Over the years I have trained thousands of people in Flawless Consulting Workshops. Most of them did not see themselves as consultants yet had questions about how to relate to the people they served inside the organization.
Now, if you’re not sure you are an internal consultant? Follow this link to a previous article.
Here are the seven most frequently asked questions that I am asked in Flawless ConsultingWorkshops about becoming an internal consultant with impact and influence.
1. How do I move from a transactional (doing everything) role and into a partnership (strategic) role?
2. What are the right questions to ask clients to get results?
3. How do I get clients to be clear about their expectations?
4. How do I deal with difficult clients, handle push-back and resistance?
5. How do I get my recommendations accepted and used by my clients?
6. How do I show my value, credibility, expertise to my client?
7. How do I get my clients to take accountability?
After you think about these questions, I have two questions for you…
1. What is your top question about being an internal consultant?
2. What are you doing to build your internal consulting skills?
I’d love to hear your questions. Drop me a note. Let me know how it’s going. Looking forward to hearing from you. Over the next few blogs, I’ll work to answer some of these or other questions I get from you.
It’s a question I hear early in my Flawless Consulting Skills workshops. Flawless can sound arrogant and impossible. But let me offer a short explanation of Flawless. There are four basic principles to being Flawless that are simple and practical…
Being authentic with others
Acting with compassion
Completing the business of each phase
Modeling it—living it out
Flawless does not mean that you’ll always get your way or never have a difficult client. Flawless builds trusting relationships, working together as partners for the organization.
Flawless is not a destination; it’s a journey of learning.
Having used these principles and skills for over 30 years, I am still learning what it means to be Flawless®.
Here is a simple description I use when asked, “How do you explain to your client what you do?”
I start by discussing how we each Feel about working together. Then, I Listen to understand what the client is up against or trying to do. I Acknowledge what I’ve heard and ask questions for clarity and understanding. We agree on what we Want from each other to make our work successful. Next, I ask others for their views of the situation and Listen to discover the underlying issues. After that, I organize my thoughts and Explain to the client, without judgment, what I see happening and its impact, allowing us to make progress towards a decision. Throughout the process, I raise tough issues and Support the client’s doubts and concerns while telling them personally about the Strengths and contributions they have made in our work together.
I keep the words simple and descriptive, No jargon. This simplicity is how I emulate authenticity with my clients.
In Flawless Consulting workshops, you’ll learn the skills to begin your own personal journey toward being Flawless. I wish you fair winds and following seas.