3 ❖

Necessary
Skills of a
Consultant

Introduction

What Skills and Tools Are Commonly Used as a Consultant?

Working as a consultant requires knowledge of consultation models, stages,
and context. Regardless of what model you use in your consultation activities, what
stage you are in the process, or where you find yourself consulting . . . there are
some basic skills necessary of the counselor serving as a consultant. This chapter
reviews some elements that are considered the foundational skills of consultation.
It also covers multicultural or diversity competencies expected of the counselor
serving as a consultant.
In this chapter, we define the difference between internal and external consulta-
tion activities and address how these activities may differ as nonprofit and for-profit
consultations. Fiscal and organizational responsibilities are discussed. Specific atten-
tion is paid to the generation of proposals, contracts, workshops or trainings, market-
ing, and fee structuring.
A particular highlight of this chapter is a discussion of the use of technology in
consultation, with the disclosure, acknowledgment, and understanding that this con-
tent is constantly changing. We wrap up the chapter with a general review of what
content might be included in a written consultation report.

43
Copyright ©2015 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
This work may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without express written permission of the publisher.
44 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you will be able to

Identify the common foundational skills utilized in all types of consultation activities
Describe core competencies of consultation with respect to multiculturalism and diversity
Define internal and external consultation activities
Differentiate between nonprofit and for-profit consultation activities
Apply some strategies for generating consultation proposals
Compose simple and straightforward consultation contracts
Organize the provision of trainings and workshops as a consultant
Employ some basic strategies for marketing yourself as a consultant
Construct a fee structure for yourself as an external consultant
Discuss some ideas for the different types of technology you might use as a consultant
Relate an ethical framework for the use of technology as a consultant
Draft a thorough and comprehensive consultation report

Foundational Skills

What are the counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence the consultation
process? This section addresses what are generally regarded as the essential skills in
which every consultant should be proficient.
As a consultant, you may learn multiple models for functioning as a professional
consultant: You may develop an advanced knowledge of theories and applications
within different contexts; you may know all there is to know about what it takes to
serve as a consultant in a variety of settings; and you may be the world’s biggest
expert on a subject and be in constant demand for your knowledge. But there are
basic, foun- dational skills that are common across all models—and common across
all contexts and subject areas. These are the skills that drive your work—and are the
greatest pre- dictor of your success as a consultant.
Consultation is an interpersonal relationship and it is problem solving in the con-
text of the relationship. It is a basic communication process, utilizing specialized
knowl- edge (Erchul, 2003). Many researchers and practitioners have agreed regarding
the core skills used in consultation (Erchul, 2003; Ingraham, 2003; Klein & Harris,
2004; Kurpius, Fuqua, & Rozecki, 1993; J. Meyers, 2002; Moe & Perera-Diltz,
2009).They are

 interpersonal skills,
 communication skills,
 problem-solving skills,
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 45

 relationship building skills,

 multicultural counseling skills, and
 group work skills.

Basic counseling skills are the necessary foundational elements that drive the
process. Serving as a consultant requires knowledge of interpersonal dynamics and
problem-solving skills. The act of consultation includes rapport building, active
listen- ing (to consultees and clients), reflection of feelings, using others’ vocabulary,
clarify- ing statements, and advanced communication skills. As a consultant, you
might model skills for others and make attempts to eliminate resistance. Your
consultee may be skeptical or apathetic and a simple reframing of the problem may
help to dissolve their negativity. You may need to engage efforts to join a system and
identify any potential allies (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).
Good consultants possess basic counseling and process skills. They are good at
building and developing relationships and are able to clearly communicate and define
a problem while consulting. They have an awareness of when to confront and when
to just listen. They understand and can recognize dependency. They have a basic
ability to collect and analyze data related to people (Kurpius et al., 1993). They are
proficient at advising and collaborating with community groups, parents, other
professionals, and organizations. They can identify and solve problems by
generating, implementing, and evaluating strategies (J. Meyers, 2002).
In terms of characteristics, a consultant should be professional, adaptable, and
pos- sess a good sense of humor (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009). Consultants are self-
aware of their values and beliefs. They are able to articulate who they are and what
they can do (Kurpius et al., 1993). They are sensitive to contextual factors of
behavior. It sometimes requires a bit of courage to address and confront a consultee’s
most difficult issue, so a consultant should be comfortable in difficult interpersonal
situations (Lencioni, 2010). Consultants likely possess content knowledge and skills
within a particular specialty area (i.e., an expertise). They may provide direct training
related to specialized techniques or transmit specialized knowledge or information. But
in the end, they will need to possess essential skills with an ability to select an
appropriate process to facilitate collaboration (Klein & Harris, 2004). They will need
knowledge regarding behavioral problems and behavioral change. They will have to
have an ability to develop positive relationships with their consultees and have an ability
to communicate with them. They will need to help people understand problems and
help them to identify strategies to solve the problems. In some situations, a consultant
will need to work with diverse groups of people and poten- tially help the groups to
make decisions. Consultants will need knowledge and skills in
multicultural counseling and consultation (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).

Multicultural Considerations
A consultant is a change agent and an advocate for the consultee and the client. The
structure of consultation is nonhierarchical (an open triad), and the process of consul-
tation should therefore be culturally responsive and empowering (Hoffman et al.,
46 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

2006). The relationship between culture and consultation is multifaceted and

complex. Culture can influence consultation in a variety of ways (Ingraham, 2003).
Race, ethnic- ity, and culture can have an impact on the worldview of the consultant,
consultee, and client (Hoffman et al., 2006).
Multicultural consultation is a competency necessary for working with culturally
diverse consultees and clients (Holcomb-McCoy, 2004). Culturally competent consul-
tants understand the impact of culture on the consultation process. Without consultant
competence in multicultural awareness, knowledge, or skills, consultees and clients
might be unintentionally harmed (Li & Vazquez-Nuttal, 2009). Language differences,
value differences, and prejudice can all lead to ineffective communication during the
consultation process (Holcomb-McCoy, 2004). A problem may be misdiagnosed;
interaction between a consultant and consultee or consultee and client could be
cultur- ally oppressive. Inappropriate assessments may be used. Consultants need to
have a basic understanding of racism, resistance, multicultural assessment, racial
identity development, multicultural family counseling, social advocacy, development
of part- nerships, and cross-cultural interpersonal interactions (Holcomb-McCoy,
2004). They should be aware of social, economic, environmental, political, and
cultural contexts of consultation (Li & Vazquez-Nuttal, 2009).
Consultants should also understand their own culture and also be able to
attend to their own cultural biases (Ingraham, 2003). They will need to continu-
ously assess their own multicultural competence and be flexible to adjust their
style according to the culture and worldview of the consultee (Hoffman et al.,
2006; Holcomb-McCoy, 2004).
An effective consultant considers culture as a lens through which one seeks to
understand both the content and the process of consultation. The view through the
lens includes the work addressed or implemented with the consultee, and also the
process involved among the consultant, the consultee, and the client. They will need
to be sensitive to the history and needs of the consultee and the client—and be tuned
in to the dynamics of this complex triadic relationship (Rogers, 2000). They should
be sensitive to their consultees’ styles of communication in order to build trust and
rap- port and reduce perceived resistance (Ingraham, 2003).
A consultant should also know how to address a potential consultee cultural bias
and be able to adapt interventions to provide culturally appropriate interventions and
adjustments (Ingraham, 2003). Consultees can hold stereotypes and biases that affect
the consultation relationship, process, and therefore, the outcome (Holcomb-McCoy,
2004). A consultant will need to be able to recognize and address a consultee’s
negative racial or cultural attitudes—and then attempt to alter the problematic areas
(Holcomb- McCoy, 2004). The prejudices that impact consultation may come from
cultural differ- ences—and can be recognized in practice as rejection in the
consultation relationship or suggested interventions (Holcomb-McCoy, 2004).
When joining a system or organization, consultants must inform themselves
about the culture of the environment (Rogers, 2000). A consultant has the potential
influence over systemic factors that perpetuate prejudice, discrimination, and
intercultural conflict. A consultant should have the diversity training and skills to
recognize and
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 47

