Six Reasons To Use Leadership Consulting

Honest and direct feedback helps executives and leaders take their skills – and performance – to the next level. Every organization has high­ potential, valued employees who have been successful as individual contributors, but who fail when advanced to leadership roles. They are failing because we, as organizations, don’t prepare them for leadership. Coaching helps them build on their years of experience and success, but also adds significant insights and skills to their business arsenal that allow them to lead at the highest level.

1. It Starts At The Top ­ – For any leadership consulting program to be successful, an organization must have buy-in from the leadership team. These leaders must be willing to accept criticism and direction and then apply what they’ve learned. These discussions are typically received more favorably when they are had with a third-party consulting firm than with a direct report within the organization. In order for any positive change to take place within the team, the leader must show by example and live the company core values. Without it, the result will always shift back to the problematic issue.
2. Management and Leadership Development – ­ Accountability and personal responsibility go beyond annual performance reviews. Leaders must take ownership for the long­term sustainability of their business; consultants can help sharpen the tactical and strategic skills that leaders should embrace to overcome daily challenges and achieve success. Consultants develop a long­term vision of how leaders will be acquired, developed, managed, and retained to support organizational goals.
3. Define – ­ Leadership consultants will work with you to define your assessment needs and goals. They will help you determine where you might need more information about individuals or teams to move forward with your strategic Your coach will work with you to define the objectives and strategies specific to your team. The plan will include key goals and a timeline.
4. Plan and Assess – ­ A consultant will gather information using interviews, assessments and 360-­degree feedback to refine the coaching objectives and plan. Consultants work with you to create a program that applies to your needs and aligns with your key performance indicators. The plan will introduce the program, outline the purpose, set expectations, and emphasize participant and managers’ roles.
5. Movement – ­ A coach will deliver an action plan focused on motivation, measurable goals, organizational strategy, and development of key leadership skills and tools. There needs to be a clearly defined point of progress for this to be successful. This may be something that is assessed on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis as defined by the coach and leadership team.
6. Evaluate – ­ Leadership consultants will help you celebrate your achievements and assess the effect of the changes you made, which will include 360­-degree, post-­program interviews. It is at this point where the organization will see that the “needle” has moved. A consultant will typically use self ­assessments and stakeholder surveys to measure the success of the program.

Clark Jenkins is Vice President for ICC, an OI Global Partner, and is passionate about creating brand awareness and building lasting relationships within the Cincinnati business community. To connect with Clark follow him on Twitter at @clarkajenkins, or on LinkedIn, click here.