Home Organizational Psychology Organizational Consultation: An Appreciative Approach–VIII. The Consultative Process: Stages 3, 4 and 5

Organizational Consultation: An Appreciative Approach–VIII. The Consultative Process: Stages 3, 4 and 5

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Planning for Feedback

In planning for an information feedback session, one should be particularly sensitive to the language and images being used. An effective consultant will not simply report out themes, hypotheses and conclusions as he has formulated them. Rather a translation will occur. Information will be conveyed, orally or in written form, through the use of terms and images that are understood by the client and audience, often ideally lifted out of some of the gathered data. The portrayal should be interesting, persuasive, illuminating and yet recognizable to the organization as reflective of their reality.

An effective consultant will approach the client system from many angles. What is it like being “inside” this problem or this organization? What does this problem look like from the outside? What does this problem or program look like from the perspective of a manager, a clerk, a vice president, a former employee? A variety of metaphors might be used. Some experienced consultants make use of classic myths to convey an idea (e.g., the Return of the Hero). In some settings, literary, religious, philosophical, historical or scientific metaphors or analogies are appropriate. Anything a consultant can do to avoid behavioral science, educational or management jargon will usually enhance a presentation!

The findings should be offered in a manner that maximizes their immediate use by the client and/or audience. A consultant should trace the implications of the findings, or build a process (such as small group discussions or “caucuses”) through which the client or audience can discuss the implications during or after the presentation. In many instances, the consultant will want to generate a series of alternative responses to the findings. Only in the role of expert will the consultant want to recommend a specific course of action.

The findings will be of greatest use when made available to the client in as short a time as possible. This will take place if the client is involved actively with the consultant in information collection and analysis, and if the consultant makes a preliminary oral report on the findings before preparing a written report. An oral report maximizes the benefit of the feedback to the consultant, for reactions to the oral report may be used in the written version.

A written report will increase the number of people who are exposed to the findings — another goal of information feedback. An initial draft of the written report should be reviewed by the client. The client’s comments and recommendations need not influence or be incorporated into the final draft; however, the consultant should be able to justify a decision not to incorporate them. Any process that increases a client’s or audience’s ownership of the product of these first stages of a consultation is to be encouraged, for client ownership at this stage increases the possibility that significant and appropriate actions will be taken during the last five stages of consultation—to which we turn in the next essay.

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