Getting the Most Out of Consultation Services
1998
by Patricia Yeager; Laurel Richards; Laurie Gerken Redd
Introduction
It was the experience of watching professional and personal relationships
form over joint problem-sharing and problem-solving relationships which
extend far beyond the three-day training session for center directors--held
in Houston, Texas over a ten-year period--that convinced us of the benefit
of forming a technical assistance network. This network is composed of
over 100 individuals in the independent living field who have identified
areas in which they are able to provide technical assistance and consultation.
In order to facilitate effective use of a person providing technical
assistance--whether from the IL NET or from another source--we asked our
colleague Patricia Yeager, executive director, of the California Foundation
for Independent Living Centers to prepare this document. We asked her
to make it a practical, nuts-and-bolts work, and we believe she has exceeded
our expectations. We hope you will agree with us that she has written
a most useful document and we hope it will be of help to you in setting
up a structure for working with a consultant.
Laurel Richards
Readings in Independent Living
Series Editor
Getting the Most Out of Consultation Services
One of the marvelous characteristics of the field of independent living
is the creativity and sharing of ideas that takes place. At conferences,
state independent living meetings, or at lunch among several directors
or staff, all sorts of ideas are readily shared and enhanced through the
input of others. This flow of creativity through networking has been responsible
for many program changes and successes in independent living centers across
the country.
There may come a point when it is decided that the time is right for
substantive change that require formal assistance from a specialist outside
the independent living center. It may be time to consider working with
a consultant. In the hopes of making the consulting experience a positive,
helpful one for independent living centers, the following recommendations
are offered.
Step One: Defining the Problem in Specific Terms
This is crucial to the decision to hire a consultant, picking the right
person for the job, and having a successful consulting experience. In
order to ensure that you get the outcome you want, you must be as specific
as possible about the problem or issue to be addressed. To ask a consultant
to come in and "fix the board" is not being specific enough.
But to tell the consultant that board members are interested in a) beefing
up their understanding of how boards work; b) improving their decision-making
skills; and c) building trust among themselves gives the consultant specific
information and concrete goals upon which to work.
Step Two: Confirming that Using a Consultant Is the Appropriate Approach
Once you have identified the problem, look at your staff, board, and
community for assistance. Some issues can be resolved by sending staff
to classes offered in the community. For example, if you have identified
time management as a problem, you may want to look at local continuing
education classes, workshops offered through the state rehabilitation
program or other businesses that would allow your staff to participate.
Or perhaps you have decided to change your manual accounting system to
a computerized system. This might be handled by talking with your CPA
(a board member?) who could set up the process (or recommend someone who
could consult) and by hiring a bookkeeper who has experience in setting
up and maintaining computerized accounting systems. If you see that your
staff or board or community does not have the time, resources, or specific
expertise, then it would appear that bringing in a consultant is the best
approach.
Step Three: Identifying Consultant Candidates
You may also want to look at other sources, depending on the issue. While
there are consultants listed in this directory who have dealt with management
issues, your community may also have resources. Check with your local
United Way or other community fund agency for assistance. In some communities,
associations have formed to include a variety of non-profits; they are
usually open to sharing their network and expertise. Local businesses
that have in-house consulting services might be willing to donate such
services to your independent living center.
Other places to look include local colleges and universities (professors
or students needing projects), your board members, and other rehabilitation
facilities or staff in your community. Do not overlook trade associations
(marketing, accounting societies) that may be willing to provide consulting
on pro bono or reduced fee basis.
Step Four: Selecting the Right Consultant for Your Project
How will you know which consultant is right for your center and project?
Eleanor Webster Shakin writes in her article, "Why a Consultant and
How Do You Pick One" (Fund Raising Management, July 1988, p. 30):
"You will want to work with someone who is enthusiastic about your
organization and its chances to succeed and be prepared to respond flexibly
to the particular challenges presented. At the same time, you will want
to avoid the consultant who implies there are miracles to be performed
or who is so general when responding to your questions [as] to be unable
to provide the guidance you need. Above all, you will look for clarity
concerning the potential and objective of the activity under consideration,
its costs and the respective roles and responsibilities of its participants.
"Finally, by all means allow personal chemistry to play a role in
your decision. Chances are that the consultant who is sensitive to the
leadership style of the organization is the one with whom a good working
relationship based on trust and realistic expectations can be built. While
this won't guarantee the results you seek, it will create the environment
that makes success possible."
Jeanne Woods, in her article, "Picking the Pros--How to Take the
Gamble out of Professional Services," (Black Enterprise May 1985,
p. 47-48) says that the ". . . three basic criteria to consider when
looking for a business or legal advisor [consultant] are experience, references,
and rapport."
Ask consultant candidates to provide you with a list of several clients
to whom they have provided similar consulting services so that you can
get a feel for how they work. Some consultants may be reluctant since
they may not want to reveal the identities of their clients. However,
you have a right to ask for the names of several clients to talk to about
the quality of the consultant's work. Questions to ask might include:
- Was the consultant able to grasp the situation in the organization
quickly?
