Final Exam Consulting

Peers see each other more clearly than management sees them, and therefore peers are harder to manipulate than management. True False

True

A commitment that is conditional on the response from another is what? A Commitment A Promise A Contract A Pledge

A Contract

The blueprint for traditional installation-style implementation is to: (pick all that apply) Develop a vision Hold people accountable Articulate a vision Set standards for what to expect Define measures for the change

Articulate a vision Set standards for what to expect Define measures for the change

There are two aspects of implementation for consultants and they are? Building your team Building support Getting the contract The technical work

Building support The technical work

Being comprehensive and complete in the discovery phase is essential

Completeness and comprehensiveness are not vital. They can be overwhelming at the point of deciding what to do

Simple

Complicated

You try to eliminate bias and intuition. There is heavy emphasis on objectivity and hard data.

Consultants are getting paid for their own bias and intuition - it's called judgement

There are 2 primary reasons for the discovery phase as outlined in the book, pick all that apply: Develop an independent and fresh way of looking at the issue. Create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership, and action. To build a good structure and methodology to solve the problem. Develop, support, and defend your hypothesis.

Develop an independent and fresh way of looking at the issue. Create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership, and action.

In selecting the method(s) of inquiry there are 6 potential methods described. Which method is the best source of data if you can trust your own perceptions? Your Own Experience Direct Observation Document Analysis Interview

Direct Observation

The consultant's primary task is to present a fresh a picture of what has been _______. Decided Hidden Discovered Solved

Discovered

In selecting the method(s) of inquiry there are 6 potential methods described. Which method gives the aura of objectivity? Survey Document Analysis Interview Self-Discovery

Document Analysis

The best way to deal with resistance from the customer or client is to? Encourage full expression of the concerns so that they pass. Argue your point and show the logic of why their concerns are not needed. Just give in and do whatever they want. Push back as hard as you can.

Encourage full expression of the concerns so that they pass.

A decision to support change is usually made on logic and reason alone. True False

False

Change in human systems has much more to do with the ability of those who govern than the consent of the governed. True False

False

There is a power among peers that bosses and management can easily overcome. True False

False

When you are controlling a meeting you need to clearly state you are controlling the meeting and then act that way regardless of what happens. True False

False

The discovering gifts, capacities, and possibilities approach goes under many names. (Pick all that apply) Future Search Appreciative Inquiry Positive Psychology Positive Deviance

Future Search Appreciative Inquiry Positive Psychology Positive Deviance

According to chapter 12 the an interesting new development is discovery is looking at a system's (pick all that apply) Gifts History Capacities Possibilities

Gifts Capacities Possibilities

Focused

Global

A critical area of inquiry in action-oriented discovery is? How the client feels about the problem or solution. How the technical or business problem is being managed. That only facts and data are being used to solve the problem. Is the consultant's hypothesis correct or incorrect.

How the technical or business problem is being managed.

People typically do voice their doubts and tell the truth in organizations. In public meetings In private With their management

In private

Interested in all the factors that have an impact on the situation at hand

Interested in factors that are under the control of the client and affect the situation

Pick 2 of the guidelines for selecting what to highlight to the client after collecting all the data. Items that are clearly important to the organization. Items that are just too hard to pass up. Items that the client has control over changing. Items that the client specifically told you to find.

Items that are clearly important to the organization. Items that the client has control over changing.

Descriptive

Judgemental

Brief

Lengthy

The book describes 3 steps for handling resistance, pick the right ones below. Pick all that apply. Ensure you explain why you are doing something using facts and data Name the resistance Pick up the cues Be quiet and let the Client respond

Name the resistance Pick up the cues Be quiet and let the Client respond

The main advantage of the whole-system approach compared to the third-party approach is that there is? That you will have to sell your ideas to the organization. No need to sell a set of actions to anyone, especially to people at lower levels of the system. That only management will be involved and you can use their power to sell the change. That you receive an objective and independent view of the solution.

No need to sell a set of actions to anyone, especially to people at lower levels of the system.

When presenting the picture you should? Present an unmanageable number of issues to ensure they know you did a good job. Straight forward and not be structured where it allows the organization to participate. Not overload the organization too many issues. Present all of the issues you have identified regardless of how many.

