Engaging The Client PDF

4 ENGAGING THE CLIENT This chapter focuses on the first stage of a consultancy change process:...

4 ENGAGING THE CLIENT This chapter focuses on the first stage of a consultancy change process: Finding out who is the real client Interrogating the motives for change Earning trust Clarifying the task, methods and expectations to ensure a clear contract Time spent on such reconnaissance work is seldom wasted. THE PROCESS OF CHANGE 3 Inspiring change 4 2 Planning for implementation Understanding the client system 5 Accompanying 1 implementation Engaging THE the client CONSULTANT 42 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 43 DETECTING EXAMINING THE THE ‘REAL’ CLIENT MOTIVES FOR CHANGE ‘Who is the client?’ appears a simple enough question. Who wants change? Why? How much do they want it? These are Surely, it is the person in the organisation who contracts us. critical questions to explore at the outset. A starting point is obviously However, with CSO consultancies, the answer is usually more to ask about what triggered the consultancy and who commissioned it. complicated. The real client in a consultancy may not be the For any organisation or individual to change, they have to have a person who initially approaches us: they may simply have been motive. The motive needs to be stronger than the inherent resistance mandated to sort it out. I learnt this the hard way. On one to moving away from the comfort of the status quo. A small change occasion, an outgoing project manager asked me to evaluate does not require a huge motive, but a significant change does. This a strategic alliance and comment on the strategic implications. motive provides the energy to keep going when things get tough (as But when I submitted my report, the international director they usually do). Meaningful change is costly. It is not simply about (his own manager) was horrified that I had dared comment on learning new skills and acquiring new knowledge. It is also about WA I T I N G F O R strategic issues. It turned out that she was the main client. giving up bad habits and behaving in new ways. It sometimes involves M OT I V E The real client is usually not one person. The real client usually admitting error or ignorance. Change is often painful, sensitive and ‘Our partner in Zimbabwe is a comprises a number of people inside the organisation with personal. disaster. They have been silent in varying degrees of interest and influence. They may well have There also needs to be a sufficient sense of urgency among the the face of human rights abuses different opinions and might even be in conflict with each and are politically compromised. relevant people. Unless people feel that the current situation cannot other. Reg Revans of ‘action learning’ fame suggests three CAUGHT BETWEEN They have lost credibility among go on and that they have to move fast, they will tend to stick with what useful questions to detect the real client: their members and funding TWO CLIENTS they know. Complacency is a real block to change. from donors. They need radical Who knows? (about the problem or has most of the An international NGO asked us to In the development sector, this motive for change is more change. Can you help?’ I was so information that we need to be able to diagnose and help conduct organisational assessments complicated. Sometimes CSO change processes are not initially owned excited when two colleagues from solve the problem) (OAs) of their partners as a precursor a Dutch and a Swedish donor by the organisation itself, but suggested by an outside funder. This Who cares? (Who loses sleep? Who is feeling the pain? Who to supporting them with capacity may be the single biggest challenge for consulting with CSOs. It is easy organisation asked me this back is bothered?) development. The donor was our to be fooled into thinking that an authentic desire for change exists, in 2007. For years I had been client. The OAs were self-assessment, longing to be involved practically Who can? (Who can do something about the solution? when really it is just acquiescence to a funder’s wishes, to secure internal exercises where the local in responding to the deteriorating Who has authority to approve the decision? Who holds the future funding. The pressure for change comes more from the funder, NGO reflected honestly about its situation in the country. I resources?) than the client. It is not demand-driven. At best, this leads only to eagerly asked them, ‘What does strengths and weaknesses. Sensitive In many CSO consultancies, the picture is further complicated superficial change. the general secretary and the stuff emerged. These local NGOs were by having to respond to two ‘client’ organisations – one the also our clients. We were working for Having said that, financial challenges are one of the most frequent board think about the need for local CSO and the other the funder (often an international them too. change?’ They replied, ‘Oh, they triggers for change. While a self-centered desire for survival might not NGO) who may have commissioned and ultimately will pay for are completely against it. In fact, Then the donor client started asking be an ideal motive (as compared with changing to have greater impact the work. They both have a different stake in the outcome of they are the main problem.’ But if us to privately report directly to for others), the survival instinct is an incredibly powerful one. We need the leadership was so set against the work. to be realistic and work with the triggers that exist. If necessary, start them about particular concerns with change, what could anyone do? We cannot serve two masters well, so an effective CSO different clients – and even whether with the financial imperative (the presenting problem) but deepen the With a heavy heart, I said, ‘Until consultant will clarify at the outset which organisation we are they should continue funding their analysis to explore underlying causes of the financial challenge. the leadership is open to change, primarily working for. There is no one right answer, though partners in Lithuania and Georgia. We there is very little I can do to help.’ Whatever initiated the process, consultants should be rigorous in different consultants may have different preferences. If the felt compromised. Our loyalties were interrogating the motive for change. A strong motive exists when the Two years later, the same donors client is the international NGO, then we will probably always divided. We wanted to be professional organisation is already investing time and money in finding solutions approached me again, saying be seen as an extension of the funder, with the limitations this and accountable to both. But it was there was now a completely not what we had been asked to do. without looking for outside support. It exists when people, particularly imposes. But if the client is the local organisation, then, even at leadership level, are taking personal responsibility for a situation, new board, who were wholly though the funder is paying, this will have implications for what Ethically we felt we had to refuse the committed to driving change and not just externalising blame. A healthy motive for change comes when and how we communicate with the funder. donor demands. So we presented a removing the General Secretary, people put organisational interests above self-interests. case for maintaining the trust with the but were not sure how to go In any consultancy, there will be different actors with a stake in partners and keeping our word about Getting a clear understanding of these motives before we start is not about putting the organisation the consultancy, both inside and outside the organisation. It is confidentiality. To their credit, the easy. The motive is often clearer with the benefit of hindsight or ‘in a back on its feet. They had asked important at the outset to try to identify who they are. It is vital donor did not ask us again to break rear-view mirror’. At the time of starting a change process, the motives the donors: ‘Please find us to clarify whom we are serving first and foremost. confidence. someone who can help us out.’ do not appear so clear-cut. People may not even be aware of them This was the beginning of one themselves. Motives are always mixed and messy. But acknowledging Alison Napier of the most meaningful change this should not stop us from trying to find out at the outset whether processes I have ever had the we believe there is sufficient positive motive to outweigh the inherent privilege of being involved in. costs of change. We should also keep revisiting the motive for change throughout the process, as it will not remain constant over time. 44 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 45 LEADERS’ MOTIVES In working on significant organisational change, experienced consultants and leaders advise looking at the leadership. Robert “Leadership In examining motive for change, the attitude of leadership is critical, particularly for major change interventions. M OT I V E F O R M E N TO R I N G Quinn said: ‘When I discuss the leadership of organisational commitment to change with executives, I usually go to the place they least Leadership is at the centre of significant change. But The ex-pat Director of an international expect. The bottom line is that they cannot change the organisational leadership is not just about the CEO at the top. Leadership may be distributed throughout the organisation. The NGO in Kyrgyzstan asked if I could provide the leadership of their national NGO organisation unless they first change themselves.’ Leaders have change is in practice to be profoundly committed to organisational change because leadership in your consultancy might be the project leader or the head of evaluation. At whatever level, leadership partner with mentoring support. The it often affects them most personally. As Richard Daft put it, synonymous with programme had grown rapidly with USAID can drive or derail the process. When I first started out funding and now had more than 50 staff. ‘Leaders cannot simply decree new thinking, leaders first have their commitment as a consultant, I was often asked to help NGOs develop to change themselves’ (Daft and Lengel, 1998:52). And Larry strategic plans. I designed highly participatory processes He felt the leadership were under quite a lot of stress, adjusting to the heavy Bossidy, Jack Welch’s deputy at General Motors, wisely realised: ‘I to their own involving staff and wider stakeholders. But not much management demands coming from a can only change this company as quickly as I can change myself’ (MSR Newslettter, 2003:6). personal change.” seemed to change after the processes. The leaders tended rapid turnover of different projects. to ignore the ‘consensus’ decisions of staff. It seemed that CSO experience echoes this. Research on change with NGO I suggested an initial meeting with all many leaders tolerated, rather