- Was the consultant considerate of staff and board positions even if
they were not what he or she wanted to hear?
- Was the consultant flexible and able to be creative when proposed
solutions did not meet with approval?
- How did the consultant handle conflict during the course of project?
- Did the consultant meet project deadlines on time?
- Was the consulting successful? If so, why? If not, why?
Step Five: Drawing Up a Consultant Agreement
Consulting is a two-way relationship in which both parties have rights
and responsibilities. The best way to make sure that everyone understands
what is expected is through a written contract or document. I am not suggesting
that an attorney needs to draft detailed contracts. However, the more
informal the arrangement is, the more likely problems and dissatisfaction
will occur. A written letter signed by both the consultant and the center
representative should include the following elements:
- Who is doing the consulting.
- Who is the client.
- To whom is the consultant directly responsible (reporting structure).
- What objectives are to be accomplished:
- in what time frames,
- with what resources, and
- what the specific deliverables or products (reports, etc.) are.
- What the client is responsible for (materials, information, availability
of board and/or staff members, etc.).
- Fees of the consultant, including expenses.
Both parties have the right to expect that open communication will occur,
that time lines will be negotiated and met, and that ethical behavior
will be the norm. Bringing on a consultant and then not providing correct,
pertinent information or meeting time lines is a good way to make the
whole process fail. It is expected that the consultant will keep all information
confidential and that the staff and board of centers will respect the
consultant's position of neutrality.
Agreeing upon the consultant's fee
One of the hallmarks of the whole non-profit arena is the ability (read
necessity) to attain goods and services at little or no cost. However,
as an independent living center grows and evolves, sometimes bringing
in a paid expert is the most time and cost efficient way to bring about
center change. Some of the individuals listed in this directory will provide
consulting or training free or at reduced costs. Sometimes paid consultants
do pro bono work for causes they are personally involved in. It never
hurts to ask!
But remember, people who support themselves solely through consulting
will be more expensive. They must cover their costs of doing business
(insurance, car, office space, marketing, accounting needs, photocopying,
telephone, computer, etc.) as well as make a living. Such a person is
also totally involved in your project if you contract with him or her.
On the other hand, the person who is doing consulting on the side can
afford to charge less because his or her expenses may be covered through
another job. The time this person spends in consulting will be constrained
by the demands of other employment.
The time to ask about a consultant's fees is as soon as you see the possibility
of a business relationship. The consultant should be able to answer with
a rate per hour or per day and any considerations given for large projects
versus small projects or non-profit rates versus for-profit rates. The
consultant may not be able to tell you right away how much your particular
project will cost, but by the time the contract agreement is ready to
be drafted, you should have a concrete figure.
Some people find talking about fees uncomfortable. Dr. Thomas E. Backer
of the Human Interaction Research Institute in Los Angeles, recommends
the following approach. After having a preliminary discussion(s) about
the project, you should send a letter to the consultant stating the objectives
of the work and ask the consultant to respond to time frame, fees, and
particular approach to the problem. The response will help you pick the
right consultant for the job and stay within your budget.
Are you paying too much? This is an important question that may seem
to some consultants as though you are questioning their "worth."
However, it is very important to consider if you are going to act in a
fiscally responsible manner. Backer suggests asking people at other agencies
who have used consultants or asking other consultants directly what their
fees are. Remember to include depth of experience and successful outcomes
in consulting on your particular issue when "comparison shopping."
Step Six: Being Ready to Work with a Consultant
It is vital that staff and board members be ready and receptive to the
consulting that is about to occur. The board of directors must see the
need for the consulting and either be involved, if appropriate, or allow
the executive director and staff to work unimpeded with the consultant.
The staff genuinely need to be part of any organizational change for it
to be successful. All should be kept informed of progress on the project
as a courtesy.
You should identify which staff (and board members, if appropriate) will
be involved with the project. The consultant and participants will have
lists of materials and questions to share. Once the intervention or change
or new system is developed, everyone involved will need to plan and to
prepare for implementation.
Step Seven: Developing Strategies to Evaluate the Consulting Work in
Progress
It is wise to develop follow-up and to evaluate strategies early in the
project as a way of keeping the project on track. The critical question
to ask is: How is what we are doing leading to the desired (and already
identified) outcome. If you cannot answer that question, then it is time
to review the process.
As consultation activities progress, it is helpful to maintain feedback
between the consultant and the person to whom the consultant reports.
Issues such as lack of critical information, missed time lines, unexpected
issues, communication problems, and others are best addressed as they
arise and not at the end of a project when it is too late.
