OUR APPROACH TO
Consulting
We provide a lot more than training or coaching; we are a full service organizational development consulting organization, specializing in performance improvement solutions that move an organization through meaningful change. We are equipped with the analytical tools and professional consultants to help your organization achieve a higher level of performance and solve your most complex organizational problems.
The purpose of performance improvement is to boost organizational results by strengthening individual and organizational performance. Using a systematic approach, our consultants perform the following:
Identify the goals of your organization
Select appropriate solutions that will address those causes
Define the gap between desired performance and actual performance
Implement the solutions
Identify the causes of the performance gap through a root cause analysis
Evaluate the results
IPS uses the Human Performance Model below as a general guide for how we pursue consultative processes of change with our clients.
Any change intervention will ultimately prove less than optimal result-wise if we have not assisted our client in identifying their organizational needs. We craft a solid plan to deliver change interventions that actually solve organizational problems. Here are the steps that we take to ensure client outcomes:
1. Selecting The ‘Right’ Consultant
Maintaining a large base of extraordinary specialists and has a wide choice in an effort to ‘match’ the client with the very best consultant. Since a large part of the consulting endeavor requires dependence on the relationship developed between the Consultant and the client, careful research is completed before a final consultant is recommended.
2. “Getting To Know You”
The consulting relationship remains very personal, we emphasizes the requirement of initially building a solid relationship between the consultant and the client. Failure to take adequate time in this stage can result in long-term failure. We have found that nothing replaces trust and respect between these two important entities. Minimally in this stage the consultant helps move the client towards an organizational development process that assists the client in looking holistically at the entire organization, seeing their organization as a system.
3. Selecting The ‘Right’ Process To Identify The Real Problem
There are a large number of tools, steps, research, and best practices that can be used in this step. The most important consideration is that the consultant selected has the expertise and takes the time to choose the most applicable root cause analysis process during their initial assessment process.
4. Assessment
The possibilities for the actual assessment are most likely unlimited, but this process requires careful application of the tools identified previously and then analyzing the assessment results. Looking at the organization’s history/background, mission, strategic plans, etc. is particularly important in this stage. We typically uses some combination of quantitative and qualitative research. It is a real ‘art and science’ to both choose the correct process and analyze the results. Regardless of the variables, the identification of the exact change needed requires considerable consultant expertise.
5. Selecting and Applying the Correct Solution
The root cause analysis process guarantees that we will recommend a solution that specifically addresses the real issue. Training is only one of many interventions available. Many organizations are surprised at the number and types of interventions actually available. The Consultant will recommend an intervention regardless of whether that intervention is one that we can provide. We are committed to ultimate successful outcomes for our clients.
6. Evaluation
Measuring intervention success usually includes both formative and summative processes. We take the time to develop the evaluation early in the consulting process, and then applies the selected evaluation(s) in this stage of the project. In this stage we provide results back to the client, which we jointly analyze, discuss, and conclude with future recommendations.
7. Project ‘Termination’
We may ‘terminate’ a project but we do not terminate our relationships with our clients. Once we have worked with a client and have delivered a successful consulting endeavor, we seek to understand the future scope of the client and ways we can provide ongoing support for any change initiative.
Client Profile: Metro Parks Tacoma
Metro Parks Tacoma was created in 1907 as a municipal corporation to manage park, recreation and zoological services and facilities for the citizens of Tacoma. At the beginning of the 2015, we met with Carol Mitchell, new Organizational Development and HR Manager at Metro Parks to discuss the delivery of a variety of classes; however, the usual training delivery proposal based on that first meeting did not result in a contract for just training. A series of assessment and planning meetings resulted in an overall organizational development objective related to the organization’s annual performance review process.
As a local community-based provider, we pride ourselves on long-term relationships with our clients. Our reputation within our community depends on our excellent services.
