The Team Performance Experts!
Thank you for visiting the internet home of Catalyst Consulting Partners LLC., an association of consulting professionals dedicated to providing the highest quality process improvement, organization development and strategic planning solutions available anywhere. We work with organizations of all sizes to identify and solve problems — and to prioritize and capture opportunities. We are not satisfied until you achieve results that create lasting value. In other words, we are dedicated to Consulting-that-Works™.
But do you even need a consultant? Are you sure you need "outside" help? At the risk of talking you out of contacting us, please review the section below entitled "Do you need a consultant?"; it will help you clarify why, in very general terms, organizations typically call on consulting firms such as Catalyst.
If you are new to the purchase of professional consulting services, you may also want to review the section entitled "What do consultants do?" in order to get a broad sense for what Catalyst can do for you. Then review our Solutions that Work and How we Work sections to explore in more detail how our capabilities and expertise might match up with your current challenges.
In working with clients around the world, Catalyst has come to believe that the performance of every organization can be improved — often dramatically improved. This simple belief formed the foundation for our proprietary Unlocking Results™ series of standardized workshops, seminars and special services. These resources are designed to solve many of the most problematic and recurring problems that our clients face every day — and many of these innovative solutions are pre-packaged and can be facilitated by your own in-house staff to say costs.
Rest assured that when you partner with Catalyst, you will be treated professionally and with integrity. All Catalyst consulting associates are members in good standing of the Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA) and adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. You should demand no less from your professional advisors.
Please contact us for a free, no obligation telephone consultation. We are eager to get started helping you and your team to achieve superior levels of performance that create lasting new value. And remember, our work is guaranteed!
Thank you, again, for visiting us on the web. We look forward to meeting you and your team in person!
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Free Kit: STRATEGIES FOR THE EXECUTIVE TEAM
Do you need a consultant?
Organizations need consultants for a variety of reasons:
- Lack of Expertise. The skills necessary for the growing and changing needs of an organization are not available inside the organization. Therefore organizations turn to consultants to complete projects or solve problems.
- Lack of Time. Even when the skills are available in the organization, staff members may not have the time to complete special projects or research. A consultant can be part of the organization just long enough to complete what needs to be done.
- Lack of Experience. Certain professions are experiencing a shortage of trained employees. Consultants can fill in until demand is met by training or hiring new employees.
- Staffing Flexibility. Consultants can be brought in for the short term to complete a project. When the work is completed, the organization can terminate the relationship easily and quickly.
- Objective Outside Opinions. Consultants usually provide fresh perspectives. Outsiders can look at a problem in a new, unbiased way.
- New Ideas. Consultants bring with them ideas from other firms and industries. This cross-pollination is a sure-fire way to tap into many resources. Staff members may be too close to the problem to see a new solution.
- Speed and Efficiency. Hiring a consultant who has experienced the same type of project in the past may be faster and more cost-effective than bringing staff members up to speed.
- Assessment. A consultant can provide an objective assessment, define the problem, and make recommendations.
- Resolution. In the case of a merger or other change or organizational structure, an outside consultant can act as an independent mediator to resolve differences.
- Compliance. An organization may not have time and may lack the expertise to comply with legal or regulatory expectations. Hiring a consultant shows that an effort is being made to correct the problem.
From The Business of Consulting by Elaine Biech (San Francisco. Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1999)
What do consultants do?
Although somewhat oversimplified, you should expect your consultants to:
- Identify the Problem. You may know something is wrong in general, but just can't identify what: morale is down, communication is poor, turnover is high, and profits are questionable. By playing the roles of interviewer, analyzer, synthesizer, categorizer, and researcher, your consultants should be able to identify and "name" the problem.
- Identify the Cause. You may know there is a problem (e.g., sales are down; time from concept to market is too long; defects are too high; etc.), but you can't seem to figure out why. By playing the roles of expert resource, performance auditor, devil's advocate, mediator, and problem solver, you should expect your consultants to uncover the root cause of your problem and effectively communicate that cause to internal decision makers.
- Identify the Solution. You may know there is a problem and have identified the cause (e.g., sales are down because the competition has introduced a new product; time from concept to market is too long because the staff doesn't work well together; defects are high because the supplier is unreliable; etc.) but be uncertain as to the best solution. By playing the roles of researcher, processor, idea generator, cross-industry pollinator, facilitator, and adaptor, you should expect your consultant to help identify alternatives and recommend a solution or solutions.
- Implement the Solution. You may know there is a problem, have identified the root causes, and have determined the solution (e.g., need to attract a new customer base; need to work better as a team; need to improve supplier communication; etc.) but be ill-equipped to implement the solution due to staff, time, or capability shortfalls. By playing the roles of catalyst, implementer, change agent, paradigm pioneer, mentor, communicator, and coordinator, you should expect your consultants to "make things happen."
From The Business of Consulting by Elaine Biech (San Francisco. Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1999)
