At the beginning of a new quarter or new year we tend to look forward and think about ways we can do things differently this time. We have goals to achieve and targets to reach…
In the past you’ve used several tactics and techniques that made you the person you are today; with the knowledge and skillset you have today. But it also means that you may not have achieved the results you were hoping or aiming for.
So it’s time to shake things up – to start using a different technique.
After all – “Doing the same things and expecting a different result is a sign of insanity” – isn’t that true?
Now, look back at the last year and consider what did work. What gave your clients the best value for money? What made them want to hire you again?
The power of questions
I’d like to take a guess to say that what you clients appreciate most about you as a consultant is that you know when to ask the right questions. You ask questions that makes them think. Perhaps think differently about a situation, or to even consider a specific solution in the first place. (the famous ‘AHA’ moment).
Sure, they appreciated the legwork you did for them at times, and they would have loved the briefs and documents you produced. But most of that could have been done in house by internal staff members.
Think about tit… Nobody in the company had the knowledge and skills to ask the right questions in such a way that it helped with the increased awareness around a topic and to guide the implementation project forward. That’s why they engaged your services and that’s why they would happily hire you again.
What does all this have to do with the Self Assessment Toolkits? Well, as you would have guessed.. the toolkits are packed with questions. Each subject has up to 1000 different questions that you can choose from. You choose your questions wisely based on your assessment of your client’s organisational needs. (that’s where your knowledge and skill set is important).
Is this company new to the implementation of the subject? Stick with the basic questions mentioned in the chapters ‘define’ and ‘Recognise’. These chapters contain questions that are more generic and cover a broad range of topics.
Or is your client’s company more advanced and looking on how to control and sustain the benefits gained from previous implementation and improvement projects?
It’s up to you how you want to use the questions. You can collate them into a brief or white paper document for your client where you answer the questions based on your knowledge of the company.
Or you use the questions as a conversation starter during stakeholder meetings.
There is of course the option to use the questions as is and have a team go through the Self Assessment to find out the current maturity of the organisation.
As a consultant you have so many ways to make use of these questions. All of them will increase the value you offer to your clients and improve your own understanding of the subject at hand.
Unsure about how to use the Self Assessment in your specific situation? Feel free to contact us for additional support and to answer any of your questions.
For more information on the Self Assessments and a full overview of the available topics, go to store.theartofservice.com/self-assessments/