Week 1 Discussion

South University

file:///C|/Users/CWATKIM/Desktop/Role%20of%20the%20Consultant.html[8/19/2020 9:10:31 PM]

Role of the Consultant Working with people and working with teams are the basic functions in business today. There is increasing demand for people to work in teams, and this applies not only to HR personnel but to almost every department in almost every significant organization. Personal and interpersonal skills are critical for people to learn and develop for career advancement and success. The link between human relationships and a consultant is strong because successful consultants learn to manage relationships. Successful consultants learn to leverage structure, strategy, and, of course, technology—which today we rely heavily upon—to achieve specific goals.

Whenever you give directions or provide instructions to people but have no direct power over people, you are acting as a consultant. The HR department is a great example of a group of people who work closely with others within their organization but have no direct management control over people whom they support on a daily basis.

An HR professional provides support to people and departments by providing information, recommendations, planning, training, and assistance and thus fulfills the role of a consultant. Employees, managers, and departments often rely on the HR department for support, thus fulfilling their role as clients to the HR consultant. Using interpersonal skills, the HR agents seek to influence clients through indirect control, meaning that they can influence others through their role as consultant but do not direct others since they lack direct control that a manager or supervisor has.

Since HR personnel lack direct control, they must learn to use influence by acting as a consultant and not as a manager. The consultant must be careful not to cross over the line by giving orders, directives, or commands. At the same time, the consultant seeks to influence others with the goal of making positive change.

Consultant vs. Manager

Consultant Manager

Aligns with a firm’s policies and procedures Gives orders, directives, or commands

Influences through collaboration Influences through power and/or authority

Provides information to support Provides information to achieve objectives

Has no power and/or control over people Has direct power and/or control over people

Gives advice Gives directives/orders

South University

file:///C|/Users/CWATKIM/Desktop/Role%20of%20the%20Consultant.html[8/19/2020 9:10:31 PM]

Has no authority or responsibility for objectives Has full authority and/or responsibility to meet objectives

Additional Materials

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

A Consultant by Any Other Name . . .

From the South University Online Library, read the following articles:

Resourceful Consulting: Working with Your Presence and Identity in Consulting to Change

Designing Organizational Structures: Key Thoughts for Development

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