Week 5 Discussion

Establishing a Collaborative Relationship

The goal of any consultant is to understand the problem, �nd solutions, and get results. Each of these three steps is highly important for the success of the professional consultant. But not everyone needs to be a professional consultant to be a consultant. Even though we do not use the term “HR consultant,” an HR representative is a consultant because he or she works to understand problems, �nd solutions, and get results.

HR professionals are equipped with a speci�c knowledge needed by organizations to help manage people. We do not discount this knowledge or its application, but we want you to be aware that while solving problems you are also building relationships with people whom you are working with. The relationships you build with others is based on the knowledge and trust gained through interactions but also the feelings each person has about the other and about the cognitive process.

HR professionals and employees each have speci�c, individual goals. Often, these goals relate speci�cally to the organization’s strategy. Other times, goals are more personal and may or may not be achievable. Either way, there must be a clear understanding of each other’s goals. The best way to approach this is to establish a collaborative relationship early in the association.

Building and Sustaining Effective Collaborations

Establishing a collaborative relationship provides better leverage with maximizing resources. This applies to both the HR professional and the employee. It also helps to establish roles for responsibility for short-term and long-term goals and strategies. Also, since the HR professional is a role model for solving problems, their behaviors are role models for employees to follow. Actions speak louder than words and the HR professional needs to understand their actions are being watched. If an employee has an issue with arriving to work late, it would be counter-productive for HR professional to arrive late to work.

Additional Materials

From your course textbook Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, read the following chapters:

Techniques Are Not Enough

Teacher as Consultant