than drove, the strategic leaders in Africa concluded that ‘leadership commitment to five of the leaders (the Directors and planning. They acquiesced to the process just to keep the organisational change is in practice synonymous with their Department heads). They all seemed to funders happy. But they did not own it themselves. We agree that a series of individual mentoring commitment to their own personal change’ (James, 2003). can look to improve finances, staffing, systems, structure sessions might be helpful. and strategy but ultimately, unless leadership is genuinely SHARING AND MAINTAINING MOTIVE driving the change process, it ends up going nowhere – One of the younger mentees was The motive for change needs to be shared by more than one particularly in small or founder-led CSOs. particularly enthusiastic. He had recently taken on new responsibilities and was individual. The board of governance must be committed to any looking to learn from new challenges. significant or strategic change. It is often valuable in any major QUESTIONS TO He was committed to his own self- consultancy process to find out what the board thinks. There needs to be a critical mass of support from both board members INTERROGATE THE MOTIVE development. Our dialogue over the next and staff – particularly those who will have to implement the months really “gelled”. Where has this initiative come from? resulting change. A participatory process can often help develop But it did not work quite so well with the a general dissatisfaction with the status quo into a collective What were the triggers, prompts, or drivers? others. They found it difficult to make motive for change. People become more committed to change What is the attitude of the leadership and board? Are time for meetings with all their travel when they feel they have had the opportunity to contribute leaders taking responsibility or externalising blame? and meeting commitments. When we meaningfully to identifying the need for change as well as the Who is the process for? Why do they want it? did meet, they did not really want to talk about themselves or their own roles. They appropriate process for moving forward. In the next chapter, we Who is taking responsibility for the problem? go into more detail about how to do this. wanted quick technical solutions to their Where do they see the problem? immediate issues. They never really bought Who within the organisation is motivated to change? Who into this well-intended initiative that came needs to be motivated to change? from the ex-pat funder. For the mentoring What will happen if they do nothing? How intolerable is the to work, they had to have enough motive pain? to change themselves. What have they already tried? How much have they Charles Buxton invested in this? What are they prepared to invest in the future? Time? Money? What are they prepared to stop doing? Give up? What is the extent of change being contemplated? What is up for discussion? What are the sacred cows? Why have they approached you? 46 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 47 A QUESTION OF TIMING AND MATTER OF DEGREE EXAMINE YOUR OWN MOTIVES So much of change is about timing. I imagine this to be a As a consultant, I have also to examine my own motives. bit like surfing. Sometimes you can catch the wave just right HANGING IN THERE They are not always as pure as I would like. I always bring CHOOSING MY CLIENTS and you are in for a very fast, smooth, exhilarating ride. At self-interest into every situation. My motives are mixed. It other times, you get the timing wrong, and then you are I was hired to evaluate an economic may be that I need the contract financially. I might want the I find it difficult to take on work for empowerment programme for ethnic an organisation whose mission I likely either to paddle furiously to no effect or to be smashed organisation to change so that I feel I have made a difference, minority women in the Mekong region. cannot support. It is what they do painfully onto the beach. I remember an early experience that I look good, that my reputation as a consultant increases… I knew I had to build a positive working that secures my commitment, more with consultancy in Malawi when an NGO coordinating If I simply pretend this darker side does not exist, it may relationship with Mr X (the monitoring than how they do it, which is easier body asked me to help with strategic planning and address evaluation and learning manager of surface later in a dysfunctional way. Being more aware of my to change. The client does not need organisational issues. But when the time came to start the country office). But I got almost no mixed motives can help me manage them. to be ‘nice’, but its work needs to be looking at these internal issues, the director (who was response to my repeated emails before worthwhile – otherwise, why bother? Examining my own motives will also help me choose who to embroiled in financial mismanagement) stage-managed a my visit. When I arrived in country for It is also about my commitment to the work with (and who not). Clearly, some CSOs, such as the Klu pre-planned intervention from a drunken board member to an intensive ten days, Mr X informed actual field of work in which they are Klux Klan, contradict my values. Others may simply operate in ensure that there was no discussion of any internal issues me that he had not yet hired the engaged. I was recently working with ways that I believe to be