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Consultancy Skills Programme

Analyse problems, create solutions, deliver change

This exciting programme is designed to help managers act as consultants – within their own department or organisation, or with external organisations they fund or support. It's also ideal for anyone keen to find out how to develop a career as a consultant.

(Want to learn about becoming a consultant but don't have five days spare? Try our one-day introductory programme.)

 

  I found the Consultancy Skills Programme very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. The trainers really knew their stuff and the balance between presentations and practical exercises was perfect. The coaching and strategic tools will be especially useful to me when putting it all into practice.

 

Aileen McEvoy, freelance Arts Consultant

  

 

Take part in our online quiz: 'Could you cut it as a consultant?' 

Download our Consultancy Skills Programme brochure

 

Read on to find out about:

Benefits and Core Modules

Programme design

Booking information

=mc is the largest non-profit management consultancy in Europe, working with major charities from MSF to UNICEF and public bodies from OECD to the UK Cabinet Office. The programme is based on the one we use to develop our own consultants. It draws on some of the latest and most effective consultancy techniques in the commercial and not-for-profit world.

Before the programme we ask you to complete an online questionnaire to help us ensure the content meets your needs and those of the other participants.

Benefits:

  • Increase your ability to analyse complex situations and then come up with viable and effective solutions

  • Gain access to a set of toolkits in strategy, change, innovation and problem solving to help identify key issues and then tackle them

  • Discover approaches to ensure senior leadership and other stakeholders follow through your recommendations

Core Modules:

The programme is built around a number of key toolkits that a consultant needs to be effective:

  • Consultancy methodology toolkit: identifying consultancy roles, stages of consultancy projects, clarifying customers and briefs
  • Innovation toolkit: facilitating creativity, group problem-solving, =mc innovation value chain, techniques for promoting systematic innovation
  • Strategy toolkit: identifying strategic issues, using tools like Ansoff and Boston analysis, plus Porter's 5-forces for entry and exit strategies
  • Change toolkit: models for change, 5Cs of change, handling change responses, change frameworks including Kotter
  • Communication toolkit: presenting ideas and results powerfully, influencing skills in one-to-one and group communication
  • Facilitation and Problem solving toolkit: using 6 Thinking Hats and Action Shoes, Ishikawa analysis to diagnose problems and mind mapping
  • Financial analysis toolkit: key ratios, understanding financial statements, analysing data
  • Organisational structure toolkit: identifying structure options, evaluating the positives and negatives of different organisational options, creating SBUs, handling re-structures 
  • Coaching toolkit: using the =mc coaching model, reviewing performance and giving effective and empowering feedback

Please note: we have added additional modules to the programme based on responses from participants. For full details of the modules covered in the programme, contact us.

Bonus sessions: build your own consultancy

In response to demand from participants we'll offer two bonus sessions outside of the core programme to coach and brief those interested in setting up their own consultancy. The content will be dependent on participants' interests, but can include advice on getting started, pricing work and networking skills.

Learning approaches

The programmme offers a range of learning methodologies. You'll analyse challenging Harvard Business School style case studies in small groups, tackle specific work-based problems by using fellow participants as consultants and participate in a live study, making recommendations.

Leading consultancy tutors

The programme will be delivered by a mix of members of =mc's team including:

Bernard Ross

Chloë  Longmore

Dates16 - 20 April 2012
15 - 19 October 2012
Duration5 days
Cost£1500+VAT
VenueLondon
DocumentationThe 200 page =mc Consultancy Manual - an outstanding reference work for all aspects of consultancy. It covers all the ‘tool' clusters giving clear and simple explanations for their use.
Booking InfoBook Now
Also available in-house »
 
Please contact us if you'd like to discuss your training requirements with our team, or would like more information

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Book Now

Dates:
16 - 20 April 2012
15 - 19 October 2012

Cost:
£1500+VAT


Venue:
London

Who should attend?

  • development professionals in the arts, sports and social welfare fields who have responsibility for setting up, assessing or supporting projects
  • senior managers in larger charities, local authorities or public bodies who are called in to 'troubleshoot' in other departments
  • professionals in the human resources, personnel and training fields who see consultancy as a way to complement and develop existing interventions
  • individuals keen to explore consultancy skills as a possible career development – either independently or by joining a consulting firm

 

testimonial image

 

The course was excellent. I thought that I understood consulting, but the course gave me a whole new way of thinking about my work, my clients and the advice I give them. I would recommend it whether you are new to consulting or, like me, want a fresh view of the job you’ve done for years. I used the lessons I learned from Bernard the day after I returned from the course.” 

Chris Carnie, Director, Factary

 

 

This was an excellent programme: great trainers, good venue, helpful tasking, great use of humour, fantastic food, great price and useful support materials! The programme was planned exceptionally well, with a natural progression from session to session. I have left with a set of targets through which to apply my new skills and have a general direction for their practical use. I’m feeling very pleased!

Kevin Ryan, CEO, Charnwood Arts

 


I attended this course many years ago when I was working in Community Development. I learned a great deal, and the course was invaluable in helping me to identify and develop the services communities wanted at high quality and a price that they could afford. Later on in my career I went on to set up my own consultancy company.

Gerry Davis, Former Director of Community Development, London Borough of Brent

 


From now on I’ll breakdown specific challenges and consciously try to match them with my new skills. I have left with lots of new skills, which will be extremely useful when I get back to work. The presentation skills were particularly helpful and very practical.

Becca Williams, Innovation Services Planner, RNIB

 

 


This programme was fascinating – it really got me thinking and the week was full of “aha” moments! The tools I’ve gained are highly applicable to my role in service improvement at NHS East Midlands – I’ll use them immediately to systematically analyse our current approach and the way we work with teams.

Alan Rigott, Strategic Relationships Programme Manager, NHS East Midlands

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