Case 3.1: Example of Working

With a Consultee With a Diverse Background

Jonathan is an African American counselor who specializes in consulting with

organiza- tions that are experiencing race-based problems (e.g., discrimination,
recruitment and retention of minorities, diversity awareness, and education).
Inherent in the type of work that he does is conflict. Jonathan routinely encounters
people within organizations that have different attitudes about race and ethnicity—
and are usually culturally different from him. Jonathan is highly in tune with his own
background and values and is very skilled in identifying and confronting an
individual’s potential cultural biases in a positive way. The challenge that he has
found is that no person or group of people that he has encountered is the same. The
consultee’s stereotypes about him or other cultural groups have an impact on the
resistance that he encounters. The manifestation of this resistance has been
different in each organization he has consulted; each organization has its own cul-
ture. The difficulty that he faces is to tailor interventions specific to each consultee
and consultee organization. His first steps are usually to identify the problem,
confront it, and develop a plan for how to address it in a culturally appropriate
way—all this with the assumption that he is able to establish a positive
working rapport and alliance.

intervene at different levels within a system or organization. One can have an impact
on an individual level but also at a systemic or organizational level (Washburn,
Manley, & Holiwski, 2003).

Cross-Cultural Consultation Competencies

Margaret R. Rogers (2000) developed a list of cross-cultural consultation competencies.

A consultant should

1. Understand one’s own and others’ culture: A consultant needs to examine his or her
own heritage and identity (race, ethnicity, culture) and possess a self-awareness of
personal beliefs, prejudices, and assumptions. A consultant should make attempts to
learn about the culture and background of consultees and clients in order to better
understand (and possible adopt) others’ perspectives and values.
2. Develop cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills: A consultant should
be able to bridge different perspectives from different groups.
3. Understand the cultural embeddedness of consultation: A consultant should be able to
view the consultation process through a cultural lens. It is important to consider the
culturally embedded organizational forces that may have an impact on the client.
4. Use qualitative methodologies when gathering data: The validity of some instruments
and procedures may not be able to be projected or generalized to diverse groups.
Consultants should be skilled in using naturalistic data-gathering techniques that
would account for local cultural and context.
48 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

5. Acquire culture-specific context knowledge: In order to provide context-relevant ser-

vices, a consultant should seek to acquire culture-specific information related to the
context. This might also include culture-specific issues in assessment, education, and
mental health.

Cross-Cultural Consultation Competency Checklist

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy took a similar approach in 2004 but developed a check-
list of behaviors appropriate for culturally competent consultants:

 I am aware of how culture affects traditional models of consultation.

 I can discuss at least one model of multicultural consultation.
 I can recognize when racial and cultural issues are impacting the consultation process.
 I can identify when the race and/or culture of the client is a problem for the consultee.
 I discuss issues related to race/ethnicity/culture during the consultation process, when
applicable (Holcomb-McCoy, 2004, p. 182).

Cross-Cultural Consultation Ethical Guidelines

The American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics (2005) contains some
ele- ments that may be extrapolated to the consultation relationship with respect to
multi- cultural and diversity competencies in consultation. Below are some modified
elements. In most cases, Consultant has been substituted for Counselor:

 A.2.c. Consultants communicate information in ways that are both developmentally

and culturally appropriate.
 A.6.a. When appropriate, consultants advocate at individual, group, institutional, and
societal levels to examine potential barriers and obstacles that inhibit access and/or the
growth and development of consultees and clients.
 E.6.c. Consultants are cautious when selecting assessments for culturally diverse popula-
tions to avoid the use of instruments that lack appropriate psychometric properties for the
consultee and client populations.
 F.2.b. Consultants are aware of and address the role of multiculturalism/diversity in con-
sulting relationships.

Guided Practice Exercises Exercise 3.1: Your Consultee Has a Bias

1. Imagine that you are a consultant working with a consultee who holds a significant
cultural bias against people of a specific ethnicity. Where is your responsibility in
the relationship?
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 49

2. Is there anything that you should do?

3. Is there anything that you can do?

4. How might this impact your relationship with the consultee?

5. How might this impact the consulting work that you do with the consultee?

Nonprofit Versus For-Profit Consultation

The heading of this particular section can be a little misleading. The concept of non-
profit versus for-profit consultation is often thought of in terms of the type of
consultee organization. Nonprofit organizations are organizations that do not
distribute reve- nues or profits—they reinvest surplus revenues or profits back into the
self-preservation of the organization. While consultants can (and do) certainly work
within these organizations, it is not the focus of this chapter or section.

Nonprofit Consultation  Internal Consultation

Nonprofit consultation (as opposed to nonprofit organization consultation) is gen-
erally described as working as a consultant without the expectation of receiving any
payment or additional compensation. This may be done with or without some type of
formal contract for consultation services. In practical terms, the consultant is likely
already employed in another capacity (perhaps as a full-time counselor) and does not
expect or need to receive compensation for their consultation activities. Nonprofit
consultation is a more common occurrence between two people within the same
orga- nization. In other words, the consultant and consultee are both involved in the
same organization. We will also refer to this as internal consultation. The following
are some examples of internal consultation:

 Two counselors are employed by the same organization. One counselor seeks
consulta- tion from the other regarding a particular client who is proving to be a
difficult client.
 An elementary school counselor consults with a parent regarding the child who is a stu-
dent at the school. They are discussing strategies related to behavior management at home.
50 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Internal consultation is more likely to be more informal in nature (consulting

with a colleague “next door”) and might not involve a written contract, goals, or
report. It is a more common occurrence than for-profit consultation (counselors are
more likely to serve as internal consultants before serving as an external consultant).
Professional counselors are often solicited by fellow practitioners to serve as
consultants to improve case conceptualization skills. Counselors typically seek
consultation as individuals in order to deepen the knowledge and skills necessary to
better serve a specific client or student (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).

For-Profit Consultation  External Consultation

For-profit consultation is generally described as working as a consultant with the
expectation of receiving payment or other compensation. This arrangement usually
involves some type of formal contract for consultation services (but is not required).
The consultant may or may not be already employed in another capacity and expects
to receive compensation for their consultation efforts.
The consultant and consultee are not likely to be involved in the same organization.
We refer to this as external consultation. The consultant is not a regular employee of the
consultee organization (they are external) and is likely under contract to provide a spe-
cific consultation service. An example might be a counselor who is self-employed and
in private practice. An organization in the community contracts with the counselor, who
has an expertise in sensitivity training, to provide a series of workshops on the topic.
External consultation is likely to be more formal in nature and involve a written
contract, goals, and report. It is less common than internal consultation (counselors
are more likely to serve as internal consultants before serving as an external consul-
tant). Professional counselors might solicit to become external consultants and their
interventions are typically designed to impact multiple clients and other system mem-
bers (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).
The framework for external consultation typically focuses on identifying aspects
of a system’s or organization’s functioning that may inhibit the accomplishment of an
orga- nization’s goals (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009). The interventions are provided
usually at a systemic or organizational level and the consultee is considered to be the
system or organization (yet the consultant may only work with a select number of
members of the system or organization). Changes in select individuals or components
are seen as being able to have an impact on other components of the system or
organization—and there- fore change the system or organization as a whole (a domino
effect).

