The influential internal consultant

Abstract

Purpose

In many organizations, professionals who were once in supportive roles or considered subject matter experts are now expected to take a consulting role in order to facilitate change in their area of expertise. Most, whilst skilled and knowledgeable in their field, have no training in the skills required to be a successful consultant and agent of change. They need to understand and manage the process of consulting and develop new skills; one of the key skill‐sets is interpersonal influence. This article aims to focus on the issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop in detail the applications of influence skills to the process of internal consulting.

Findings

Good influence skills are essential for success as an internal consultant, since by definition people in that role cannot mandate change. Both expressive and receptive influence behaviors are useful at various phases of the consulting process. Developing the skills and knowing when and how to use the different behaviors described can be invaluable to professionals in an internal consulting role.

Research limitations/implications

This is not a research paper, but the authors are open to suggestions as to research possibilities.

Practical implications

Anyone in an internal consulting role can gain value from thinking of him or herself as an influencer and being thoughtful in how he or she uses influence skills to achieve the results required or expected from a specific consulting engagement or project.

Social implications

An open discussion about mutual influence skills and strategies can enhance working relationships and make it easier to achieve results in complex organizations and situations.

Originality/value

Very little has been studied or written about the skills required to be an internal consultant, though much has been written about the process of external consulting. The authors' observations and experience have led them to conclude that the roles are quite different and that internal consultants must depend on their interpersonal influence skills to a greater degree in order to achieve successful results.

Citation

Kim Barnes, B. and Scott, B. (2012), "The influential internal consultant", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 44 No. 7, pp. 408-415. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197851211267992