PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process 

Abstract

This discovery report will detail the first consultation process between a consultant and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The content in this report will cover two methods of discovery and strengths and weaknesses of each. There will be a short list of consulting skills the consultant will adhere to and discovery questions the consultant will directly pose to the client. Last, some of the strengths and limitations to the discovery process will be scripted for discussion.

Consulting Discovery: The Road to Discovery

Case Study

The case study to be used in this assignment is the need for an across-the-board leadership development program within the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The MTA, the largest transportation organization in America, consists of six different agencies, each having their own independent leadership structure and multiple versions of leadership development programs. Each of these agencies has wide variations and does not overlap whatsoever with other agencies even though there are normally transfers of personnel between agencies for purposes of promotion.

The organization has concluded that it would prefer to establish a universal leadership development program applicable to all agencies; an I/O consultant has been tasked to create this leadership development program. Besides building this program, among the issues and problems that would be faced are a lack of an up-and-coming leader’s guidebook and leadership development for certain experienced members of management who apply old ways of doing things to both handle tasks as well as lead and inspire their teams.

PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process 

As I work through this process, I have been afforded the guidance and support of several of the agency’s deputy chiefs and the Chief People Officer responsible for all human resources functions within each agency. Each agency Chief has granted me access to their frontline leaders so that I can better understand the talent out there and offer opportunity for insight into their leadership principles and practices. It should be noted that part of this initiative’s behavior is resistance; many managers do not buy into the changes that are being suggested.

As was indicated before, the return to the MTA is practically unimaginable. The MTA is a huge organization with more than 70,000 individuals with an extremely wide span of mobility; a sustainable leadership development program would generate a talent pool of internal leaders that would have a multiplier effect on other functional areas such as employee engagement and retention strategies.

Consulting Discovery: Comparison of Discovery Approaches

Discovery Approaches

This part of the assessment will describe two various approaches to be considered for the discovery phase of the consultation. The process and the methods demonstrated are designed to diagnose problems or identify what strengths exist; there also exists the chance that both events might be involved. There are no other sections to this assessment. The first of these that we will explore is the “strength-based” approach, the second to be compared is the “process consultation” approach. Both forms will be fully explored as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each choice.

Strength-Based Approach

Beginning with the “strengths-based” discovery approach, Block (2011, p. 159) explains the strengths-based approach as “a way of thinking different from diagnosis– one that focuses more on possibilities than problems.”. Instead of concentrating on what is not going right, on weaknesses, we concentrate on what is going right, on strengths and talents, and work towards expanding and leveraging those resources. The strengths approach would give people the validation of their potential and through proven ways, act upon this self-value acceptance and transfer it into improvement.

Another definition is in an article by Stoerkel (2019) which states “the strengths-based approach is founded on the idea that the client is the agent or actor of change — the approach is highly dependent upon how the individual thinks and feels about things. It is open to communication, asking people to discover value and assemble their strengths and capabilities.”

PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process 

Also associated with the strengths-based method are the resilience concept and resilient thinking. As outlined by Bryant et al. (2021, p. 1408), “Resilience is a concept that arises fairly regularly in discourses about strengths-based approaches — utilizing this notion, strengths are generally stated in terms of personal attributes such as skills, attitudes, and cognition which may be referred to in order to cope with the tension of the proximal environment and which can be learned if given the proper opportunities or interventions.” Resilience modeling in forming individuals to develop resilient patterns of thinking allows those to cope with stressors and to “take greater charge of issues affecting their health and well being” (Bryant et al. 2021, p. 1408).

The MTA is a large organization with numerous talented individuals, and each of the individual agencies in the larger organization has hundreds if not thousands of individuals who possess important strengths. The consultant would likely spend much time assessing strengths. Once the right method of leveraging these strengths is discovered, however, a strategy such as the strengths-based approach might become the necessary strategy.