Commonalities Between External Versus Internal Consultants

Regardless of what type of consultation your find yourself doing, whether it is
internal or external, there are some common traits and behaviors to which consultants
should aspire:
 Professional: Treat your interactions with all consultees in a professional manner. Use
an objective, structured, and methodical approach appropriate to your training. Just
because you may be consulting with a colleague next door, it doesn’t mean that you act
any less professional.
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 51

 Responsive: An unsuccessful consultant is one who doesn’t react, answer, or reply in

an effective or timely manner. A good consultant is responsive to the inquiries and
needs of the consultees. Be empathic and attempt to be helpful.
 Collegial: Consultation is intended to be a relationship between people who operate at
the same level (within a hierarchy). Even if employed or contracted as an “expert”
related to a consultant’s expertise, the relationship should exist as one of equals.
Interact with others in a spirit of collaboration regardless of what or who initiated the
relation- ship (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).

You’ll need to have a clear understanding of the differences and nuances of func-
tioning as both an internal or external consultant and an awareness of the type of
consultation in which you are interested. As mentioned above, the more common
type of consultation that most counselors experience is internal (or nonprofit)
consultation. But you will need to be prepared to function as an external consultant,
when necessary or desired. The next few sections in this chapter address elements of
the consultation process that are more common to external consultation. It is
important to note that serving as an external consultant can incorporate other
complementary helping behaviors—community activism, social justice agent,
professional advocacy, coalition building—to further define the professional identity
of counselors. By adopting a role of external consultant, a counselor can advocate for
the profession as an individual with distinct training and provider of valuable
services (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009).

Fiscal and Organizational Responsibilities

Consultation, as a business enterprise, experienced a “crash” of sorts in late 2008 that

corresponded with the financial meltdown in the United States at the same time.
Within one year’s time, consulting businesses (e.g., the Center for Nonprofit
Management) saw their revenues fall by more than 40% (West, 2010). With the
excep- tion of consultants who marketed themselves as helping other organizations
secure funding, there was little for-profit consultation business (West, 2010).
Over time, there have been more consultants than there are consultation jobs in
the for-profit sector. As a result, more external consultants become “specialists”, rather
than generalists—and there can be a great disparity in fees paid to consultants (West,
2010). We’ll get into fees and fee structuring within the next section of this chapter.
For now, it is important to discuss more generalities related to fiscal and
organizational responsibilities.

Fiscal Responsibilities
The costs associated with external, for-profit consultation should be provided to
the consultee during the initiation of the relationship. A consultant should make an
attempt to provide

 an accurate estimate of their fees, and

 a projection of any costs that may be incurred in order to implement any interventions
as part of the consultation process.
52 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

An agreement related to fees and costs should be reached early as a part of the
contract for services. Part of the agreement should also specify how the costs
incurred (if any) during intervention implementation will be handled. Will the
consultant fund the implementation and expect repayment or will the consultee pay
for costs as they are incurred? It should be understood that these costs (regardless of
who pays and when) are separate expenses and not part of the consultant’s fees.

Organizational Responsibilities
Organizational responsibilities should also be made clear at the beginning of the
consultation relationship. A consultant is responsible for assisting the consultee to
clarify a problem. The consultant also has a responsibility for providing a rationale
that supports the choice of intervention strategies. There should be specification of
who implements what during the intervention implementation and what standards
there are for implementation. In general, consultees are responsible for implementing
inter- ventions based on the standards that are specified.
Standards serve as a guide for the goals for intervention implementation. The
standards (or goals) should be concrete, realistic, and achievable by the people
directly involved. The quantity of the activities carried out should be specified (who
does what, how much they do it, and how many times they do it). In addition to the
specifications of the quantity of the implementation, the quality should be specified
as well: how strongly the intervention should be implemented (including depth or
effort exerted), and the fidelity (accuracy) of the implementation (Gottfredson, 1993).
In an internal consulting example, let’s say tutoring services was one of the sug-
gested interventions to a parent (our consultee). The consultant might specify that the
client (i.e., a child) receive tutoring from the teacher for one hour each week for six
weeks. This specifies who is responsible for providing the intervention, how much
they provide the intervention, and for how long. The responsibility is clear. In
designating the responsibilities for quality of the intervention, the consultant would
specify what subject is presented during the tutoring sessions, maybe what methods
or theories are presented related to the subject matter, and possibly that the parent
monitors that the tutoring is taking place (Gottfredson, 1993).
The standards (quantity or quality) for implementation of interventions should
ideally be guided by past research, prior studies, prior implementations, or other evi-
dence-based methods. Consultants are responsible for researching and being aware of
these methods. If such methods are not available, consultants are responsible for
mak- ing their best, informed estimate as to the standards or level of intervention
needed to address the goals of consultation (Gottfredson, 1993).
There should also be some specification for who will monitor the implementa-
tion—the consultant, the consultee, a designee of the consultant, or a designee of the
consultee. Monitoring implementation provides feedback on the quality, information
on obstacles to high-quality implementation, and possibly strategies to overcome
obstacles. Methods or tools of monitoring may include logs of services, observations
of services being provided, review of rosters, and documents like meeting agendas.
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 53

It is the responsibility of the consultant to develop performance standards for

intervention implementation with collaboration from the consultee. Should the mon-
itored implementation not go according to plan and performance standards are not
met, the consultant is responsible for assessing the obstacles, identifying the problem
areas, and providing feedback to all parties involved (Gottfredson, 1993). More of
this process is discussed later in the text with respect to the stages of consultation; the
important concept presented here is the understanding of alignment of
responsibilities during the process.
One point not mentioned above is the consultant’s responsibility for behavior that
is ethical. In the next chapter, we review specific ethical and legal aspects of
consulta- tion. As a professional counselor, you are held accountable to the standards
associated with your professional identity. More informally though (as an external
consultant), it is recommended that you heartily adopt a professional approach to
your consultation activities. If you are under contract with an organization for
consultation services, follow through with your designated responsibilities. If you are
employed in a capacity outside of your consulting activities, be upfront with your
employer regarding your external activities.

Generating Proposals, Contracts,

Workshops, Marketing, and Fee Structures

Getting started as an external, for-profit consultant may not be an easy task. For most
practitioners, their consultation activities don’t serve as their primary source of
income. They have a larger, home-base agency or institution that serves as their pri-
mary source of support and solace. If you find someone who functions as a full-time
external consultant, it has likely taken them some time to reach a point in their career
where this became a reality. It didn’t happen overnight, and there was likely a great
deal of consulting work taken one job at a time in order to achieve a status as a full-
time consultant. Part of becoming a successful consultant requires the ability to make
con- nections and generate proposals for consulting work.

