Enhanced leadership capabilities of professionals by shifting their role from knowledge worker to internal business partner and consultant.

Improved internal customer service which translates into improved external customer service.

Skillful execution of systemic and large scale change.

Internal service groups more strategically aligned.

Enhanced support for technical / professional career development.

A model for consulting.

Interpersonal styles.

Authenticity.

Client resistance.

Consulting roles.

Phase I: entry, sensing, and relationship building.

Phase II: contracting.

Phase III: data gathering, diagnosis, and feedback.

Phase IV: planning, execution, and monitoring.

Phase V: evaluation and consultant feedback.

Phase VI: termination.

Application of the consulting model.

Managers with at least ten years of experience who are responsible for managing expectations and ensuring cooperation during periods of change within their organizations.

The Consulting Skills Workshop provides managers responsible for organizational change with a practical, six-phase model for working effectively with client groups - those who implement and are affected by the change. Particular attention is paid to managing expectations among change agents, managers, executives, and other members of the organization. This workshop teaches participants to act as internal consultants to their own organizations, working to involve clients in all phases of problem identification and solution. At the end of a consulting assignment, clients are able to sustain the changes in their organization. Participants learn techniques and methods to use every day, such as forming collaborative working relationships, negotiating roles and expectations with clients, collecting and using data effectively throughout the consultation process, and handling difficult situations that occur when circumstances change in the organization. Role plays, discussion of current situations faced by participants, and an extended case study provide opportunities to practice newly learned skills.

Laurence F. Akiyoshi has over 23 years of experience as an advisor and consultant to organizations and leaders. His experience includes principal of an international consulting firm, and managing teams of consultants for a global high technology organization. In his consulting work, Laurence has specialized in collaborative approaches to complex, comprehensive, and fast cycle-time organization redesign. He has developed and refined a number of effective approaches that result in high performance and high commitment organizations. In addition, his work focuses on the development of executive and leadership, effectiveness and capability. Laurence has been the lead consultant for many large-scale organization design projects and provided executive coaching and development to clients throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He has consulted in a wide variety of industries, including high technology, start-ups, manufacturing, consumer goods, automotive, pharmaceutical, financial services, utilities, and aerospace. Laurence has co-authored workbooks and articles in the areas of organization development, consulting skills, and change management. Recent publications include Strategic Organization Design, Staff Consulting: Making Meaningful Contributions to Organizational Performance, and Executive Coaching During the Phases of Planned Change (March 2003). Laurence holds graduate degrees in business administration and counseling psychology from the University of California. In addition, he is a graduate of Columbia University’s Advanced Program in Organization Development, as well as advanced work in Organization and Action Learning at Harvard University.