Think about the way you parent your children, or the way you yourself were parented. We have helicopter parents; we have permissive parents who are afraid to say “no;” we have authoritative parents who are afraid to say “yes.” We have those who lead by example and do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do types. You can’t parent two kids the same way and achieve the same results; it’s not possible. You can’t even parent the same kid the same way in every situation. You can apply the same lessons to consultants: while there are a variety of different styles, ultimately, the style that is most effective is the one that works for you and your client.

Autocratic

“You will do it like this. End of story. You have input? That’s nice; tell it to someone who cares.” This is a very authoritative approach – and sometimes it works wonders. If projects lack organization, if a team cannot make decisions, if a team lacks cohesion or clear leadership, or if the project is incredibly high-test and stressful, this approach can be very effective.

In other situations, especially those in which team members are used to articulating their ideas, this can backfire and a consultant can do more harm than good.

Participatory

“What do you guys think about this? Does anyone have any suggestions or feedback? How can we work together to get this project done?” This type of style is beneficial for situations in which an autocratic, my-way-or-the-highway approach doesn’t cut it. When employees feel motivated, engaged, and willing to share ideas, it can help a project get “unstuck.” They sometimes need a consultant who can facilitate this process and get the process moving, as well as to keep them on a schedule so participation doesn’t become indecision.

Process-Oriented Facilitative

This type of consultant feels it is most important that he/she work on the process: maybe the project manager needs some help getting his team to work more efficiently and effectively together. Maybe the manager or team members could use some coaching(facilitation) or help with process steps. In this case, the consultant is not telling the client what to do but is instead helping them figure out how to do it themselves.

Situational

A situational style is the best of all worlds. This consultant has the flexibility to adapt to the organization in which he is working. He/she is that parent who can be firm when needed, but also more democratic when warranted. He can evaluate the needs of the team and project, determine which approach will be most effective, and implement it to achieve the desired results

A consultant may prefer one style over another; which is why you might prefer one consultant over another! Choosing the best consultant is very much a matter of finding the right fit for your company. How do you work best? What type of help do you need?