Proposals
Writing and communication skills are necessary skills in consulting. You have to
be able to communicate during the actual consultation process, but you also need to
be able to produce well-written documents to generate potential work. You may need
to be on the lookout for Request for Proposals (RFPs), but you may also need to do
some research to determine which organizations and settings are willing and able to
employ consultants (Moe & Perera-Diltz, 2009). Not every organization will be
willing to bring a consultant in to facilitate changes at a system or organizational
level. When you do encounter an organization that is willing to hire a consultant, you
may find that there is a fairly competitive market and that others have similar
expertise. It will be important that your proposal is well written.
54 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

When drafting a proposal for an RFP, it is particularly important to address every

element, directive, question, or item that is specified within the RFP. Your document
should be written with no spelling or grammatical errors and be clear, concise, and to
the point. It should cover every element, directive, question, or item requested—and
it is recommended that it be presented in the same order in which the information is
requested.
Other information that may be included in a written proposal is provided below.
This information, in some situations, may be the only content in a proposal if there
have not been any specific requests regarding what should be proposed. Incidentally,
this information may be the same information you use for marketing purposes. For
the most part, this information describes and defines your expertise (West, 2010):

 Your accomplishments within your expertise area or subject

 Your education
 Your previous experiences
 Length of time you have been a consultant
 Other groups you have worked for (disclosed only with their consent)
 Your work on similar projects with similar organizations and the results of those
activities
 Projected fees with as many details as you can provide (only tentative until you have a
contract in place)
 What you would offer that you believe would be particularly helpful to them

These points should be changed and tailored for each organization to which you send a
proposal. It should be specific to their organization and the services that they provide.
Assuming you draft a worthy proposal and it is successfully accepted, you then move
on to contract negotiation. The broader context of the contracting phase will be
presented within the chapter on stages of consultation. Here, we look at some of the
specific content that may be included in a consultation contract.

Contracts: Contract Negotiation

The contract negotiation process can influence the success of the consultation
relationship. The term contract negotiation refers to the communication about a con-
sultation contract that takes place between the consultant and key stakeholders of the
consulting organization (or consultees). Because it occurs at the beginning of the
con- sultation relationship, rapport between the consultant and consultee may just be
devel- oping during contract negotiation. A successful negotiation process can
potentially facilitate smoother acceptances of later consultation efforts (i.e., a future
projection for how things might go between the consultant and consultee). The
negotiation involves an agreement not only of fees and costs but also discussion
about what might happen during consultation and the focus of the consultation efforts
(B. Meyers, 2002).
Contract negotiation is typically viewed as a verbal process, but written docu-
ments may be used to confirm certain understandings about the process. The main
focus of the negotiation is to discuss and agree on a clear purpose of the process and
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 55

content of the consultation relationship. If you fail to collaborate and resolve issues
during the contract negotiation process, you may be faced with an unsuccessful rela-
tionship (B. Meyers, 2002).
During the negotiation process, there may be people who focus on different
elements of your work. Some people will focus on time, “How long it will take?”,
and some people will focus on money, “How much is this going to cost?” (Kurpius et
al., 1993). It will be in your best interest to be proactive and address both types of
peo- ple. Be prepared and ready to discuss such things as fee schedules, resources
that may be needed, the purpose, objectives, expectations, and timelines. As your
nego- tiations and discussions progress, and if they progress successfully, you are
ready to move on to formalizing your consultation contract. This should only be done
after a consultee has agreed to hire you—and that you have thoroughly discussed the
proj- ect. There should be ample time for questions and issues to be resolved before
final- izing a contract.

Contracts:The Formal Contract

Theodore P. Remley (1993) provides a clear definition of the requirements for a
consultation contract. He claims there are three elements necessary to form a legal,
formal contract:

1. Offer: The terms of a consultation arrangement are proposed.

2. Acceptance: The person to whom the offer was proposed agrees to the terms.
3. Consideration: Something of value (usually money) is proffered in exchange for
doing what is specified in the offer.

Without something of value being presented for acceptance (without “consider-

ation”), there is no contract.
It is not required that a contract be in writing for it to exist and be valid. Remley
does claim that some federal and state statutes may require that some particular con-
tracts be in writing. For the most part, if a verbal offer is made and there is
acceptance (and consideration), then a legal contract exists. You will need to
understand that there may be circumstances in which you don’t have a written, formal
contract (and perhaps haven’t yet been paid)—but you still have a legal, contractual
obligation to the con- sultee. As such, you are vulnerable to being sued by a
consultee for damages, should something negative happen (Remley, 1993).
It is in your best interest to have a written, formal document. Consultants
often use basic letters of agreement signed by the consultant and consultee or
simple contracts drafted by one person and then signed by the other. Others may
decide to use an attor- ney to negotiate and draft a formal and lengthy contract. In
general, however, the more complete the communication and understanding
between the consultant and con- sultee, the better the chances for a successful
consultation relationship. There will be less chances for conflict and unhappiness
later in the relationship, should things not go well (Remley, 1993).
56 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

When engaging in internal or nonprofit consulting (or perhaps even external con-
sulting with just one person), you will be less likely to have anything written or
formal (Kurpius et al., 1993). A legal contract does not exist in internal consultations,
when people within the same organization agree to provide consultation services to
one another. Because all people are paid by the same employer, “consideration” is not
pres- ent (and it is a necessary element for a formal contract).
A consultation contract should attempt to match consultee perceptions and
expec- tations with consultant interventions. The contract represents the agreement
between the consultant and consultee; the more specific it is, the better both parties
will be served. Contracts should do the following:

 clearly specify the consultation work to be done,

 describe in detail any work products expected from the consultant,
 specify a time frame for the completion of the work,
 specify to whom the consultant should report, and
 describe compensation or fees and method of payment.

In addition, contract writers should

 number all pages,

 print the names of all people involved and have each person sign (and date) the
document,
 initial any changes (written or typed) to the original document (initialed by everyone),
and
 provide at least two copies to be signed so that each person can retain an original.

Remley (1993) recommends that any contract that is considered legal in nature
be reviewed and approved by attorneys for both the consultant and consultee before
being signed.

Workshops
Training and workshop provision has been and continues to be a multibillion-
dollar industry (Cosier & Dalton, 1993). Consultants are frequently contracted to
serve in a trainer or workshop-provider role. It might very well be the only activity
for which the consultant is contracted to provide. Likewise, there are consultants who
only pro- vide trainings and workshops as their consultation business. The line that
distinguishes a consultant from a trainer, educator, or workshop provider is hard to
draw, and we will therefore not attempt to make a clear distinction. We see the ability
to provide train- ings and workshops as a function or role within the consultation
relationship. As mentioned above, once the consultation relationship is established,
the training or workshop may be the only “service” that a consultant provides.
Consultants who are contracted to provide trainings or workshops are usually
hired based on their expertise in a specific area for which they are known. They gen-
erally have a degree of knowledge, skills, and expertise in the area and likely have a
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 57

Case 3.2: Sample Contract

(Continued)
58 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

(Continued)
Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 59
60 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

history (or body) of work on the subject matter. The consultee is, in essence, purchas-
ing the consultant’s expertise for dissemination. How the expertise is disseminated is
the focus in this section regarding the skills necessary for a trainer or workshop pro-
vider. An effective consultant demonstrates the following skills:

 Public speaking: Speak to a group of people (sometimes large groups of people) in a

structured, deliberate, informative, influential, and entertaining way.
 Pedagogy: Demonstrate the science and art of education, teaching, and learning.
Pedagogical methods might include: (a) maintaining lesson plans, (b) displaying an
agenda, (c) emphasizing learning objectives, (d) collaborative learning experiences,
(e) observational experiences, (f) reflective experiences, and (g) participatory experiences.
 Research, assessment, and evaluation: Apply qualitative and quantitative research
meth- ods to determine the needs of a consultee, assess the attainment of learning
objectives using rubrics, and evaluate all of the data obtained.

