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I will give you an overview of the five outputs of the Entry phase of the Consultancy Cycle now, then each will be explored in greater detail. They are:
- context
- a clear understanding of the context of the issues being presented by the client.
- resources
- an evaluation of the resourcefulness of both the client and their 'system' - the organisation/department etc. in which they operate.
- scope
- an appreciation of the full scope of the development needs of the client's system.
- contribution
- an identification of the most effective contribution we can make as a consultant to support the development of the client system.
- authority
- the development of the client's perception of our authority as a consultant and our potential to support the development of their system.
| To achieve these outputs, we have to gather a mass of information and process it efficiently in order to make decisions. And we need to do this in such a way that demonstrates to the client our authority as a consultant. |
In other words, we have to manage our behaviour carefully during the entry stage, with a high level of self-awareness. This is because the impulse to bypass entry is strong, driven by the need:
- to respond positively to the client's demand
- to be seen to be helpful
- for tangible deliverables and feelings of accomplishment
- and, if you are an external consultant, for business which doesn't require the investment of much pre-contract time!
It is these needs that cause me to reach for my diary rather than ask a few simple questions and to start designing solutions before I have an accurate under-standing of the issues. And so when I give in to these impulses, I am signalling to the client that I regard myself as a service provider and shape their expectations accordingly.
| These powerful internal drivers have to be resisted for one of the key requirements of entry is to stay open-minded - to make no assumptions and reach no conclusions until entry is complete and the five outputs have been achieved. |
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