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 What is the role of consultant?
What are the most important skills an ESCC consultant needs?
How does ESCC prepare new consultants for consulting?
How are consultants assigned to projects?
What level of commitment is expected of ESCC consultants?
Do consultants find the work rewarding?
How does one join ESCC?
What is the role of consultant?
Our consultants work in teams on assignments for a wide variety of nonprofit clients. While the kind of assignments vary, the general approach is similar: we meet with the client, including board members, managers, key staff and constituents, to understand what the organization is attempting to do, how it works, and what are its issues.
We then gather information and data about the organization and its performance, through further meetings with insiders or knowledgeable outsiders, through analyzing the financial statements of the organizations, its founding documents, board and committee minutes, or through research on the general field of endeavor. In this phase we often work with ESCC specialists on organizational development, finance, marketing, insurance, or whatever specialty skill or expertise is needed. The team meets to develop conclusions and recommendation to present to the client.
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What are the most important skills an ESCC consultant needs?
The most important skills a consultants needs are not so much the professional background in a given field as the ability to listen, to relate to the client, to analyze and synthesize materials and information, and to communicate effectively. It is surprising to discover how easy it is to find solutions with the client to seemingly complex problems when viewed logically and analytically from the outside.
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How does ESCC prepare new consultants for consulting?
Few of ESCC’s volunteers have experience as consultants when they join our organization. We provide training to all our members by offering a variety of courses given throughout the year, usually run by ESCC volunteers. There are four HIGHLY recommended courses: Policies and Procedures, where the organization and its work are described and the basics of consulting are explained; a one-day Consulting Skills workshop; a Board Development Workshop and a Strategic Planning Seminar. There are many other specific training courses offered, such as Fundraising, Marketing, Conflict Management, etc. Additionally, we host a quarterly luncheon to provide an opportunity for the consultants to network and hear from expert guest speakers about emerging trends, tools and compelling issues that will add to their own vast experience in providing tested solutions to real world problems.
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How are consultants assigned to projects?
Consultants are assigned to projects based on their own skills and interests, their specific ESCC experience, and their interests in different sectors, such as healthcare, arts, education, community development or faith-based organizations, for example. Initially new consultants are assigned to work with other experienced ESCC consultants. As they take on more projects and participate in more training, volunteers may gradually take on more responsibility on ESCC projects if they choose to, and have the ability needed. Completed assignments are evaluated by an experienced consultant not involved with the project. Results of the evaluation are shared with each consultant.
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What level of commitment is expected of ESCC consultants?
Some ESCC consultants take on several projects a year, sometimes several at one time. Other consultants prefer to work only on one project at a time and do only one or two projects a year. Either way is acceptable. The cardinal rule is that when you accept an ESCC consulting project it should become a priority for you—our clients are paying fees and expect high quality, effective consulting work. Meetings are scheduled at the convenience of ESC project team members and client representatives.
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Do consultants find the work rewarding?
Most ESCC consultants are initially motivated by the desire to give back to the larger community; however, once they start consulting , they generally find many different (and sometimes unanticipated) satisfaction from their work: - The tremendous satisfaction of seeing an organization, whose goals are supported by the consultant, begin to be more effective in the work it is doing.
- Learning new skills that are applicable to many personal situations.
- Getting to know and be part of a dynamic, cutting-edge organization and group of stimulating and provocative professionals.
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How does one join ESCC?
The process for joining ESCC is simple. Fill out a membership application that includes basic personal data and work experience. The applicant is then interviewed by a member of the Member Services Committee and the Executive Director. The interviews allow ESCC to get to know the applicant and allows you, the applicant, to get to know ESCC, its purpose and procedures. Becoming an ESCC consultant is not a volunteer experience suited for everyone. If there seems to be a fit between the applicant’s interests and abilities and ESCC’s consulting needs, the applicant will be invited to become a member and participate in an Orientation and other appropriate training programs. |