It should be noted that each time you provide a training or workshop, you
provide a preview, or dress rehearsal of sorts, of what you can do with respect to
other consult- ing activities. Other consultants have claimed that the provision of
trainings and work- shops often evolve into other consulting opportunities
(Cosier & Dalton, 1993).

Marketing
Networking
External consulting opportunities may often come about as a result of whom one
knows, rather than cold calls or proposals submitted to organizations with which you
have not previous experience or interaction. Networking is probably the most unrec-
ognized or underrated skill of a successful external consultant. It has been reported
that as much as 75% of consulting activities consist of referrals or repeat business
from consultees (Cosier & Dalton, 1993). The time that you spend networking (in
whatever forms that it might take place) will pay off—and it is in your best interest to
build a large network (Jervey, 2004). It may not be your closest colleagues that
provide refer- rals; work opportunities may come from people who know people who
are indirectly related—a friend of a friend.
Using technology and social networking is an important method for building a
larger network, and we’ll cover some of this later. The more old-fashioned, but tried-
and-true, method of networking is simply the act of making personal contact with
potential consultees or sources of referral:

 Attend gatherings of people that might serve as potential consultees or referral

sources. Conferences or workshops that you attend are excellent sources of contact.
 Present sessions and workshops at the same conferences mentioned above. Not only do
you provide a dress rehearsal for what you might be able to do for an organization, but
you can make direct contact with the people that attend your sessions. These are
people who already have expressed an interest in what you have to say by attending
your session.
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 61

 You might also offer pro-bono workshops within your community, depending on the
content of your workshop. Make connections with civic and community leaders.
 Join multiple professional associations related to your area of interest or expertise. This
will likely provide you with newsletters and publications—and likely that names of
key people involved within the field. They might be people you will want to target in
later advertising efforts. You’ll also have an instant connection with the group of
people who are members.
 Follow up with any leads that you encounter. Engage them in conversation and keep in
contact, even if the contact is trivial (Jervey, 2004).

Market Research,Targeting Markets, and Advertising

Without having a preexisting connection to possible consultees, you are left to
establish and develop your own business connections. Perhaps the most difficult
aspect of developing these connections is knowing who is most likely to contract
with you. How do you determine what people or organizations do not currently use
a version of what you provide—but could benefit from using it? Making cold calls to
random organizations is likely not the best use of your time.
If you decide to advertise, it is recommended that you use a precise or
surgical approach. You want to be able to place your promotional materials in the
hands of those most likely to do something with it. By joining various professional
organizations related to your specialty area, you may have access to a list of mem-
bers of the organization (with e-mail addresses or mailing addresses). By going
to professional conferences and workshops, you may have access to a list of
other participants of the conference or workshop (Cosier & Dalton, 1993). You
might also target people that you have gone to school with (and older and newer
alumni of your programs of study or institutions) who are likely in a similar field
or location.
You will want to be aware of the majority industry or trade publications. Write
and publish an article for the publication so that you may become more well known.
Write and publish journal articles or books on your topic of specialty so that you
can establish yourself as an authority on the topic. As you publish articles in jour-
nals or books, publish a newsletter or trade publication article that highlights this
publication accomplishment. You may also consider publishing a newsletter of your
own that summarizes your efforts and accomplishments. This could be sent out to
the same lists of people mentioned in the previous paragraph.
The materials sent out should present the following perspective: You are selling
your image or brand. You should highlight your accomplishments, your experience,
and your education so you portray that you are special and unique in some dimen-
sion (your expertise). An advantage of working as a consultant is the general low
requirement for business capital. The money that is spent in preparing and market-
ing your work should be directed in a smart and savvy manner. Recognize, maxi-
mize, and highlight your strengths. Likewise, you also need to recognize and
manage any limitations that you might have.
62 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Fee Structures
Getting started in consultation work may require doing initial work for little or
no money in order to cultivate additional work over time. This process is referred
to as consultee mining. A consultee base must be developed, establishing relation-
ships with those individuals who will pay for your time. In the beginning, you may
not be able to ask for as much money or higher fees as you would like. As you
develop more consultee relationships, you can ask for more and possibly receive it.
Few external consultants start out making large fees. The more experience you gain
in consultation, the higher fees you are likely to receive for any contract. It is rec-
ommended that if you are just beginning to seek contracts, you take any or all
contracts you can obtain. A consultee base may be developed by helping new con-
sultees with smaller, low-profit projects. The theory is that these projects may lead
into more work with greater fees. Embracing this approach allows the consultee to
learn what you can do for them as a consultant and how well you can do it, as
Timothy G. Plax (2006) states.
How much to charge for a consultation service seems like a simple enough ques-
tion, but it is a very complex answer. Most clients would like a detailed estimate of
the time spent doing consultation. The problem is that both clients and inexperienced
consultants will typically underestimate the amount of time that may be required to
complete a consultation service. For example, a one-day workshop will require more
hours than are simply spent presenting the content (Plax, 2006). It always takes more
time than thought, and it is possible that the consultee will ask for more work than
what was originally contracted.
A consultant must consider preparation time, logistical planning, assessing the
organizational needs, developing learning objectives, researching the content to
present, designing the presentation, and preparing and editing the technology and
materials. During the actual delivery of the workshop, a consultant must consider
time spent setting up, arranging food and beverages, and cleaning up. There might
also be additional debriefing time which includes analyzing feedback, writing a
report, and meeting with the consultee to review the report. As a consultant costs
out time for a contract, they usually don’t consider the time that was spent in client
mining, writing a proposal, communicating with the client, and contract negotia-
tion (Plax, 2006).
It is difficult to provide guidelines regarding how much a consultant should
charge. Part of costing out services as a consultant is making some type of deter-
mination as to what people would actually pay us to do. There are so many factors
that enter into the process of estimating fees: prior work history of the consultant,
prior work history with a consultee, the size and complexity of a job, the consult-
ee’s budget, the size of the consultee’s organization, funding available, just to name
a few. The more consulting we are able to do, the more our marketability increases,
and the more our consultee base grows. As we grow, we are able to be more dis-
criminating in the type and amount of projects that we contract, the clients that we
are willing to take, and the amount of money we are willing to accept for our work
(Plax, 2006).
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 63

Case 3.3: The Art of Negotiation

Kisha submitted a proposal for a two-day external consultation project (presenting a

work- shop). A fairly large counseling agency in a neighboring region was seeking a
consultant to provide specialized training for their employees related to a subject that
she knows well. She has five years of experience in the area, has presented on the
subject twice at state counseling conferences, and conducted some research (not yet
published) while she was in school. She has the knowledge, expertise, and ability to
do a good job on the project. The problem is that she has never been paid as an
external consultant before—in any area or subject matter. The person at the agency
who is responsible for hiring a consultant has communicated with Kisha twice about
a possible consultation arrangement, but this per- son is also considering bringing in
a professor from a university across the state to provide the service. The professor is
known fairly well for the subject matter but is also known for charging at least $1,000
for a half-day workshop on the subject. The agency is on the fence regarding
bringing in a lesser known consultant (Kisha) for less money versus bringing in a
well-known consultant (the professor) for more money.
Kisha has a feeling that the agency would rather not spend a great deal of money
on a consultant at this time but wants to make sure that the service that they
receive is of top quality. She decides to highlight her qualifications and experience
but propose a low fee structure (about 50% less than she makes per hour in her full-
time job) in an attempt to win the contract and begin to build her consultee–client
base. Part of her pitch com- municates that she realizes that she could make more
money (per hour) by simply con- tinuing to work within her full time counseling
job, but she has to start someplace in building a consultation portfolio. The
agency staff express their appreciation of her candidness and decide to award
her the project.

