- Sara Wall Bollinger
- Blog
The Role of Consultants in Your Small Business or Nonprofit
2021 was a very weird year. Throw out your five-year plan and sales trend reports. Nothing about this year has been normal.
Where do we go from here? Consultants can help small businesses and nonprofits recalibrate their goals based on the constantly shifting realities.
Facilitator | Mentor | Coach | Consultant | Counselor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Function | Process/Guide | Guide/Model | Thinking Partner | Advisor | Therapist |
Relationship to "Client" | Horizontal and Neutral | Vertical | Horizontal and Neutral | Vertical | Vertical |
Authority | Client | Mentor | Client | Consultant | Counselor |
Relationship Goals | Client supported in creating own outcomes. | Client learns from mentor's methods of success. | Client gains awareness and self-trust to create their own success. | Client receives advice, expertise, or resource from consultant. | Client is guided in healing from the past. |
Expertise | Process, group dynamics. Subject matter expertise not needed. | Subject matter or organizational context. | Coaching process and skills. Subject matter expertise not needed. | Subject matter, best practices, change management processes. | Therapeutic diagnostics and treatment. |
Agenda | Client sets the agenda. | Mentor defines the path. | Client sets the agenda. | Client sets main focus; consultant can influence shift or refocus. | Client describes need, counselor determines how to meet the need. |
Desired Results of Engagement | Group determines meaningful outcomes. | Client learns the mentor's way of achieving success. | Meaningful client change, as defined by the client. | Client uses the consultant's solutions to achieve enhanced performance. | Emotional healing. |
Read more: The Role of Consultants in Your Small Business or Nonprofit