Starting the course in Management Consulting, I had no idea that my previous knowledge of the subject cannot be comparable with the competence achieved during the course. Today, I can state that I know not only the basic notions and concepts associated with the field of management consulting but also can operate the specific knowledge and details with references to the materials discussed during the course activities. Moreover, rethinking my knowledge of the subject, I can provide the picture of the exemplary management consultant who is effective in his activities and whose work is really helpful for companies and organizations.
Thus, management consultants can be discussed as key professionals who play a critical role in the successful development of any business organisation. Modern management consultants are skilful specialists who orient in the global economic market and can always provide their clients with the best variants to solve the concrete problem. Management consultants offer a wide range of consultative and technical services which are advanced and relevant in relation to the current business market.
Although my knowledge of the specifics of the management consultant’s work is theoretical and I have no practical experience in the field, I can state that the lessons I have learnt from my course are important for forming the picture of the exemplary management consultant the details of which are worked out according to the developed professional and communication skills.
All my conclusions about the characteristic features of the exemplary management consultant are based on the knowledge that I have received while attending the course. The particular features of the profession were opened for me gradually, during listening to course lectures and completing the course tasks. That is why, the image of the ideal management consultant also required its details gradually. Some interesting aspects were discussed during the first weeks of the course.
All the information was rather new that is why it evoked a significant emotional response, and I paid much attention to rethinking the concepts discussed at lectures. It was important for me to find the interaction between such concepts as management consulting, globalisation, finances, and global economy (Biggs 2010). However, the most important information for me was discussed during weeks 4 and 6.
Discussing the aspects of the Pyramid principle and advantages of the technique of rapport, I could observe the particular features of using the concrete management consultant’s techniques in order to achieve the definite results. There are four major steps to be used in the consultation process. These steps include the identification of the problem at hand, the search for the sources presenting the relevant information concerning the problem, the discussion of the possible solutions, and the last step is the implementation process where the consultant gives the final recommendations basing on the findings and provides the full report to the concerned department for implementations to be effected (Ejenas & Werr 2011; O’Mahoney 2010).
These stages are extremely significant for completing the consultant services. Nevertheless, this description lacks such a significant component as the process of maintaining the positive and cooperative relations with the client. From this point, the character of the client-consultant relations is very important for effective overcoming the problem. The effective cooperation is based on the successful communication.
Thus, the Pyramid principle and advantages of the technique of rapport can be used by management consultants actively. To communicate effectively, it is necessary to organize the oral or written message in a specific way (Maister 2004). The accents are made on the logical organisation of the consultant’s key message. Thus, I consider an exemplary consultant as the person who can be characterised by the excellent communication skills.
Furthermore, the first lesson which I can determine is the significance of the client-consultant relationships. It is possible to focus on the need for the consultants to create a good rapport with their clients in order to retain them for the future business partnership. The client-consultant relationships enable the client to receive exclusive services from their advisors (Poulfelt, Greiner, & Bhambri 2005).
This cohesiveness and harmony between the two parties enhance honesty and transparency which are vital for the success of the both parties. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact, that during week 5 I received the possibility to expand my knowledge of the point and make definite conclusions about the notion of trust which can be manipulated with the help of definite techniques which are similar to the Guru effect (Fincham & Clark 2003).
There are companies that hire consultants as their constant employees, and it can be discussed as the advantage for the firm as they work as the company’s employees who are really interested in the organisation’s progress (Chelliah & Davis 2010). In my opinion, the temporarily hired consultants do not have the interest in the company’s activities and work to maximize their own profits from and can perform unethically, giving inaccurate advices that may not solve the ultimate problem. To understand the specifics of the management consultant’s real responsibilities, I focused on the material presented during week 6.
I am really interested in the aspects of the consultant’s effective activity and in determining the appropriate techniques to achieve the best results in work. There are a lot of approaches to work with clients which were worked out as a result of developing the aspects of the management consulting as the professional field (Fincham & Clark 2003). From this point, the post-modern approach with references to the variety of consulting tools can be discussed as the most effective one to work with the client.
However, the consultant who wishes to climb the ladder of professionalism should follow not only professional methods but also the rules of the ethical code of conduct. To build the efficient reputation and gain prominence in the field of management consulting, it is necessary to practice patience and self-control even when a client behaves incompetently (Chelliah & Davis 2010). I have learnt the lesson that it is necessary to develop the consulting strategy in such a way to make the client to find the way to overcome the problem independently, only with references to the consultant’s recommendations. Moreover, the consultant’s success can be assessed only by the client (Fombrun & Nevins 2004; Wileman 2002).
That is why, the satisfaction of the client’s needs is the prior responsibility. I can add some more features to the portrait of the exemplary management consultant. Thus, this person should base all the activities and conclusions on the moral fundament and use consulting tools with references to the concrete situation and with the aim to meet the client’s expectations (David & Strang 2006).
The next key point to which it is important to pay attention is the discussion of the management consultant’s practice as the art. Thus, I have made the conclusions that the exemplary consultants should be creative and innovative because every organisational problem is unique, and it requires the concrete approach to its overcoming. However, a successful consultant should have not only developed creative abilities but also the critical and analytical mind to be able to resolve all the difficulties successfully (Cole 1991; David & Strang 2006).
These lessons were discussed during my work at the project assignment the topic of which was correlated with the problems of Somali piracy. This problem is rather current, and its resolution requires the usage of effective managerial methods. From this point, the role of the successful consultant is crucial for the problem’s overcoming (Dawson 2005; Fincham & Clark 2003). Completing the project, I could imagine myself as the practicing consultant, and this experience was necessary for me to determine the aspects which can be discussed as my strengths and on which I should focus to achieve the better results.
I can conclude that the profession of a management consultant is the multidimensional sphere, and to be successful in it, it is necessary to learn much about all the details of specialisation, have the practical experience and developed abilities in analytical and creative thinking. The skills to work out effective strategies using the innovative methods to help the client are as important as the skills to concentrate on the aspects of the problematic decision-making process. The course in Management Consulting helped me to examine the frame of the profession, its particular features and to make my own conclusions about the portrait of the ideal consultant basing on the lessons I have received during the course activities.
Reference List
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Dawson, R 2005, Developing knowledge-based client relationships, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Cole, G 1991, Consultancy management, Edward Arnold, London.
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