The Consultative Approach: Partnering for Results! by Suzanne Saxe and Virginia LaGrossa

The Consultative Approach: Partnering for Results! by Suzanne Saxe and Virginia LaGrossa

Times have changed! We have moved to a knowledge-based society, that requires specialized skills.

However, more and more companies are finding that technical and specialized skills are only one part of the equation. According to the authors of a breakthrough book, The Consultative Approach: Partnering for Results (Jossey-Bass Publishers) by Suzanne Saxe and Virginia LaGrossa, in a knowledge-based, customer focused organization, the way in which people work with internal and external clients and team members and how they add value will become critical to the individual and organizational success.

"Professionals of the future will no longer be able to simply rely on technical expertise to be considered 'value added.' They must be able to provide value beyond knowledge, meaning that people have to be both willing and able to play a variety of roles within an organization, both regularly and effectively," say the authors.

Just what are the requirements for success? The authors say the following combination of qualities, skills, and processes are a must for the employees and independent consultants.
Professionals need to see themselves playing a variety of consultative roles and have the skills necessary to work as a business partner.

- technical expertise, able to apply technical or complex information to client needs and projects.

- facilitator, manage discussions effectively, ensure that all parties are in agreement before moving on and have a clear understanding of the agreed upon steps to be taken while focusing on keeping the project moving.

- problem solver, effectively analyze the overall project, proactively identify problems and propose solutions.

- coach, motivate and work effectively with others while helping them develop skills and knowledge, creating an environment where feedback is important.

- administrator, manage time, deadlines and budgets simultaneously, provide a variety of written summaries for projects, have a clear understanding of policies and procedures involved for utilizing resources.

- influencer, receives recommendations favorably, is persuasive, presents options and trade-offs and focuses on win-win outcomes.

- strategist, gets the overall big picture, has a clear understanding of the business strategies and needs as well as objectives and concerns.

- partner, brings a high level of trust and commitment to working relationships, has a keen, objective sense of awareness as to whether expectations are being met, and values open communication as a fundamental building block for all relationships.

As you can see, clients (internal and external) are asking professionals in every field to be consultative and work as a business partner. As a result optimum results are obtained, trust and commitment is built, and both customer satisfaction, productivity, and revenues increase.

The Consultative Approach: Partnering for Results!
Virginia LaGrossa, Suzanne Saxe
ISBN: 0-7879-1100-3
Hardcover
208 Pages
March 1998, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer

For more information on increasing customer satisfaction, revenues and productivity, you can order the The Consultative Approach: Partnering For Results by calling Jossey-Bass/Pefiffer at 1-800-956-7739. www.josseybass.com.

For author interviews, review copies, etc. contact:
Suzanne Saxe
suzanne_saxe@advanceconsulting.com