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Consultation

Consultation. A helping process emerging from a personal relationship established between a person or persons, who are trying to solve a problem, improve performance or develop a plan (the client) an another person or persons, who are trying to help in these efforts (the consultant).

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Consultation

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  1. Consultation A helping process emerging from a personal relationship established between a person or persons, who are trying to solve a problem, improve performance or develop a plan (the client) an another person or persons, who are trying to help in these efforts (the consultant).

  2. Consultant Dilemmas

  3. Authority Factor The consultant always enters a consulting relationship as a person with authority. This authority may be derived from: His/her position in the organization, His/her prior relationship with the organization or a person in the organization, Or From his/her possession of specialized knowledge and skills. The emergence of this added authority and power in the midst of a delicately balanced and intricate system of human relationships can cause suspicion, uncertainty, resentment, and conflict.

  4. Intrusion of an Outsider The consultant is, by definition, an outsider. Insiders may well feel that he/she does not understand their specific problem or circumstances and its unique implications

  5. Threat of an Expert The help which a consultant in a specialized field can render is limited by the very fact of his/her expertise. The consultant's presence implies that the resources and competencies required to solve the problem at hand are not available among members of the client group.

  6. Role Conflict The roles and attendant responsibilities of both consultant and client, when unclear and undefined, may produce differing expectations. Each may be unable to predict what the other will do. Frustration and wasted energy can result.

  7. Resistance The consultant can expect either inertia or active resistance from the client whenever a change in the status quo is contemplated. This may be due to uncertainty of the unknown, threat to the client’s position. or fear of failure.

  8. Dependency Some clients may want the consultant to tell them what to do rather than to think through the problem themselves. The consultant may recognize very early what needs to be done and instead of being patient and encouraging the client, the consultant may do what needs to be done. On one hand, this may create a gap in the awareness of the client of what needs to be done and on the other, lead to the client’s expectation that the consultant will continue to do things for him/her.

  9. Compulsive Action The consultant may feel the need to demonstrate his/her value. The client may feel the need to arrive at a quick solution. Both may forget that quick results can jeopardize long‑range goals.

  10. Client Insecurity The client may find it difficult to ask for help. S/he may be threatened by the suggestion that help is needed. S/he may be unaware of his/her own reluctance to admit his/her own part in the problem. Be looking for assurance and sympathy more than for help in seeing the problem clearly and realistically; Be resentful of the help offered or the helper.

  11. Consultant Objectivity The consultant, especially under the pressure of dependency or resistance, needs to be aware of and sensitive to, the possibilities of exploiting the consultative relationship in order to meet his/her own needs, be they for success, reward, approval, friendship, or other things.

  12. In the context of working as a UN Consultant or Advisor one should be aware of two terms linked to objectivity. NEUTRALITY In the context of the political situation in a country, the consultant may be exposed to and even drawn into political discussions. Efforts may be made by clients to convince the consultant that one or another side of the political spectrum in the country is “right” or correct. IMPARTIALITY The client may have a particular bias for or against a segment of society. For example, this bias may be directed against women (or men), people with a different religious belief systems or of certain ethnic backgrounds.

  13. Client Motivation The consultant needs to be aware of the range of possible client motivations. The need to justify a preferred solution or course of action. The need to be responsible for final action The need for expressing dissatisfaction by a legitimate means.

  14. Disengagement One of the consultant's objectives must be to work him/herself out of a job. Both the consultant and the client may resist terminating the relationship. The client may find security in leaning on the consultant. The consultant may enjoy being needed.

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