Ideal" consulting model

Generally it goes something like this (variation based on local issues)

Talk with senior leadership, getting a sense of where the organization is, issues and opportunities. Make sure to surface other ongoing change efforts and recent ones, failed or successful.Then there are several models. Do we include more than top management? Do we want to do scenarios? How central to the organization can this process be? Then, how do we use the Internet and the design of the buildings to support the emerging stategy.

In the shortest version we start with a few from the top team and work out a time line for the organization from now out about three years, A simple horizontal line across a whiteboard is a good way to start. Then fill in goals and obstacles, outside environment influences and when they will be felt, and then start to map out on the time line responses and actions. The map becomes the contract for consulting.

Another approach is to take a half day with the senior team, and further down, till we have about a dozen. The purpose of the half day is to clarify the drama. We take a room in the organization, say the mailroom after work, a place large enough, and that few have been to. " OK, you are trying to produce the next few years of the organization. I use the word production and hint that its like putting on a play or making a movie. The problem is, we have to know the story - not an ideal story about life, but what actually is the drama. If we know it, maybe we can change it. Let's start by going around the circle and each tell us when you first became part of this story rather than the last story in your life." By the time we've gone around the circle the emerging reality of the organization has been shared and most of the real issues will have already surfaced. "When I first came here no one knew what to do with me. I asked for a place and was shown an empty corner with a desk. I finally asked someone if I could help?" This was a compnay where people, top to bottom, were confused about how to help and what their role was.

After a few other pespective building explorations I'll ask for a preliminary naming of the existing story. Note, this is not a creativity expercise, which makes most managers very nervous,but a discovery process,which they are more comfortable exploring. In one company it started with, "Oh its clear, Harry wants to retire but he doesn't trust us so nothing happens." "No, that's not it at all. Harry doesn't have the trust of the board, so he is the one who is afraid to do anything. " Nervousness. Harry however is in the room and looks fine. "Harry, what's up for you with this?" "It's great, I've never felt I had much sympathy or people even looked at what I did but here they are actually trying to figure me out. Let's keep going!" I say, "OK, remember, we are like a group of actors in a loft I New York with a bad Xerox of a play and we are trying to figure it out."

After a bit I can say, "As it gets clearer what is really going on, you might find you want to change your role. Anyone ready to try something a little different in your role?" Once one starts, everyone has to reconfigure. If we are meeting in the mailroom, its dinner time by now, and we can go eat and continue in the morning in a conference room and begin to pull together the implications.

I have found with this method more anxiety and conflict can be dealt with than any other method I've seen or read about. Notice, it is not an imagination exercise, or role playing: it is a discovery process about what people are actually doing together.

Another way to get started is with a simple scenario method. See short scenario

If we want more participation from the beginning we can use a large group scenario approach. See large scenario

Here’s how we embed the scenarios in a full OD project. But some background. In the 70's we began to notice that innovation was happening in middle management ranks, because only there could people see how a change in technology needed a change in the social way things were done. (Middle up down)

Since then we've looked for ways to make consulting run a double course, where technical possibilities support organizational opportunities, and strategy is holistic. “Bringing people together with technology”.

Listening to the client and creating a solution with them is the best way to consult. Yet, all the tendencies can be summed up in an ideal model of a consulting relationship. The use of scenarios is one of the best ways to start. But that requires some preliminaries.

We like to start with a conversation among the top few people in an organization, to get a sense of how issues are experienced, and the attitude of anticipation if the issues could be resolved or developed, normally about 2 days.

From there we might create a large one or two day event, up to 300 people, showing how the group senses the future might unfold, and how the organization might respond.

This gives us all a sense of how the whole organization perceives the situation, its issues and opportunities. This builds mutual respect for people's awareness of larger issues. It legitimates change, because it is clear that the future the group thinks plausible is not easy to respond to with the current organization .

These are preliminary scenarios, and provide a contract between the larger group, the leadership and us. We then proceed with several smaller groups. This ideally involves an Open Space approach, working for a day or two,with to develop the issues and opportunities they see for the organizaion emerging from the scenarios.

Next, on to a more detailed scenario process, to map out in detail several alternative potential futures of the surrounding society and its driving forces. Since we don't know which is going to happen, we need to have a strategy that is flexible, and looks for early indicators. (One month)

The strategy follows fairly easily from the scenario, but requires more thinking about costs, markets, technology, competition, and possible changes in regulation and social values. (One month)

From the strategy we need to work on what kind of skills and talent and resources are necessary to carry out the response. And then how should these people be organized And then, how should they communicate and handle learning and knowledge. And then, what kind of infrastructure, physical sites, telecommunications and aesthetics are necessary for the organization to function well. (These four, in parallel, with the team and top management) (one intense week)

Throughout we are mindful of values: it only works if it contributes to the quality of life. The organization may be stuck on narrow product definitions of quality, or it may be forward looking to the impact of major long terms shifts. Looking at the impact of the company's offerings on the quality of life of its customers, as well as on its own staff, are important indicators to the integrity of the process.

We handle all these issues with deep respect for the limits and potentials of the situation. We help create a certain drama, but also are careful to make anxiety a source of creativity rather than pain. The whole process is a bit like tuning a piano with 88 keys balanced and in relation to each other. And the result is not just a piano, but jazz. We look to use and develop local talent in the organization at every step, and help new leadership emerge. ( This full phase of implementation takes about four months after the initial work)

Total project cost will vary but it includes continuous virtual presence and supporting electronic environment as well as face to face meetings.

Post project involves continuing involvement, highly recommended and enjoyed by all on a month to month basis.