counter-productive. They may have a whatsoever. He accused me of witch-hunting even before interpreters and qualitative researchers. a foundation to build the sustainability negative consequence on those they are serving. A consultant the session started. There was not the slightest leadership He blamed me. He was hostile, of NGOs engaged in pre-school is never neutral. They should be able to believe in the value commitment to change. The timing was not ripe for such an defensive and quite rude. education. I am deeply committed to of the organisation they are working with. Otherwise, they the cause. Although the consultancy intervention. Once we resolved the logistics, Mr X are wasting their time and talents. And if I do believe in the work was difficult and often It is rarely that extreme. But on another occasion, I was insisted on accompanying us to the organisation, how committed to it am I? Or is my motive for its unpopular, I remained committed until facilitating an event to resolve board–staff tensions. field for the data gathering. He lurked in change lukewarm or merely financially driven? eventually success rewarded effort. Communication was an obvious issue, but the board in the background, refusing to introduce particular was unwilling to explore some of the differences himself, preferring to constantly check John Beauclerk in values and attitudes that were the cause of the his mobile phone. He complained that the qualitative methodology would communication breakdown. It would have required them to prove a waste of time. Fortunately, he confront themselves and each other at a deep level. In the had to go back to the head office to end, they kept it to safe, superficial statements of intent to deal with some more important issues. communicate more, leaving the underlying issue unchanged. The experienced research team worked A motive for change is not fixed. Just because it was there hard and gathered some insightful and at the outset does not mean that it will remain. It can easily significant findings. When we returned be lost, especially when things get personal and painful. Just to the head office, we debriefed with because it was fairly weak at the beginning does not mean the senior management team who were really impressed by the findings. it cannot become strong. Initially the client may only be Even Mr X’s attitude changed. He asked interested in minor, instrumental change, but in time, their me back to help with a project design motive may develop towards wanting change that is more process as he ‘had greatly appreciated substantial. The motive is never perfect, but it does have to my working and writing style’! be good enough. Consultants will encounter hostility at This motive for change needs to be nurtured, maintained times, even from the client contact. and even strengthened during a consultancy process. I have learnt you just have to ‘hang The methods we use as consultants and the way we work in there’ and maintain a sense of throughout the process have to reinforce the organisation’s professional self-belief. It helps to build ownership of the need for and willingness to change. relationships with other, more helpful people who can enable you to still deliver work of a sufficient quality to overcome suspicion and resistance. Sarah Gillingham 48 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 49 EARNING TRUST Building relationships is vital at this early stage. Not only does it develop trust, openness and creativity, but it also models Building trust with the client is a vital factor from the start. the ultimate changes we want to see in communities and It takes a lot of trust to allow a consultant from outside to TELL US ABOUT society. Creating and nurturing relationships are undoubtedly see the ‘dirty washing’. People only feel safe if they trust the a key purpose of the CSO itself. Peter Senge, the guru of YO U R S E L F organisational learning, asserts that in organisational change consultant. Earlier this year I was meeting the ‘there is nothing, nothing, nothing as important as the quality Trust cannot be demanded – only earned. Outside consultants chief executive of a large children’s of relationships’ (Senge quoted by Lichtenstein, 1997:398) have to earn people’s trust and become credible in their eyes. charity. I began to ask about the They do this by showing they are: First impressions are vital. A lot depends on how we start. We issues they were facing and the OD task they wanted me to do. The chief will often be asking questions to clarify the terms of reference Client-centred – understanding where they are at and and identify issues for further investigation. In doing so we executive stopped me. He said: ‘No, showing they clearly have the client’s best interests at heart need to convey that we know what we are talking about, with before we get on to all that, first, tell (corresponds with ‘commitment’) some authority, but not arrogance. It helps if we have good us about yourself. Tell me about what Competent – having credibility that they can do the job well. matters to you in your work. Tell me writing skills: This means demonstrating that they have a track record of about your life journey. Then we’ll Conveying key points in a concise and clear way working with satisfied clients in this field. It helps if they can see whether we can work together.’ I show that they have ‘been there before’. was initially taken aback and then, as Demonstrating that we have an understanding of what the I thought about it, deeply impressed. CSO does and how it works Integrity – to keep their word and live up to demanding values (corresponds with ‘character’) He knew the most important question With good grammar and spelling was: ‘Do I trust this person to care for Replying promptly to any emails from the client A key element at the first stage of change is for the consultant my organisation?’ to build trust among the staff. They are often suspicious. When meeting the client face to face: They may have many fears about what will happen and what will come out. In most consultancies, staff have a number of Dress appropriately. questions, which they are unlikely to vocalise. To build trust, a Make sure we do background research beforehand so we consultant can allay people’s fears by answering the unasked can confidently ask good questions and not ask about things questions: easily available on the web. Give them plenty of time to explain their issues or needs. SOME TYPICAL QUESTIONS Do not be afraid to ask for clarification on any areas we do ‘UNASKED’ OF A CONSULTANT not understand. Try to discern what is ‘between the lines’ of the request. What is the hidden agenda here? Be ready to explain our own expertise in the area and be Who sent this person? willing to offer initial insights on how we see this consultancy Why? Do I want this? moving forward. How will this affect my job? Following the meeting, if appropriate, send an email How will this affect our funding? summarising the key points of discussion and tentative suggestions for the next steps. Will I get fired? Trust in the consultant is crucial throughout the change Is there anything in it for me? process. It will be vital during the data gathering when the Whose side are they on? consultant is trying to discern the culture of the organisation. What power do they bring? This is not immediately obvious and may require people to Do I like them? reveal ‘secrets’ to us. People are much more likely to say what How competent are they? is really going on when they trust us. Trust may be even more Will they listen? Have they already decided what they think? critical later in the change process when frustration with the past and fear about the future come to the fore. In situations Can I trust them? of change and uncertainty, trust in the one who is facilitating What will I have to admit? such change is fundamental. Will they keep secrets? What will others tell them about me? 50 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 51 CONTRACTING CAREFULLY What question would you most like this consultancy to answer? what are the expected Contracting is the culmination of this first ‘Engaging the client’ Why is this work required? What are the desired outcomes outcomes? stage of a change-oriented consultancy. Phillips and Shaw say of this consultancy? that Are the outcomes realistic and achievable within the ‘probably all consultants would agree that problems arising in later timeframe? stages of an assignment can be traced back to poor initial contracting Why does it need a consultant and not a member of staff? or failure to renegotiate the contract as circumstances change’ (1984:52). Who will be responsible for overseeing this consultancy and ensuring follow-up? The purpose of contracting is to make explicit the expectations How will this organisation support and sustain these of both parties so that the process can meet these outcomes? expectations and ensure ownership of the process. Both clients and consultants are sometimes impatient to get on with the What further support might be needed to embed change? SETTING CLEAR task and skip through the contracting too quickly. Would it be worth me coming back in 12 months’ time to see how things have developed? GOALS AND Developing a terms of reference for good contracting involves: B O U N DA R I E S Taking such care at the beginning may not always be Clarifying the task appreciated. INTRAC was discussing some capacity building Last year a Norwegian NGO Clarifying responsibilities work across Africa with a Canadian research organisation. They asked me to evaluate a change Clarifying deliverables wanted to change partner attitudes and behaviour by means process with one of its partners of what we saw as a superficial single workshop process. We in Africa. The Norwegian NGO Clarifying confidentiality initially wanted this review to had numerous probing discussions with them, but in the end, Contracting may not be completely finished at this initial stage. they became fed up and decided to go ahead with a consultant provide accountability to their As we start gathering data, we will find out a lot more about who would just do what they asked without challenging them. government and pave the way the real needs and what it is possible to address. It may be for the next funding application. While we lost the contract, it probably saved us from getting that as circumstances change the client wants us to do more However, because I knew many involved in something that would not have worked and would or do things differently. It may be important to re-negotiate of the different stakeholders very have left everyone frustrated. the contract as needs change or new information becomes well, I felt I was not in a position known. The signed contract is not set in stone. According to Once we have negotiated a feasible task among stakeholders, to judge dispassionately the cost- the UK NGO Umbrella body, BOND, the contract and terms of it is also important to set up a process for checking in and effectiveness of the work to date. reviewing through the process. We can find out: ‘Are we on There would be too much conflict reference should probably change to get the best out of any the right track?’ ‘Is this going how you thought it would?’ of interest. consultancy (2004). ‘Should we be considering another way?’ This could involve Instead of an accountability CLARIFY THE TASK setting up a reference or steering group which not only gives exercise, I offered a high-level input and feedback but also increases the likelihood that some learning review, articulating and At face value, most consultancies appear to have a relatively key people are engaged and taking learnings on board as they highlighting different stakeholder clear task in the terms of reference. But usually there are perspectives, encouraging proceed. unwritten expectations ‘between the lines’. Frequently the self-reflection and creating the clients are not sure themselves what they want. It may be space for constructive, honest that different people in the CSO have different views of what CLARIFY RESPONSIBILITIES conversations about the past and success would look like. Furthermore, external stakeholders, Once the task is clear, it will be easier to identity different the future. such as funders, may have different views again. roles and responsibilities. The terms of reference should point out who is responsible for what. This should include aspects It is vital to try to articulate these diverse expectations during such as who takes responsibility for any travel, logistical and the contracting process. It may be essential to help the client administrative support. It should also identify a named contact work out what they really need, rather than what they think person or better still a reference group in the CSO as well as they need. Sometimes clients just want the latest tool: the the names of any allocated support staff. Dataviz Design Process, Evaluation Café, the triple feedback loop. So consultants often have to help CSOs work out what they are really trying to achieve through this intervention. It often involves thoughtful questioning. It may be worth asking the following: Looking back on this consultancy in 12 months’ time, what would make you say it had been successful and worth the investment? 52 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 53 CLARIFY DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES AND BUDGETS PLANNING Any terms of reference should also clarify: THE PROCESS Any deliverables, such as reports, presentations or WA L K I N G AWAY Any consultancy needs to careful planning. The methods workshops, together with accompanying deadlines selected for data gathering and feedback in particular need FINDING FROM THE IMPOSSIBLE to be ‘fit for purpose’. Different objectives require different The amount of time needed to achieve the assignment, We were building a network of local consultancy methodologies. THE BIG HITTERS including travel time and preparation time. This needs to NGOs in Uzbekistan working on women From the start we knew that unless we be realistic and achievable. A key question in planning is who to involve. and children services with funding from engaged with the ‘big hitters’, beyond The fees and expenses of the consultant. In CSOs this a major UN agency. Our partners had the core client team, nothing would Stakeholder analysis is a useful tool for deciding who to involve usually could be a daily rate (up to a maximum) or is brought more than 50 people from NGOs, change. So we thought carefully about and when. It can help identify who has power to drive or block sometimes a fixed total price. It should detail the sorts of the UN and government to attend the key moments in the review and change change. Detail can help. For example, some board members expenses permitted. It may also include any scheduling inception meeting in Tashkent. There was planning process when we had to get are central to any decision-making, while others are more of payments (such as an up-front instalment to cover huge interest from the NGOs, many of them involved. I worked closely with the passive. A consultant should ask about this at the initial stage expenses and initial work). whom we had worked with a decade ago internal lead person who had the political of discussing the assignment with the client. How the consultant and client will review progress and were still active. awareness necessary to identify the key But everything suddenly changed when There are many variants on a simple stakeholder analysis. In people and the key moments. How and when the consultancy will be signed off as the Head of the UN mission used the its most basic form, it involves identifying all those groups We knew we had to get key influencers satisfactory meeting to launch an attack on the who have a stake or an interest in the work and analysing the on board at the outset, so we invited Ownership of any materials produced during the extent of that influence. In some exercises, stakeholders are country’s human rights record. The them to a ‘launch’ workshop. We used consultancy represented as circles of different sizes (illustrating power to Government representatives responded in a participatory force-field exercise to kind, accusing the UN official not knowing influence the NGO) and placed closer or further away from the surface initial issues for attention during CLARIFY