In any case, Plax (2006) has suggested a specific way to estimate or structure a
consultant’s fee. Please note that this relates only to a consultant’s fees and not any
other associated costs related to the consultation.

 Project the amount of time for the service to be completed.

 A consultant should overestimate their time. As an example, Plax suggests that
a consultant estimate, on average, 40 hours preparation time for one actual day
of training.
 Estimate an hourly rate.
 Consider how much you make per hour in a regular full time job and then
align your consultation fee-per-hour accordingly.
 Multiply the amount of time projected to complete the service by your estimated
hourly rate.

Keep in mind that this amount is pretaxed money and does not include health
benefits, vacation time, retirement, or anything else associated with benefits of
perma- nent employment. It is a one-time fee for services, and future work with this
consultee is not guaranteed.
64 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Guided Practice Exercises Exercise 3.2: Simulated Contracting

Partner with a colleague with the intention to conduct a simulated consultation with
one of you serving as a consultant and one of you serving as a consultee. Identify the
nature and content of the consultation but spend your time developing a sample con-
tract for the consultation efforts. The actual consultation need not ever take place; the
contract is the goal of the exercise. Your document should be written and contain the
following elements as suggested by Remley (1993):

 Clearly specify the consultation work to be done.

 Describe in detail any work products expected from the consultant.
 Specify a time frame for the completion of the work.
 Specify to whom the consultant should report.
 Describe compensation or fees and method of payment.

Use of Technology in Consultation

Technology hardware and software advancements are made so rapidly that the
content written within this section of the chapter is likely outdated by the time you
are able to read it. Nevertheless, we will attempt to review what we believe to be the
necessary skills needed for the use of technology in consultation. This section will be
divided into two parts: (1) the actual technology that can be applied with
consultation, and (2) an ethical framework for the use of technology.

Technology Applied in Consultation

Consultants should have a sufficient amount of understanding when it comes to
the technology used in consultation. There are multiple categories of technology
under which knowledge should exist.

Communication
A consultee’s ability to access their consultant, in general, is a critical dimension
for most consultees and clients. There are also circumstances in which a consultant
may need to be on call during the implementation of an intervention. It could
probably go without mention that consultants should be familiar with e-mail and
telephone communication, but it is highly recommended for the consultant to be
familiar with and embrace mobile technology. Mobile devices, in particular devices
known as smart devices, will allow the consultant to receive telephone messages,
SMS or text messages, and e-mail communication on the go.
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 65

It is also recommended that consultants be familiar with other enhanced abilities

to communicate. Videoconferencing over the Internet allows consultants and
consultees to have face-to-face, real-time conversations and communication. Some
smart devices will enable instant messaging and videoconferencing as well. Some
examples of this technology include: Skype, GoToMeeting, Elluminate Live!, and
Adobe Connect. A variant in this use of technology is the application of virtual
environments (e.g., Second Life). There is a fairly steep learning curve for using
virtual environments, and these may not be readily adopted by consultees.
Regardless of the tool or device, the primary concern for consultants is that the
technology that they select to communicate (and more importantly, the way in which
they use it) be as secure and confidential as possible. This includes telephone, text
messaging, e-mail, mobile devices, and webconferencing or webinars.

Networking and Marketing

Social networking has grown exponentially over the last 10 years. Using social net-
works allow consultants to connect with future consultees and market services that they
may provide. A consultant may decide to maintain a personal account or a business
account or both. The primary concern for consultants using social networking is that
they do not breach confidentiality of their consultees or clients in the content that they
post. The posts on social networks should be presented as generic information regarding
their field and not any disclosure of work or services that are provided to any specific
consultee or client. It should be noted that social networking use is not recommended
by the authors for use by counselors. “Liking” or “following” a client or a client “liking”
or “following” a counselor is a breach of confidentiality of the counseling relationship.
There are other ethical reasons for counselors being very wary of social media, but
confidentiality may be the primary concern. Consultants should view their social
networking use as a primary way to “market their brand.” Some of the more popular
social networks used at the time of publishing this text are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram, and Pinterest.

Content Capturing, Presentation, and Delivery

The primary technologies typically used by consultants when working with the
content of their consultation work include software for word processing,
spreadsheets, and presentation software. Word processing would be used for drafting
documents before, during, and after your consultation activities. Some of the more
popular word processors are Microsoft’s Word, Apple’s Pages, and OpenOffice.
Spreadsheets may be used to track expenses or document and analyze data collected
during the consultation process. Some of the more popular spreadsheet software
includes Microsoft’s Excel, Apple’s Numbers, and OpenOffice. Presentation software
would likely be needed when pitching a proposal for consultation or presenting
content to any group of people during the consultation process. Some of the more
popular presentation software includes Microsoft’s PowerPoint, Apple’s Keynote,
OpenOffice, and Prezi.
A consultant may also consider using a mobile device to capture and use con-
tent on the go. There are mobile versions of some word processors, spreadsheets,
66 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

and presentation software on smart devices. There are also mobile applications or
“apps” (and devices) that allow consultants to capture audio and video of their
work in the field. For example, a consultant may want to audiorecord the content
from an interview or focus group. Rather than take notes, they can record the
meeting and maintain their focus in the here-and-now of what is being related.
The recording could be reviewed later.

Document Management, Collaboration, and Sharing

Managing content on multiple computers and devices has created such problems
that applications and online resources have been developed to simplify the process.
Notes and content on one device can instantly be stored and edited on another device.
There are apps, such as Evernote, that allow for notes, pictures, audio clips, attach-
ments, and web clippings to be recorded and organized on something like a smart
device (something a consultant would use in the field) and instantly transferred to
another device like a laptop computer (provided there is an Internet connection).
Other web resources facilitate simple document storage and access across
multiple devices. This is also referred to as cloud storage, where the content may be
stored on a local device but also stored in a virtual capacity (on a server elsewhere).
Some cloud storage is only stored in a virtual capacity. Some of the more popular
cloud storage resources are Dropbox, Google Drive, Apple’s iCloud, and SkyDrive.
The ability to collaborate on documents and content is another technology skill
that is highly recommended. Rather than sending and resending documents for edit-
ing and review, there are resources that can be used to instantly share and collaborate
on the work. Perhaps the most popular of these resources is Google Docs, which pro-
vides access to word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, form creation, and
drawing software. One person can create a document using the software, and
instantly share a link for another person to access and edit the document. Some
webconferencing soft- ware (as mentioned above) will allow for instant collaboration
as well. Wikis are another tool that may be used to facilitate group interaction and
collaboration on a project. A wiki is a web resource that allows multiple participants
to add, modify, or delete content of a website document using a web browser. They
typically allow for the incorporation of multimedia content.

