I’m In Charge Here, Why Should I Use a Consultant?
From Search to Visioning to Design of Ministries, a rector, vestry, or committee might ask the question: Why can’t we do this task ourselves? A careful assessment of the complexity of the task and the degree to which the continuing support of the people affected is required for success may indicate the need for outside assistance. Facilitation by a consultant can be useful whenever a group is brought together to create or manage change of any magnitude, especially where there exists the potential for conflict over direction, priorities, roles or resources. A trained consultant can be especially helpful in the following areas:
Objectivity
An independent consultant is not emotionally involved in the issues or outcomes, and brings no agenda to the process. Because of this neutral perspective, the independent consultant is not in danger of being perceived as having an agenda or favoring an outcome where an internal leader might be perceived as biased.
An internal group leader might find it hard to both facilitate the group and express his or her points of view, while the group may find it difficult to be fully open with a participating internal leader who also facilitates. The independent nature of a consultant mitigates the potentially awkward dynamics where one member of the group (the internal leader) has a more powerful and, therefore, unequal role. The independent consultant can also, by making all voices heard equally, prevent the perception of “railroading” the minority.
The objective nature of the role allows the consultant to prevent the group from jumping to conclusions and rushing to judgment before all aspects of an issue have been explored.
Finally, the neutral posture of the independent consultant aids in identifying, acknowledging, and dealing with conflict in the group. The consulting facilitator builds a trust environment in which the group can communicate freely and can help the group manage conflict in a productive way to build better solutions.
Focus
The independent consultant is not likely to be sidetracked by emotions around issues and can consequently keep the group on task. As mentioned earlier, by making all voices heard equally, the consultant can balance the discussion and bring the group back to the focal point when necessary.
An important role of the consultant is to enable the full participation by the entire group by keeping the time, documenting the work, and drawing out input from all the participants - tasks that some participants would otherwise be distracted by.
Trained Facilitator
An independent professional is trained to perform a number of important tasks to enable the group to perform effectively, including:
· elicit input from entire group
· aid group members view other perspectives
· be alert to key signals
· stay on task and on time
· provide documentation of group work
Experience and resources
Some of the other valuable attributes of the professional consultant are a wealth of experience and a network of resources and contacts that may exceed internal resources. A consultant’s experience in similar tasks can aid the group in considering all aspects of the group’s focus and, importantly, can help prevent the group from “reinventing the wheel” which enables a more productive focus of work.
In summary, if your task is unfamiliar or complex and success is dependent on most everyone pulling in the same direction, explore the use of an independent consulting facilitator to maximize your organization’s chances of success. Most consultants will hold an initial meeting at no or nominal cost. Check with your Diocesan office for consultant referrals.
For more information, contact:
Michael C. Smith, Vision/Transition Consultant
