Ethical Consulting

It is not often these days that I see red when hearing about something in the coaching industry. Because at the end of the day, I have been doing this for too long to be surprised anymore, right? WRONG! In the past two weeks several situations have come to my attention and I felt like it was time to write about it. One of the things I practice with the Agility for All team is ethical consulting. I have written blogs about when to walk away from consulting agreements and how we do business as a company. There is a reason I chose to set up the business this way.

The lack of ethics with more than a few coaches is appalling.

So what has made me so frosty today that prompted writing this blog? One of our consultants was approached by a coach with a promise of coaching them to success in their career to the tune of $6000 for 12-18 hours of coaching. This was guaranteed to set him on the right path to maximizing his career opportunities. Except there was no discussion of how this would happen and what the guarantee would be or the recourse if the strategy didn’t work. This is someone in the early stages of their career and $6000 USD would be a ridiculous amount for what was offered for someone in the later stages of their career much less someone recently entering the workforce.

Shiny baubles do not yield results. Work does.

Then I had a conversation with a former colleague about a pitch that a major consulting firm had made to their company. Now this didn’t surprise me, because I have been on the receiving end of such pitches from this same organization, but in 2021 after the economic downturn of 2020 I guess I expected more. Why? I am not sure. This company presented their glossy PowerPoints and promises of grandiose transformations for hundreds of thousands of dollars. During the presentation, my colleague asked questions about services they knew they would need that didn’t seem to be explicitly covered in the gold-plated pitch. The answer to every inquiry was either that it was an add-on service that they would be happy to help them source or they would get back to them and present an addendum of additional services (at a cost of course). They were also asked what guarantee they were offering that this approach would work in the two year period specified, and what the return was if it did not. The pitch team went on to explain that their methods worked and they only failed if the organization did not fully commit and pull their weight. Unfortunately this organization is likely to go with one of these big organizations, because that is what they have always done despite failed return on investment after failed return. Sadly, people are more enamored with what sounds like the golden chariot complete with keys to the kingdom than the reality of what a transformation requires.

However, I am happy to note that I am surrounded by a plethora of consultants who do not operate this way. And I am proud to work with coaches who look at their job as one of fostering change, not selling snake oil. Sadly though, oftentimes the more ethical approaches are overlooked because they appeal to the human side of transformation not the promises of the holy grail. Or discounted because they are small businesses so therefore can’t be a serious business. My hope is that 2020 has shown us that things can and should be different. So what should you look for in a coach or a consultant?

Some months ago we put together a video about what makes a good coach. But beyond what we think makes a good coach, it is what you need, not what we want or think. When signing up with a coach, ask them a few questions and see if their answers sit well with you, but first make sure you know the difference between a coach and a consultant and which you need.

What is the difference? Coach or Consultant?

A coach is there to help you get unstuck, reach maximum potential, navigate pitfalls, and overcome issues you may have. They are not there to push an agenda or a particular method.

A consultant is there to help you properly identify the problems you are trying to solve within your organization, brainstorm solutions, and develop strategies.

Here is an analogy that we found on a blog by PassionforBusiness.com that we liked that illustrates the difference between a business coach and a consultant:

• A coach will help you understand how and why you ride a bicycle, help you to determine what's holding you back from riding properly, and jog along next to you as YOU ride.

• A consultant will explain why one bike is superior to another, teach you how to ride the bike, and if necessary, ride the bike for you.

For us, consulting is about applying the right solutions at the right time through a roadmap that promotes layered participation and transparency. It is not tying people into multi-year contracts with a multitude of expensive staff doing the work for you instead of teaching you how to do it yourself. The goal of agility is to create self-sustaining cultures. When you are selecting a consultant we recommend you ban PowerPoint presentations or limit their exposure and instead have a conversation. You need to feel that the potential consultants are hearing you and can provide the services you need.

Whether it is a coach or consultant, as an individual or team that will be working with the person or organization, ask yourself some questions after the initial meeting.

• Is it a good fit? (and this does not mean will they just do what you say)

• Do you feel positive or energized after the conversation?

• Is there a sense of trust? Are you willing to be vulnerable and transparent with this person or group?

• Did they give you insights or inspire a-ha moments?

• What is their strategy for accountability?

• Do you feel they will challenge you?

• Will they be available to work with you on your schedule and do you know with whom you will be working?

• Did you have an understanding of their work style?

• Was the fee structure clear?

And last but not least, for consulting, do you have a clear understanding of how they will do discovery, propose change, and guide you through transformation? Hint: If they are selling you a full-time commitment for years at a time right out of the starting gate, think again. We highly recommend working together for a brief period of time during a discovery phase to ensure you are aligned with approach and goals before committing to a full program of services.

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Do you have challenges you want to solve this year? Would you like an outside, neutral party to help move your agenda forward? Take a look at how we work and then schedule a consultation with our CEO to find out how we can help.

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About the Author:

INDRA A. BOOKS

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