Assessing, Monitoring, and Evaluating

There may be times in which a consultant needs to collect data: They may need
to conduct a needs assessment, conduct a pretest and posttest, survey the client
system, or survey the satisfaction of the consultee. As assessments or surveys are
used, it takes additional effort to monitor the collection process and even yet more
time to collate and analyze the results. There are web resources that can help a
consultant conduct assessments, monitor data collection, and evaluate the data
received. The web inter- faces are fairly easy to use, and a consultant can create
simple or complex instruments. Users of the resources can find out fairly easily
whether the assessments are being used,
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 67

who is using them, and how they are being used. Most of the resources will even
create an attractive display of the results with graphs and charts (depending on the
type of data collected). Some of the more popular resources are SurveyMonkey,
SurveyGizmo, and Google Forms.

Ethical Framework for the Use of Technology in Consultation

DeeAnna Merz Nagel and Kate Anthony (2009; see also Suggested Readings)
have developed a series of ethical frameworks for various types of mental health
profession- als. It stands to reason that their series of frameworks can be applied to
consultation as well. The primary ethical concepts to keep in mind when using
technology as a con- sultant are listed below:

 Hardware (when used for communication): Consultants should understand the basic
platform of their own devices and computers and whether or not their consultee’s hard-
ware or platforms are compatible with any communication programs being used by the
consultant.
 Software: Consultants know how to download and upgrade software (and assist clients
with it as well) when the software is used for consultation services.
 Encryption: A consultant should understand how to access encrypted services, as
needed in their communication with a consultee or client. E-mail is not considered a
secure form of communication. A consultant should also consider secure storage of
records (as needed)—whether it be on secure services of a third-party cloud storage,
password-protected mobile devices, encrypted folders on a consultant’s hard drive, or
password-protected folders on an external drive. When unencrypted methods of com-
munication are used, this should be disclosed and explained (e.g., standard e-mail,
mobile telephones, SMS texting, social networking).
 Backup Storage: Records and data that are stored on a consultant’s device or hard drive
should be backed up regularly on an external drive or remotely using secure cloud
storage.
 Password Protection: Consultants should take steps to ensure the confidentiality of
documents and communication using password-protected devices, folders, drives, or
computers.
 Firewalls: Consultants use firewall protection externally or through web-based programs.
 Virus Protection: A consultant does their best to ensure that their work computers and
devices are protected against viruses that may be received from others—and that they
don’t transmit them to others.
 Methods of Communication: If a consultant’s primary mode of communication is elec-
tronic or digital, they still offer contact information that includes a post address, a tel-
ephone number, and an e-mail address. A consultant should have an agreed-upon plan
for how to communicate and proceed when there are technological problems.
 Consultee’s Technology Skills: A consultant should screen the consultee’s (and possibly
the client’s) use of technology at the beginning of the consultation relationship and
should be screened along the same avenues with the consultant-used technology.
Questions may include, but are not limited to, a consultee’s experience with e-mail,
instant messaging, software and applications used, social networking, SMS texting,
webconferencing and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), and telephone access and
use (Merz Nagel & Anthony, 2009).
68 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Consultation Report Writing

 It has been noted that consultants are faced with greater accountability within the
realm of their services (Brinkman, Segool, Pham, & Carlson, 2007). This view of
accountabil- ity incorporates the documentation process, specifically related to
intervention effec- tiveness. Consultants must carefully consider how they document
their services and their outcomes in accordance with how they are contracted to
provide services. If you are contracted to provide a specific service (and draft a report
at the end of the process), then your report should be submitted with the expectations
addressed in detail. Clearly and accurately documenting the steps taken is essential in
providing accountability (Brinkman et al., 2007) and list the following reasons for
drafting consultation reports:
 Summarize services
 Convey information that was gathered
 Create a formal document that may assist with future endeavors
 Describe the sequence of events
 Present data gathered during the process that may demonstrate whether or not the
consultation was a success

Case 3.4: Write the Report

Pat has a consultation agreement with an organization that has its headquarters
in another state from where Pat lives—and more importantly—a different state from
where the consultation services took place. She had a clear and well-written contract
going into the consultation, so she knew exactly what to expect and what to
accomplish during her time with the consultee. The problem is that the consultation
didn’t go exactly according to plan. She did a great job, but there were things that
happened that were out of Pat’s con- trol. The consultation wasn’t as successful as
she’d hoped. Now that the bulk of her work is complete, she is faced with submitting
a report to the organization regarding the consul- tation services. This was an
expectation that was part of the contract she signed with them. Pat realizes that the
outcome of this relationship can affect how much consulting work she receives in the
future. Per her contract, she is going to follow through with submitting a report as
requested. She has to keep reminding herself that her report needs to accurately
represent the intervention effectiveness—and not attempt to alter the report to reflect
a change in the outcome for the better. She realizes that the report may be the only
way for the organization to have a clear and accurate understanding of her actions
and interven- tions applied. Because the representatives and decision makers for the
organization are in a different state, and were not “looking over her shoulder” during
her time on site, the only way that they may be able to interpret her work is to
examine the outcome or results.
Without the report documenting the process, sequence of events, results, barriers,
and successes, the organization representatives may never know how good of a job
she did.

A report should be written objectively and concisely, integrating information

gathered, and focused on documenting the outcome (Brinkman et al, 2007). It should
be written in third-person narrative and be free from a conversational tone. There
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 69

should be no spelling or grammatical errors, and the paragraphs written in easily

digestible lengths.
Strong consideration should be given over how to visually present data, when
appropriate. Visual or graphical presentations can organize and relate data about
the intervention implementation over time and effectively present an
interpretation about the effectiveness of treatment.
A comprehensive report summarizes all of the steps taken during the
consultation process and synthesizes the findings with a focus on outcomes.
Brinkman et al. (2007) offer a sample detailed ordering of sections for a formal
consultation report, which we have modified slightly:

1. Identifying Information: Provide the relevant identifying information about the con-
sultant, consultee, and client. Include dates of consultation meetings.
2. Reason for Referral: Provide information about the source and concerns that
prompted the referral.
3. Problem-Solving Techniques: Describe all of the interviews and data-gathering proce-
dures used (including dates). Identify who was responsible for data collection.
4. Background Information: Present any information relevant to the consultee’s and/or
client’s functioning (current and past).
5. Problem Identification: Summarize the primary concern that was identified.
6. Methodology for Data Collection: Describe who collected the data, and how, when,
and where it was collected.
7. Baseline Data: If possible, provide a visual representation of the baseline data (table
or graph).
8. Problem and Goal Definition: Provide an interpretation of the possible difference
between the expected level of performance and the baseline data. Describe what the
goals of consultation were as a result.
9. Intervention Implementation: Present a concise summary of the interventions applied.
Identify who did what, how it was done, when it was done, and where it was done.
10. Intervention Data: If possible, provide a visual representation of the data across base-
line and intervention stages of the consultation process.
11. Intervention Evaluation: Present a critical evaluation of the consultation process, with
respect to baseline and intervention implementation data, the outcome, the problem-
solving process, and intervention design.
12. Summary: Summarize the information presented in the previous sections.
13. Recommendations: Offer specific recommendations that might address ongoing con-
cerns or problems. Describe what components of the process should be continued.
14. Signature: Sign and date the document.