Process Consultation

Introducing process consultation to this discussion, Kwon et al. (2020, p. 324) contend that this process “implies that the client must take ownership of the problem-solving process, while the consultant facilitates an inquiry process mutually driven to reveal appropriate steps toward the client’s goals.”. In order to establish a continuous helping relationship between clients and consultants, process consultation is in harmony with the core philosophy of OD.” Process consultation is grounded on three models of helping approaches:

• “Model One: Providing Expert Information” (Schein, 1990, p. 59).
• “Model Two: Playing Doctor” (Schein, 1990, p. 60).
• “Model Three: Process Consultation” (Schein, 1990, p. 60).

This process conditions clients to solve their problems themselves and use their problem-solving skills to rectify their problems. However, for process consultation to work, Heracleous (2022, p. 3) states that “consultants must suspend their earlier biases about the client semicolon and also must aim to convey skills to the client so that the client can help themselves in the future.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Both Approaches

For the discovery phase of this project, it is without question important to assess both chosen models for their strengths and weaknesses. The two approaches will compare and contrast with the result that both have strengths and drawbacks associated with them. To observe some of the strengths of the two, starting with the strengths-based model, the following list provides some clearly apparent general principal strengths that compose its base:

• “All share a uniqueness that helps them develop and move forward on their journey. These qualities may be possible strengths and talents” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Whatever receives attention or notice becomes what the client serves for and, in the end, a reality” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Watch your words and say little. Our words create our reality” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Embracing change period life and our world are constantly shifting; do not resist it” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Support others as genuinely as you are able. You will find that your relationships are richer and more intimate” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “The client is the author of their own story” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Stand on what you are familiar with and have experienced to envision a future” (Stoerkel, 2019).
• “Capacity building has several aspects and organizations. Be flexible” (Stoerkel, 2019). 9.

“Be collaborative. Be adaptive in value differences” (Stoerkel, 2019).

PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process 

So much can be accomplished by focusing and tapping the strengths of individuals in a workforce in the general sense. Conversely the strength-based approach does have some particular disadvantages too. In the above article, Stoerkel (2019) says that “some see the central focus of the strength-based approach as its biggest weakness; while it’s great to focus on strengths, we shouldn’t entirely ignore weaknesses — if weaknesses aren’t well managed, they may not be monitored, and the person would be less effective.” This is interesting because in my experience, tracking weak points was always done on a group level, not on an individual level.

In terms of general and specific strengths and weaknesses of process consultation, just like the strengths-based approach, this process also has its advantages and disadvantages. The above reference points out three potential areas of challenge for this process:

• “The client may prefer an expert or doctor instead” (Heracleous, 2022, p. 4).
• “The client may not appreciate what process consultation entails in terms of the client’s active role” (Heracleous, 2022, p. 4).
• “The process consultant may not have the listening and diagnostic skills required” (Heracleous, 2022, p. 4).

Pointing to the strength of the process consultation approach, it features close cooperation among the client and the consultant. This allows measurable progress due to its participative nature. The MTA leadership is also a brittle team when outsiders judge their leadership. The majority of the management have been with them for decades and will believe “if it is not broke, do not fix it.” They do have respect for professionals and will collaborate with the client within their process consultation methods. That is possibly what can win them over to the method.

Further into the Discovery Process

As we enter into discovery, it is important that we establish some guidelines to operate by for all stakeholders. By mentioning that, there is going to be some list of questions of discovery and procedures presented in order to pursue further discussion with the MTA about how we are going to build this leadership development program. Although the questions remain open to alterations subsequently, here is an introduction to confirm that the consultant and the client have the same aims. Here starts the beginning of the first round of these competencies, guidelines, and questions.

