Consultation is a form of support for organizations. With consultation we support a board, manager or team of an organization to become more aware of what is hindering or blocking them from functioning on a more desired, satisfying or functional level. We do this by exploring the present structure, culture and functioning in relation to the vision and goals of the organization in relation to the environment.
In our 40 years of working as a consultant in many different kind of organizations both in the public sector as in the corporate sector we have seen many examples of how fixed ways of thinking and performing actually hinder the optimal functioning of a team or organization.
We have seen how beautiful creative innovative initiatives did not work out well because of old structures and old fixed communication patterns that did not support the new way of thinking and working.
In some situations we have seen how conflicts or even traumatic events had been neglected or even denied in the past and how, in the end they resulted in a total dysfunctioning of individuals and teams. To open up the old conflicts or even wounds and explore what is still possible and needed to restore the situation is not easy and asks for a gentle and compassionate approach, but can result in a better and healthier functioning of the team and organization.
Good to great is the tittle of a book *) and has also many times being the underlying wish to approach us for consultation. In such cases the management of an organization is actual satisfied with how the organization is functioning, but sees a potential for new steps in the development or even an opportunity for a transformation of the organization. Consultation can help to explore and become more aware of these potentials of individuals and teams and create conditions to facilitate the new step or transformation.
*) Collins, J., 2001, Good to great, Why Some Companies Make The Leap… And Others Don’T, HarperCollins Publishers Inc, UK