Not overload the organization too many issues.

The strength of a third party strategy/approach is? Insight Subjectivity Ownership Objectivity

Objectivity

Describing the concerns that began the process, where the change effort is at, and what the organization needs is an example of doing what? Selling the change to the organization. Describing what is happening and what will be happening. Opening with transparent purpose and leveling the playing field. Trying to protect people from bad news.

Opening with transparent purpose and leveling the playing field.

We should never collude with the client to? (pick all that apply) Play down the impact that difficult relationships have on the problem. Develop innovative solutions or recommendations. Help them avoid responsibility. Change the organization to fix the problem.

Play down the impact that difficult relationships have on the problem. Help them avoid responsibility.

Asking the client if they are getting what they want half way through the meeting gives you time recover if they express concerns. True False

True

The structure of a presentation to present the picture should include (pick all that apply) Recommendation(s). Analysis of the problem. A picture of the organization. Analysis of how the situation is managed.

Recommendation(s). Analysis of the problem. Analysis of how the situation is managed.

In chapter 10 the author implies that one of the consultant's most important contribution to a client is what? Listening to the customers feelings and making them feel good. Solution to the problem defined by the customer. Relieving the customer of their pain. Redefinition of the problem.

Redefinition of the problem.

When conducting interviews in an organization, the mere act of asking questions can stimulate people to do what? Improve what they are doing Resist what you are doing Stop what they are doing Rethink what they are doing

Rethink what they are doing

The steps in getting the picture is described using 14 steps. We have completed at least the first 5 of these steps. Pick only those that fit within the first 5 steps. Select the Discovery Strategy Select the Dimensions to Examine Implementation Make a Decision Re-Decide to Proceed

Select the Discovery Strategy Select the Dimensions to Examine Re-Decide to Proceed

The limitation of third-party help is? The lack of an independent view. The tight bond between discovery and the doing. The lack of management sponsorship. Separation between discovery and the doing.

Separation between discovery and the doing.

When managing a meeting for action your presentation should be? Short Able to explain all of the data you analyzed. Short and have good frameworks that visually display a story. Short and simple.

Short and simple

Implementation is, in theory, the point of the consultation, the fruit of the labor. True False

True

Specific

Stereotyped

In selecting the method(s) of inquiry there are 6 potential methods described. Which method is good for large numbers of people? Survey Document Analysis Whole System Discovery Direct Observation

Survey

You can do research on your own. The organization doesn't have to be involved as part of the research team.

The client's involvement in the study is important at each stage

Membership behavior is more vital than leadership behavior. True False

True

When giving the final report to the client it is ok to provide support for what they have been doing right and to point out or confront them with what they have been doing wrong. True False

True

When the people who will be affected the change can join you in the process of discovery, recommendation, decision, and implementation; you are using a Whole-System approach. True False

True

You should involve your client in interpreting the data collected. True False

True

A Third-Party strategy/approach is defined in Chapter 11 as? Whenever some individual or group develops a solution for another. When a group develops a solution for a third party. When the whole system is involved in the change. Whenever a third party is involved in the situation.

Whenever some individual or group develops a solution for another.

Decision-making process creates higher commitment to implement.

Whole system

The book recommends giving the data and recommendations in the first 20% of the meeting so? (pick all that apply) You get to the point and to the recommendations quickly. The client hears the bottom line up front and can end the meeting without discussion if they like it. The meeting stays formal and with little discussion. You have enough time to deal with their resistance.

You get to the point and to the recommendations quickly. You have enough time to deal with their resistance.

Real accountability is the willingness to put the well-being of the _______ first. project unit change institution

institution

Implementation of any change boils down to whether people at several levels are going to take responsibility for the success of the ______ and the _______. institution change people project

institution change

Consultants have traditionally given too much attention to _______ and _________ and too little attention to the complexity of translating those answers into action. recommendations strategic frameworks analysis problem solving

recommendations analysis

Broader view and has seen many organizations and ways to approach the problem.

third party

Neutral Observer with no stake in the answer.

third party

Simple decision-making process with more manager control of the decision.

third party

More realism and people know what is doable and what will work

whole system

People deciding are the ones who have to make it work

whole system