Case Study - in-house consultancy training

Overview

A traditional human relations department that had been providing a full training management service to area managers wanted to change to a consultancy service, whereby HR staff supported managers, who would take responsibility for appraising staff and deciding on the most appropriate development actions.

Need

The staff were experienced in giving advice; they needed to learn consultancy and coaching skills. They need to move from advising and telling to listening and supporting.

Solution

Brefi Group proposed and delivered a two day workshop that introduced the consultancy cycle, the sales cycle and focused on communication, questioning and coaching skills.

The objectives were: -

• understand the consultancy cycle
• understand the role and identity of HR partner, HR consultant, development partner and the skills & development manager
• understand the changing relationships between the development partners, HR consultants and area sales managers
• have a strategy for managing the expectations of the area managers
• be able to build rapport with clients and other members of a virtual team
• have developed effective listening and questioning skills
• have access to a range of powerful facilitative questions
• be able to set well formed outcomes
• be aware of different filters and communication patterns
• be able to use their new skills to further develop their own effectiveness

In addition to the practical skills they experienced, the participants received templates and check lists that they could use when preparing for and leading meetings with local managers.

Outcome

A major benefit was the team building impact of staying and working together for two days. The individuals had not done this before and, with much time spent visiting local offices, were rarely all in the office at the same time.

With the use of our 'Setting Well-formed Outcomes' check list some team leaders who were able to practise with visiting managers demonstrated high levels of coaching skill. A follow-up review was proposed for four weeks later, when they could discuss their successes and failures.

Click here to return to the main case studies page.