Step Eight: Examining Results in Light of 'Real Life' Issues at the
Center
Once the consultant project is completed, the results should be examined
in light of "real life" issues at work in your center. Let's
say you decide to computerize your old accounting system. The CPA on your
board decides to donate his time to work with a consultant who is knowledgeable
in setting up computerized accounting systems. The board member, you as
the executive director, and the staff assistant who has been responsible
for this task have met over the last six months. All of the accounting
tasks needed for the center have been identified (accounts payable, payroll,
general ledger, and generating financial reports in-house). Staff are
supportive of computer-generated paychecks (no more late checks!), and
the board will be delighted to get a better view of the financial health
of the organization in a timely fashion.
The board member and consultant research and recommend a software package,
a new chart of accounts, a new method for tracking incoming and outgoing
checks and check requests, and a new way to code and report these activities.
The recommendations have been approved and are being implemented.
Everyone has been warned that double bookkeeping will need to take place
for at least two quarters and that the staff assistant will be swamped
while learning the system after it is installed by the consultant.
Let's do a reality check. In the first two months after the system is
installed, check requests are not being processed, payroll is late 50
percent of the time, and the staff assistant is calling in sick one day
a week. Something is definitely wrong here. Does this mean that the consulting
didn't work? No, but acknowledging that problems are arising and identifying
solutions will help to turn the situation around.
Perhaps the staff assistant is not equipped to handle these duties and
needs additional education. Maybe only one module or task needs to be
brought up or "on-line" at a time. It may be that you will need
to hire a part-time bookkeeper to assist the staff assistant or re-assign
other duties to the staff assistant and hire a bookkeeper with computer
experience.
Looking at the results as they relate to organizational realities will
keep you on target with your goals and more likely to succeed in achieving
them. Adjustments may be necessary, and this point in the consulting activity
is a good time to make them.
Step Nine: Evaluating the Experience of Working with a Consultant
At the end of the consulting project, much can be gained from looking
back at the experience by all involved. Considering the following questions
will help you, the staff, the board, and the consultant in future consulting
opportunities.
- Was the problem clearly identified?
- Was the consultant a good choice? If not, why not? How would you choose
a consultant differently in the future?
- Did the process work for staff? What, if any, problems arose with
staff, and how will you deal with it next time?
- Did the process work for you and the board? What, if any, problems
arose, and how will you avoid them in the future?
- Did you achieve your goals? If not, why not?
- What did you like about the consultant that you want to make sure
you look for in future consultants?
Components of Successful Consultation
In a presentation on effectively utilizing consultant services (delivered
at the January 1991 annual meeting of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded
project, "Improving Service Delivery Systems for People with Disabilities"),
Backer offered these six observations of what makes effective consultation:
- The consultant is goal-directed.
- Activities are directed toward problem-solution.
- The consultant encourages consultee (client) participation.
- The consultant is active, rather than passive.
- The consultant keeps in focus the unique circumstances of the organization
in all aspects of the consultation.
- The consultant highlights client strengths, is encouraging and supportive,
focuses on main concerns of the client, and is effective in communicating
information.
In Closing
All of us at ILRU are committed to improvement of management skills at
independent living centers. It has been our experience that a successful
center is one that has staff and board members who know their center's
purpose, know their center's services, and are willing to ensure that
growth and change occur in response to community needs. We hope that the
information presented in this article and in the following pages will
help individuals who serve in the board and staff roles of all independent
living centers to obtain the assistance they need to be more successful.
About the Authors
Patricia Yeager, currently the executive director
of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), has
spent the last 19 years as an advocate for persons with disabilities.
She has worked to promote access to higher education in Pittsburgh and
Denver; to develop and implement public policies concerning access to
municipal services under the Mayor of Denver as the Director of the Denver
Commission for People with Disabilities; and to develop and implement
services and advocacy in independent living centers in Denver, Houston,
and San Diego.
Yeager holds a M.S. degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia
University, her home state, and has been hearing impaired since the age
of two. She has served on the Rehabilitation Advisory Council, State Independent
Living Council, State Developmental Disabilities Council and Private Industry
Council in several states.
Always active in statewide networks for independent living as well as
higher education, she is particularly interested in building local and
statewide coalitions of persons with disabilities to work on public policy
issues. This interest led her to accept her current challenge to set up
and coordinate activities for CFILC, the "trade association"
of the centers in California.
Laurel Richards has been a member of ILRU since
1978, and currently serves as its director of training. Her responsibilities
include production and distribution of ILRU's resource materials and supervision
of curricula development. Also, she is the principal writer and editor
of ILRU INSIGHTS. For the past eight years, she has served on the Rehab
Act subcommittee of NCIL (National Council on Independent Living).
Laurie Gerken Redd has been with ILRU since
its inception in 1977. She has accumulated abundant experience in providing
technical assistance to center personnel by means of a variety of modalities.
Her in-depth knowledge of center operations has come in part from being
a ten-year member of the board of directors of the Houston Center for
Independent Living. At present, she serves as administrative director
of ILRU's Southwest Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center
on ADA.
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