Create Strong Alliances By Thinking Like a Consultant

Here are a few techniques I learned during my career at AOL about being an effective internal consultant:

• Ask good questions--lots of them: Questions that are specific and pertinent to the situation will garner the best results. Sure, you'll need to ask some close-ended yes-or-no questions, but your most valuable questions are the open-ended kind that will lead to an ongoing conversation.
• Listen, listen, listen: It's more powerful for consultants to talk less and listen more. You may be thought of as a content expert, but only the internal client can give you the raw, situational-specific information to apply your experience. In particular, listen to what's not being said. There may be an important reason certain details are left out. Ask more questions. Listen some more.
• Be clear on what the other person wants: What are their expectations? They may not be sure, so you will have to help them discover and articulate them. Be specific; the more exacting you are, the more likely you can satisfy their needs -- and they'll know it.
• Be honest about how you can or cannot meet their needs: This is where integrity matters. Don't say you can do something if you really can't deliver. It's better to not promise certain outcomes than do a poor job. Referring someone who can help will keep the relationship open and intact for something possible in the future.
• Continuously monitor the customer's satisfaction with your work: If your internal customer is unhappy with your work in progress, it's likely he or she won't like the end result either. Sometimes he won't tell you directly because of the emotional discomfort, sometimes because he isn't completely aware of it themselves. Watch for subtle changes in tone, less frequent communication, exclusion from meetings or anything that's different from his usual behavior toward you.
• Continuously monitor the landscape: In addition to what your direct customer thinks, keep tabs on what's going on with others around him and in the organization. Ideally, you can leverage potential changes to enhance the outcome of your efforts. The worst-case scenario is your efforts are shut down, but hopefully, you will have seen it coming. If that's the situation, don't take it personally. Just move on.
• Build on your performance: As you build your relationship and prove your value, add on that success by proposing more ways you can help. Perhaps a change of events will create new opportunities. Be proactive to point out a problem you think you can solve, and suggest how you can provide effective relief. During her 10-year career at America Online, Mary Foley learned that the only way to thrive in today's world is to be bold, positive and courageous -- bodacious! Get a free copy of Mary's e-book "10 Bodacious Ways for a Bodacious Career" at www.gobodacious.com/ebook.