Question: Our Board would like to engage a consultant to do a review of our performance and to help with strategic planning. How do we know the difference between a good consultant and one who advises others in areas that he can't do himself?
Answer: The primary role of a consultant is to enable you to get where you want to go. It is not to tell you where that should be.
Whether the consultant is enabling your board to assess its performance or to look to the future with strategic planning, there are two questions you might ask to determine whether a prospective consultant is the right choice.
"What model of governance do you use?" is the first question I would ask. The most important role of a consultant is to provide the conceptual framework or skeleton on which to build the governance structure and processes. It is usually the conceptual framework that is lacking within a board. If the consultant can't provide that, it may still be lacking. The result is time spent with a consultant, an invoice to pay and nothing lasting to show for the time and money.
It's the skeleton that is often missing, not the organizational values, vision, mission and priorities. But without the skeleton that the consultant should be able to provide the end product may not have the strength of stature that the organization needs to succeed in its mission. If the consultant can't name the model he or she uses, continue your search.
"What tools do you use to evaluate board performance and assist with a strategic plan?" is the second question I would ask.
At the end of the day, the board must have a coherent strategic plan that the members themselves have created on the basis of their understanding of the stakeholders needs. It is this information that forms the muscle and all the soft tissue that give the organization character.
It is the process of placing the values, vision, mission, sense of priorities, indicators of results, measurements and strategic goals that builds the body of the organization and creates an entity that is ready to strive to achieve the vision. The process of strategic planning can be comprehensive or abbreviated, depending on the time, resources available and also the experience level of the board members. The consultant worthy of your time and money should be able to guide you in the process in tune with your level of experience and the resources available to you.
GovernanceMatters.com in North America and Creative People Solutions in the UK offer the Relationship Model™ and specific tools to assist with board performance reviews and strategic planning. Les Stahlke, President
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