Guidelines for Discovery

• How would the MTA envision utilizing the unique strengths of its workforce in contributing to developing this Universal Leadership Development program?
• The strengths-based approach uses intense collaboration to achieve its purpose. Remember number nine of the above-mentioned cornerstones “Be collaborative. Be adaptive in value differences” (Stoerkel, 2019). How are the various agencies in the MTA going to embrace this concept to put aside their deep-rooted agency functions to collaborate on a shared process of leadership development?
• Of course, some may think the consultant’s role is to completely take over the process. But process consultation is the client being a deep part of the process. Speaking of everyone’s role, is the frontline leadership at the MTA prepared to be fully participatory and involved in the process consultation method if employed?
• Under strengths-based practice is a focus area called “Appreciative Inquiry (AI) defined as “a form of action research that enables a procedure for exploring whether an organizational innovation is congruent with the mutually agreed goals of organizational actors” (Brunetto et al. 2020, p. 309). Just like question number three above, can the MTA assure cooperation from agency executives on this work?
• Kwon et al. (2020, p. 325) state that “the most critical challenge for process consultants is the need to acquire multicultural competencies to address the group dynamics of a highly diverse workforce.” That MTA has its headquarters in New York City reflects the city’s multicultural melting pot that it has accorded to its 70,000 plus staff. How will the leadership of the MTA justify its participation in this project with the consult using process consultation skills demonstrating inclusivity of the large percentage of ethnic employees in all agencies?

Consulting Competencies

This section discusses the competencies needed to make an effective consultation. The below is a description of competencies that are comparative to this consulting project with an organization such as the MTA.

• “Leadership Skills: Skill and vision creation, developing consensus, developing others’ capabilities, handling ambiguity and change, taking risk, and empowering others to act are some of the prime ingredients and a consultant’s toolkit” (Morin, 2020, p. 53).

Although the consultant will be consulting with the MTA leadership, he/she also should exhibit the confidence of a leader who can get the results through other leaders.

• “Communication Skills: Communication skills are an essential element of marketing your services – no less so is possessing outstanding interviewing skills” (Morin, 2020, p. 52). Interviewing leaders within each of the MTA’s different agencies will be difficult, but one that needs to be done in order to properly design this leadership development project.
• “The ability to deliver: The greatest talent that a consultant can possess is the ability to deliver tangible results. The ability to deliver is dependent upon possessing good critical thinking and problem-solving capability.” (Morin, 2020, p. 52). Executive leadership within the MTA should be able to observe tangible and incremental results. The consultant will demonstrate this over the course of this development project as well as upon finishing.

PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process 

• “Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Skills: not only must one have strong interviewing and analytical skills, but a consultant needs to be skilled at negotiating and conflict resolution as well, as these will be required at numerous points along the way with client relationships” (Morin, 2020, p. 53). The MTA is notorious as a challenging environment for leaders to work within. The consultant will have to navigate the periodic disagreements between leaders and potentially agencies.
• “Learnability: It is “the need and ability to quickly develop and build upon one skill set, to stay relevant and excel.”. In a bid to be as helpful as possible, the consultant refers to organizational development and appreciative inquiry references, both topics to which he or she has less knowledge” (Morin, 2020, p. 52). The consultant will make fact-finding visits around the MTA to gather information while endeavoring to build the skeleton of the leadership development program.

Conclusion

This discovery exercise sets the tone for what will be a great leadership development project between our consultant and leadership at the MTA. Throughout this discovery assessment, we’ve gone through two different discovery methods as well as constructed usable discovery questions that will challenge the client appropriately. Lastly, we’ve touched on consultant skills that keep the consultant functioning at high levels. The hope there is that young consultant-client relationship will be abundantly fueled by this process and on to the next step.

PSY FPX 6730 Assessment 3 Consultation Discovery Process

Morin, K., (2020). Is consulting in your future. The American Journal of Nursing. 120(4), 51-57. doi:10.1097/01.MAJ.0000660048.85997.E0

Schein, E. H. (1990). A General Philosophy of Helping: Process Consultation. Sloan Management Review, 31(3), 57. http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F %2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Fgeneral-philosophy-helping-process-consultation%2Fdocview%2F224965803%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D27965

Spaide, R., Fleischer, A., & Humphrey, C. (2020). Exploring Therapist Engagement Using Process Consultation…2020 AOTA Annual Conference & Expo. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74, 1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S1-PO9320

Stoerkel, E. (2019). What is a strength-based approach? Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/strengths-based-interventions/