If you’ve come to the Learning Center for assistance, you may be grappling with a difficult and perhaps long-term situation. You may not know where to begin and if you’ve thought through multiple solutions, there may not seem to be any "good" one. That’s why you’re looking for advice and assistance.

The good news is that an external consultant can provide you with expertise, assistance and wisdom to help you deal with the problem. They can provide counsel and objectivity for dealing with tough issues.

The bad news is that an external consultant cannot work miracles. They cannot solve your problems for you -- only you can do that. Resolving long-term, systemic problems often requires firm action and tough-mindedness.

Obviously, this requires a trusting relationship between you and the consultant you select, so getting the right consultant on board is critical to success.

Thinking through your needs

In the long run, it pays to take the time defining the outcomes you want by becoming clear on what you want done, how you perceive the issue at hand, and what you would like the consultant to do. Before contacting a consultant make sure that you can answer the following questions:

Do you have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish?

A consulting assignment without specific, measurable targets usually results in disappointment. Clarify in your own mind what you want to accomplish along with the reasons why it is important.

How should the organization be different after the consultant leaves?

If nothing major will change, your problem is an irritation, not something that requires an outside consultant.

What role do you want the consultant to play? Are you looking for direct intervention or advice?

Do you want the consultant to advise you? Design solutions? Implement them?

What is it worth to you and your organization to solve this problem?

By determining the financial and psychological costs of this problem to your organization, you will be able to better determine if the cost of a consultant is worth the benefit.

What's your time frame?

No matter how well-qualified the consultant and no matter how perfect a match, do not go forward if they are not available to do the work within your time frames.