An outgoing, well-spoken consultant should also write well.
A consultant who can recommend organizational changes to improve productivity and profitability is worth his fee. Selecting a consultant for organizational structure analysis should be done with long-term improvements in mind. Get to know the personality, passion and knowledge of the consultant in addition to how he expresses his concern for the client.
Instructions
1. Determine whether the consultant has good listening skills.
Review the current organizational structure with the existing management team. Identify which processes work and then identify where communication appears to break down when pursuing company goals. Ask each member of the team to write down the areas where they would like a consultant to examine the structure; then ask team members to list questions they would like presented in an interview, such as "how has the consultant improved communication and productivity" and similar issues.
2. Contact prospective organizational consultants through human resource departments of similarly sized companies, groups such as the Society for Human Resource Management and the Association of Management Consulting Firms and referrals from reputable local business groups such as the chamber of commerce.
3. Interview each prospective consultant by first laying out concerns from the company's perspective. Ask him if he has worked with companies in the same industry or companies facing the same challenges.Then ask why he is a consultant. Listen for the passion and the facts the consultant expresses in each statement.
4. Ask the consultant to describe in detail how she helps organizations define challenges. Invite her to talk about how she would make recommendations on changing corporate culture or leaving it primarily intact. Ask how she plans to arrive at "recommendations that not only solve the [company] problem but also are right for the organization," as stated by Bob Nelson and Peter Economy in "Consulting for Dummies."
5. Personal and professional experiences shape consultants.
Listen to how the consultant talks about personal experiences and relates them to the workplace and how skills were gained. Evaluate if the answers relate to the challenges the company is having. Have the consultant meet key members of the management team so they are familiar with the personality; call a separate meeting later to ask if there was rapport and why or why not.
6. Ask if the consultant offers a package for initial consultations and follow-up seminars. Have him clearly explain how staff meetings are structured and how many employees should be involved.
7. Note which proposals arrive in a timely manner. Evaluate if the proposal is written in language that is professional and understandable. Consider the price and the value proposed; understand if the consultants who charge more also offer value-added services such as business networking opportunities or other benefits not necessarily included in the basic pricing.
