveness.

Move the client from “what’s wrong” to “what would you like to see as a result?”

Explore the readiness for change.

Thoughts about the initial client meeting (cont.) Explore potential for working together. Convey information about what you do and how you work. Build trust and confidence. Learn about the organization from their perspective. (You should have already researched the company before 1st meeting.) (Lippitts; Rothwell, et al.)

Explore potential for working together.

Convey information about what you do and how you work.

Build trust and confidence.

Learn about the organization from their perspective. (You should have already researched the company before 1st meeting.)

(Lippitts; Rothwell, et al.)

Some contract items… The boundaries of your analysis Objectives of the project The kind of information you will look for Your role in the project – how you want to work with the client

The boundaries of your analysis

Objectives of the project

The kind of information you will look for

Your role in the project – how you want to work with the client

Some contract items (cont.) The product you will deliver Support and involvement you need from the client Time schedule Confidentiality Feedback to you later

The product you will deliver

Support and involvement you need from the client

Time schedule

Confidentiality

Feedback to you later

Questions Clients Ask What are the deliverables? What will the final product look like? What are the critical milestones? How will progress be monitored? How can you help me with the kick-off of this project? How will we communicate? How many employees will need to be involved?

What are the deliverables? What will the final product look like?

What are the critical milestones? How will progress be monitored?

How can you help me with the kick-off of this project?

How will we communicate?

How many employees will need to be involved?

Client Types Consultant Contact Client Makes initial Contact Primary Client Main person who works with the consultant to define the problem (pays the bill) Intermediate Clients Others involved in providing data on the problem Ultimate Clients Organization, community, society or stakeholders Unwitting Clients People affected by outcomes of the consulting intervention but are unaware of it Involved non-clients Can actively undermine the consultants’ efforts

Who is the Client Exercise 4.1 Work in pairs Exchange scenarios and give each person a chance to read yours Reconstruct the case in terms of client roles Check your understanding of these with your partner Review the degree to which you took into account the needs of unwitting or ultimate clients / How did this influence your behavior? Draw some conclusions from your shared experiences

Work in pairs

Exchange scenarios and give each person a chance to read yours

Reconstruct the case in terms of client roles

Check your understanding of these with your partner

Review the degree to which you took into account the needs of unwitting or ultimate clients / How did this influence your behavior?

Draw some conclusions from your shared experiences

References Beich, E. (1999). The business of consulting: The basics and beyond. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Rothwell, W.J., Sullivan, R., & McLean, G.N. (1995). Practicing organization development: A guide for consultants. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Beich, E. (1999). The business of consulting: The basics and beyond. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rothwell, W.J., Sullivan, R., & McLean, G.N. (1995). Practicing organization development: A guide for consultants. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.