CONFIDENTIALITY what they were talking about. The NGO (illustrating the extent of or frequency of contact). the review. They became actively involved. Most consultancies provide access to potentially sensitive tenuous relationship between the UN and Others use a matrix, classifying stakeholders on the influence We also decided that it would be essential information. At the contracting stage, it is important government disintegrated. that they have on the organisation along one axis and the to get these key influencers into the same to articulate any boundaries. It might be internal Our intended consultancy got stuck. The influence that the organisation has on them. The matrix then room again, for a two-day workshop to confidentiality – such as ensuring anonymity in feedback context was already highly restricted reveals how important they are to involve in the process. check in on progress and discuss emerging or not sharing information between different levels of with government permissions needed for issues and ways forward. We had to book staff. Consultants may hear things in the CEO’s office in five spending and travel. We were no longer those dates months in advance, in order minutes that the person whose desk is just outside has not THE NGO’S ABILITY TO INFLUENCE ITS STAKEHOLDERS allowed to undertake any of the vital field to ensure their availability. This did mean heard in ten years of working there. We have to be very visits outside of the capital city. we had little leeway in the schedule, but careful how we treat such information. A consultant also meant we kept to task. The findings of the Reluctantly we decided we had to go back ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL has to be very careful not to divulge private information HIGH review continue to influence the client to the UN and call a halt to our contract. TO INVOLVE TO INVOLVE TO INVOLVE externally to other CSOs or funders. The CSO sector is a some years later. We were bitterly disappointed, especially small world and if consultants are not careful with what as things had started so well. Yet we Brenda Lipson they say about past clients, their own reputation as a realised that as the programme was going trustworthy consultant may suffer. DESIRABLE DESIRABLE ESSENTIAL nowhere, it was better to stop and not MEDIUM waste valuable money and time. It left the TO INVOLVE TO INVOLVE TO INVOLVE space for our partners to redesign their programme in a different way. Charles Buxton INVOLVE DESIRABLE ESSENTIAL LOW IF POSSIBLE TO INVOLVE TO INVOLVE LOW MEDIUM HIGH STAKEHOLDER’S POWER TO INFLUENCE THE NGO 54 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 55 KEY LESSONS CONSULTANT It is essential at the outset to find out who is the real client. It is usually more complex than simply the person who contacted us. CHECKLIST OF QUESTIONS There may be other people inside the organisation, as well as outside, who are pushing for this work. Who is the real client here? Once we are clear whom this work is really for, it is vital to examine carefully the motives for change of the different Who knows? stakeholders. Who really wants change? Why? How much? It is very important to find out the leadership’s attitude to our Who cares? consultancy (leadership is much broader than simply the director; it may refer to departmental leadership or even the attitude Who can? of the board). Staff also will need to develop ownership of the need for change, as well as the proposed solutions, if they are to Who am I contracting with? implement any change further down the line. Finally, it is worth recognising our own motives for doing the consultancy are more What change does the leadership want to see? How much do they want it? Where is the pain? than simple altruism. By identifying and acknowledging our own How urgent is it? Is the timing right? self-interest, we are in a better position to avoid our self-interest manipulating the assignment to suit what works for us. What about the staff? Are they convinced of the need for change? A third element is to recognise that the client has to trust us if we are to work effectively. We earn trust gradually. It helps to think What are they worried about? about the unasked questions that people have of us. It is also vital to make sure that the first impressions we make emphasise our How open are the key individuals to their own personal change? competence and trustworthiness. What have they tried before? How will this influence my work? Before starting, it is also essential to clarify the expectations of the consultancy – both in terms of the outputs as well as the Will there be sufficient resourcing of the change? processes. A good consultant will read between the lines of any terms of reference and will ensure that they both have the same Why do I want to get involved here? What are my mixed motives? understandings of the key task. A written contract will help clarify responsibilities of both parties, including confidentiality, as well Do I believe in the organisation and its work? as deliverables and deadlines. We may well need to renegotiate this contract as circumstances change or demands increase. How clear is the task? Is this what is really needed? What are my key deliverables? What are the deadlines? Have I built in appropriate follow-through to accompany the change? Is it worth suggesting that I come back in 12 months’ time to see what has changed? 56 Consulting for Change: Strengthening Civil Society 57