Download Consultation Strategies (What you wish you had known ten

Go Ahead, Make My Day Easier:
Consultation Strategies for Effective
Teaming, Leadership & Collaboration
Maureen Melonis, M.N.S., CCC/SLP
Conference & Training Coordinator
Assistive Technology Partners
www.uchsc.edu/atp
303-315-1280
1-800-255-3477
What is a consultant?
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The story of the shepherd…
Consultant - What Is It?
-What do you think of when you hear the word
consultant?
-Are you or have you ever been a consultant?
-What are some of the skills a consultant
should have?
-Are there any tricks to consulting?
Today's Agenda
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Definition of Consultant
Roles of the Consultant
8 Phases of Consulting
Difficulties with Consulting
Consultant - What Is It?
- A person in a position to have some influence
over an individual, group, or an organization,
but who has no direct power to make
changes or implement programs, (Block,
1981, p.1)
-A two-way interaction, a process of seeking,
giving, and receiving help
Skill Practice - Consultation
Consultation - What’s My Role?
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Expert
Pair-of-hands
Collaborator
Expert Role
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Expert goes in and gives the information
Decisions on what to do are made by the
expert
Two-way communication is limited.
Expert Role –Strengths &
Challenges
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STRENGTHS: effective when purely technical
problems
PROBLEM: relies on the consultants skills and
the decisions being accepted
The pair-of-hands consultant
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Pair of hands consultant is there to “help”
Control rests with the teacher/contract holder
Collaboration is not necessary
Two-way communication is limited
Pair-of-Hands Role–Strengths &
Challenges
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STRENGTHS: effective when all parties agree
on methods/details
PROBLEM:depends on teachers diagnosis of
the problem, if it doesn’t work, consultant is
blamed
Collaborative Role
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Meet goals by joining expert knowledge with
the organization knowledge
joint undertaking
help the teacher solve the problem
Collaborative Role - Strengths &
Challenges
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STRENGTHS: effective when clear
expectations & communication
PROBLEM: interpreted as foot dragging or
insubordination depending upon the history
Phases of Consulting
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Referral/Entry
Expectations/Negotiation of contract
Problem Diagnosis
Agenda/Goal setting
Implementation
Review/Evaluation
End It/Termination
Do It Again/Possible renegotiations
The Cycle of Consultation
8. Do it Again
1.Referral
7. End it
2. Expectations
REPAIRED
3.Problem Diagnosis
6. Review
5. Implementation
4.Agenda/Goals
Phase One – Referral/Entry Into
System
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Planned
Opportunistic
Uninvited
Invited
Phase Two – Expectations
Negotiation of Contract
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Formal or informal
Might include/discuss:
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Preamble
Scope of services
Compensation
Accountability
Renegotiations
Marketing
Phase Three – Problem Diagnosis
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Initial collection of data
Development of methodology
Preliminary diagnosis
Phase Four- Agenda & Goal Setting
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Mutual respect is the key
Need awareness of politics
Identify key power figures
Understand decision making process
Phase Five – Implement It
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Develop communication network (both within
and without the system)
Confront resistive forces
Develop alternate strategies
Provide staff training
Phase Six – Review & Evaluation
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Ongoing feedback
Provides data to clarify goals, refine or
revise intervention strategies, and develop
future plans
Different methods
–
Informal and formal
Phase Seven – End It/Termination
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Early termination
Late termination
Phase Eight – Do It Again/Possible
Renegotiations
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Reason for new contract
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New problems identified
Changes in the system
Changes in the activity
Difficulties With Consulting
Communication breakdowns
 Influencing without authority
 Low control high risk
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Difficulties With Consulting
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Proving yourself constantly
Dealing with resistance
Exercising restraint in making clients
decision for them
Ambiguity
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(Jamieson & Wyman, 1987)
What to Think About When Consulting
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What’s my role?
What phase are we in?
Is communication open?
What should happen before, during, and
after
Summary
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Definition of Consultant
Roles of the Consultant
8 Phases of Consulting
Difficulties with Consulting