Winning Consulting Skills
Article by Malcolm Anderson
If you work as an internal consultant (e.g. in technology services, human resources, legal or financial services) or as an external consultant, your clients are more than likely looking for more than just technical solutions and skills. They need collaborative business partners who can listen to their needs, add real value and demonstrate good interpersonal skills in managing the on-going relationship.
There is a growing emphasis on consulting and post sales services as value add contributions to the implementation of technical solutions
Internal business clients are seeking true business partners from their internal resources who demonstrate value for money, understand their business, and offer creativity, versatility in their consulting advice and solutions
External and internal consultants are now required to take a more proactive role in building, fostering, improving and sustaining relationships with clients and other business partner
Key Benefits
This is an intensely practical workshop designed to provide participants with the consulting skills needed to:
- Build on your skills in implementing 'technology' solutions in services consulting and solving a wider range of clients' problems
- Move from a transaction driven business focus to a management and services consulting focus
- Improve your relationship and interpersonal skills and become more confident in your dealings with others
- Apply your natural 'multiple intelligences' to understand your clients better and increase your personal effectiveness as a result
- Employ proven consulting processes, tools and techniques in client assignments
- Utilise your behavioural style to develop action strategies to improve your consulting approach
- Help your clients develop effective change management strategies and help overcome resistance and blockages
"Consulting Skills", in my opinion, is the most relevant course I have ever done. It combines all the aspects required of a professional consultant within an environment of learning and good humour. It was both challenging and rewarding, to the extent that it was hard to distinguish we were really in a course. The realism and approach adopted, ensured that everyone was truly tested - emotionally and aptitudinally. Jeena Makra, SAP implementation specialist, Pricewaterhouse Coopers |
Program Style
Winning Consulting Skills is specifically designed to familiarise participants with proven and tested models, develop their skills and give them tools and techniques based on principles employed successfully by the largest consulting firms worldwide.
- The workshop combines a solid theory base with a highly experiential content
- You will work in small teams of five or six colleagues for much of the workshop
- You will have an actual assignment and learn to manage the real life challenges and issues that occur, from the first client meeting through to final delivery
- You will employ techniques including case studies discussions, assignment simulations, individual feedback on your consulting and behavioural style, detailed debriefs and key learning points reinforced through action replays
- You will learn how to use creativity and lateral thinking techniques to help solve consulting problems, add genuine value to business issues by creating new perspectives
- The workshop has an informal yet highly concentrated atmosphere and combines practicality with a strong business sense and a sense of humour - we learn more when we enjoy ourselves!
Program Outline
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Essential Skills |
Intermediate Level Skills |
Advanced Skills (Optional but recommended) |
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For further information on Winning Consulting Skills and its use in your organisation, click here to contact us.