Q: How does Change Results Consulting work with clients?

A: Our main goal is to focus on the immediate strategies that would improve business results. We also do not believe in consultant dependency. Ideally, we prefer to transfer the strategy and approaches to internal consultants over time. Finally, one of the requirements for associates of the firm is that they have experience as an internal practitioner. We believe that to develop pragmatic and applicable solutions, you must have experience working inside a business operation.

Q: What is shadow consulting?

A: Change Results Consulting provides what we call “shadow consulting” to internal human resources and organization development teams. The idea is for the external consultant to remain behind the scenes, advising and training internal consultants. This ensures that the internal consultant is seen as the leader of the consulting strategy and is better positioned within the organization to make a difference. The goal of shadow consulting is to transfer the skills and consulting strategies to internal experts, increasing the likelihood of effective, long-term solutions.

Q: How do companies manage the feedback in their 360º feedback programs?

A: While many companies decide that only the feedback recipient should see and use the feedback, the best use involves both the feedback recipient and his or her manager. Research shows that 360° feedback alone does not result in changes in behavior. When the manager’s boss is involved in both understanding the feedback and working on the coaching and development plan, the recipient is more likely to act on the development plan and grow as a result.

Q: What are the benefits of 360° Feedback?

A: As managers rise in an organization, they get less and less feedback. They develop blind spots that the people who work with them everyday see but don’t tell them about. The one person who may give feedback, the boss, often has the least visibility to the manager’s actual behavior on the job. In fact, when we collect feedback, we often find the boss to be the most lenient rater and to have the least knowledge of the manager’s performance in areas such as motivating others or developing direct reports. Without feedback, managers can’t improve because they don’t know what to improve.

Q: What about feedback instruments that claim to be self-explanatory?

A: Any company that claims that the 360° feedback report can just be handed to the learner should be viewed very skeptically. This has often led to misunderstandings about the feedback at a minimum, and abuse of the feedback at the other extreme. No reputable consulting firm or 360° feedback provider would recommend handing a report to a manager with no help on working through it. While this is best done with individuals, many companies have had success with workshops that help participants work through their report.