Source: Adapted from Brinkman, Segool, Pham, & Carlson, (2007).

70 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Guided Practice Exercises Exercise 3.3: Office Space Consultation

Watch the movie Office Space (Reidel & Judge, 1999) and imagine that you are one of
the consultants (one of the Bobs) from the movie (keeping in mind that this movie
provides an inaccurate, comical view on consultation that embraces a lot of people’s
misconcep- tions about consultation). Draft a consultation report of your work with
Initech (Initech is the organizational consultee; Bill Lumbergh is your identified
consultee contact).

Chapter Keystones
 There are basic, foundational skills that are common across all models—and common across all
contexts and subject areas. These are the skills that drive your work and are the greatest predictor of
your success as a consultant: interpersonal skills, communication skills, problem-solving skills,
relationship-building skills, multicultural-counseling skills, and group-work skills.
 The relationship between culture and consultation is multifaceted and complex. Culture can influence
consultation in a variety of ways.
 Nonprofit consultation is generally described as working as a consultant without the expectation of
receiving any payment or additional compensation. For-profit consultation is generally described as
working as a consultant with the expectation of receiving payment or other compensation.
 The costs associated with external, for-profit consultation should be provided to the consultee during the
initiation of the relationship. Organizational responsibilities should also be made clear at the beginning
of the consultation relationship.
 Part of becoming a successful consultant requires the ability to make connections and generate proposals
for consulting work.
 How much to charge for consultation services is a complex process. There are numerous factors to consider.
 Consultants should have some knowledge regarding the technology used in consultation: communication,
networking and marketing, content capturing, presentation and delivery, document management, collabo-
ration and sharing, and assessing, monitoring, and evaluating.
 Consultants must carefully consider how they document their services and their outcomes in accordance
with how they are contracted to provide services.

Web-Based and Literature-Based Resources

Websites
Adobe Connect: http://success.adobe.com/content/en/na/programs/products/connect/1211-web-confer
ences.html?skwcidTC|22191|adobe%20connect||S|e|21117383062&ef_idxnFPhkZ9BRwAAIqK:
20130122063441:s

Apple iWork: http://www.apple.com/iwork

Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com
 Necessary Skills of a Consultant ❖ 71

Elluminate Live!: http://www.elluminate.com/Services/Training/Elluminate_Live!/?id418

Evernote: http://evernote.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com
Google Docs: http://docs.google.com
Google Drive:
http://drive.google.com
GoToMeeting: http://www.gotomeeting.com
iCloud: https://www.icloud.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com
Microsoft Office: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us
Online Therapy Institute: http://onlinetherapyinstitute.com
Open Office: http://www.openoffice.org
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com
Prezi: http://prezi.com
SecondLife: http://secondlife.com
SkyDrive: https://skydrive.live.com
Skype: http://www.skype.com
SurveyGizmo: http://www.surveygizmo.com
SurveyMonkey: http://www.surveymonkey.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com
Wiki (What is a wiki, by a wiki): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

Suggested Readings
Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs. (2009). 2009 standards (Section
2d, 5b, 5c). Retrieved from http://www.cacrep.org/doc/2009%20Standards%20with%20cover.pdf
Merz Nagel, D., & Anthony, K. (2009). Ethical framework for the use of technology in career and school
guidance.
Retrieved from http://www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com/id51.html
Merz Nagel, D., & Anthony, K. (2009). Ethical framework for the use of technology in coaching. Retrieved
from http://www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com/ethical-framework-for-the-use-of-technology-in-
coaching
Merz Nagel, D., & Anthony, K. (2009). Ethical framework for the use of technology in mental health.
Retrieved from http://onlinetherapyinstitute.com/ethical-training

References
American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Brinkman, T. M., Segool, N. K., Pham, A. V., & Carlson, J. S. (2007). Writing comprehensive behavioral
consultation reports: Critical elements. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy,
3(3), 372–383.
Cosier, R. A., & Dalton, D. R. (1993). Management consulting: Planning, entry, performance. Journal of
Counseling and Development, 72, 191–198.
72 ❖ COUNSELOR AS CONSULTANT

Erchul, W. P. (2003). Communication and interpersonal process in consultation: Guest editor’s comments.
Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(2), 105–107.
Gottfredson, D. C. (1993). Strategies for improving treatment integrity in organizational consultation.
Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 4(3), 275–279.
Hoffman, M. A., Phillips, E. L., Noumair, D. A., Shullman, S., Geisler, C., Gray, J., . . . & Ziegler, D.
(2006). Toward a feminist and multicultural model of consultation and advocacy. Journal of
Multicultural Counseling and Development, 34, 116–128.
Holcomb-McCoy, C. (2004). Assessing the multicultural competence of school counselors: A checklist.
Professional School Counseling, 7(3), 178–183.
Ingraham, C. L. (2003). Multicultural consultee-centered consultation: When novice consultants explore
cultural hypotheses with experienced teacher consultees. Journal of Educational and Psychological
Consultation, 14(Special issue 3 & 4), 329–362.
Jervey, G. (2004). The brand called Jim. Money, 33(11), 55–59.
Klein, M. D., & Harris, K. C. (2004). Considerations in the personnel preparation of itinerant early
childhood special education consultants. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation,
15(2), 151–165.
Kurpius, D. J., Fuqua, D. R., & Rozecki, T. (1993). The consulting process: A multidimensional approach.
Journal of Counseling and Development, 71, 601–606.
Lencioni, P. (2010). The power of a naked consultant. Training  Development, 64(7), 14.
Li, C., & Vazquez-Nuttall, E. (2009). School consultants as agents of social justice for multicultural
children and families. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 19, 26–44.
Merz Nagel, D., & Anthony, K. (2009). Therapy online: A practical guide. London, UK: Sage. Meyers, A.
B. (2002). Developing nonthreatening expertise: Thoughts on consultation training from the
perspective of a new faculty member. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation,
13(1/2), 55–67.
Meyers, B. (2002). The contract negotiation stage of a school-based, cross-cultural organizational
consulta- tion: A case study. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 13(3), 151–183.
Meyers, J. (2002). A 30 year perspective on best practices for consultation training. Journal of
Educational and Psychological consultation, 13(1/2), 35–54.
Moe, J. L., & Perera-Diltz, D. M. (2009). An overview of systemic-organizational consultation for profes-
sional counselors. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory, and Research, 37(1), 27–37.
Plax, T. G. (2006). How much are we worth? Estimating fee for service. Communication Education, 55(2),
242–246.
Reidel, G. (Producer), & Judge, M. (Director). (1999). Office Space [Motion picture]. United States: 20th-
Century Fox.
Remley, T. P. (1993). Consultation contracts. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72, 157–158.
Rogers, M. R. (2000). Examining the cultural context of consultation. School Psychology Review, 29(3),
414–418.
Washburn, J. J., Manley, T., & Holiwski, F. (2003). Teaching on white racism: Tools for consultant training.
Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 14(3/4), 387–399.
Weigel, R. G. (1988). Mid-life career change: Taking the plunge. Journal of Counseling and Development, 67,
123.
West, M. (2010). Nonprofits face a wealth of options as consulting field expands. Chronicle of
Philanthropy, 23(1), 9.