The International Competency Framework

The internationally accepted
consulting
competency framework —

What does it take to be an
effective consultant?

© ProfWeb 2011 1

The Competency Framework
and The Common Body of
Knowledge

© ProfWeb 2011 2

Competencies
 Are defined as the ability to act in a
particular context (or in changing
contexts). Implies both knowledge and
skill.
 The required knowledge domain is
defined in the Common Body of
Knowledge (CBK). The summary body
of knowledge is on the IMCSA website.
© ProfWeb 2011 3

Competencies are a
combination of:
Knowledge

Attitude © ProfWeb 2011 Skill 4

The Competency Framework
 Is geared to identifying the holistic set
of competencies required by a
management consultant
 Is the basis of international reciprocity
for certified management consultants

© ProfWeb 2011 5

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
PRACTICE
MANAGEMENT ACUMEN
BUSINESS CONSULTING PRACTICE
MANAGEMENT
PRACTICE
EXTERNAL AWARENESS -PESTLE
FUNCTIONAL /
SPECIALIST COMPETENCIES SKILLS
TECHNICAL

INDUSTRY / FUNCTIONAL /
And / Or
SECTORAL TECHNICAL
Acting Communicating Thinking (Behavioural Competencies)

ETHICAL VALUES/ PRACTICE
6
© ProfWeb 2011

BUSINESS ACUMEN

© ProfWeb 2011 7

Business Acumen
 Understanding the client environment and
context.
 Strategic and systemic thinking, OD, OM,
BPR, change management.
 Business structures, processes,
management, disciplines/ functions.
 Planning, critical success factors, goal and
objective setting.
 In depth understanding of key business
concepts.
© ProfWeb 2011 8

Business Acumen(2)
 Budgeting and financial control
 Motivation and people development
 Implementing new technology
 Measuring performance
 Business development

© ProfWeb 2011 9

Consulting Practice
 Everything to do with the consulting lifecycle -
prospecting, managing the process,
disengagement.
 Engaging with clients, interacting with them,
influencing, facilitating.
 Applying consultative techniques, problem
solving, systemic thinking.
 Knowledge capture, management and transfer
etc.
 Managing the team throughout the lifecycle.

© ProfWeb 2011 12

The Consulting Lifecycle
- A Linear View

Prospecting, Proposal, Assignment
Engagement, Closure, Execution Closure &
Qualification Contracting Review


© ProfWeb 2011 13

The consulting lifecycle
 The consultant needs to be able to
execute and manage each aspect of the
consulting lifecycle, from entry to
closure.
 The consultant must be familiar with
the activities and products in each
phase of the lifecycle

© ProfWeb 2011 14

Consulting Management
Activities
 Manage expectations
 Manage Risk
 Manage Quality
 Maintain Intervention Continuity
 Managing Costs and other commercial activities
 Managing Resources
 Manage Productivity and performance
 Manage Learning
 Manage the Team (client and own)
© ProfWeb 2011 15


Build & Maintain the Client Relationships



© ProfWeb 2011 16

Build & Maintain Relationships
 Consulting is more about relations and
perception management than about
technical quality.
 Relationship building takes effort and
time.
 You need to build relationships with
client decision makers

© ProfWeb 2011 17

Build & Maintain Relationships
(2)
 Understanding the client/industry (context)
 Recognising a client need (client perspective)
 Selecting the optimum method of intervention
 Managing conflict
 Maintaining & building the relationship
 Understanding the client/industry (context)

 Dealing with client management

 Dealing with the client culture

© ProfWeb 2011 18

The Consulting Lifecycle and
Process
Managing Productivity and Performance



© ProfWeb 2011

Managing Productivity &
Performance
 The consultant needs to manage
performance throughout the lifecycle:
 Manage expectations
 Evaluate against agreed roles, deliverables
and timeframes
 Reallocate resources as necessary
 Identify and document training
requirements
 Measure against client feedback
© ProfWeb 2011 20

Process


Knowledge Transfer & Learning

© ProfWeb 2011 21

Knowledge transfer & Learning
 Learning from the client
 Learning from each other
 Transferring knowledge to the client
 Developing and updating Methods and
approaches
 Learning from the engagement
 Learning from the environment
© ProfWeb 2011 22

Knowledge transfer & learning
 The most successful consulting
practices are those that manage
knowledge formally
 This occurs throughout the lifecycle
 Requires disciplined knowledge
management approaches
What would you treat as knowledge?
© ProfWeb 2011 23

Process


Developing and Applying Methods and Practices

© ProfWeb 2011 24

Developing and Applying
Methods & practices
 Methods & practices are specific forms
of knowledge
 They are repeatable
 Methods consist of multiple layers –
what would you say they are?

© ProfWeb 2011 25

Components of a methodology
FRAMEWORK

MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW AND GUIDES

GUIDELINES

ROUTE DELIVERABLES
TECHNIQUES
MAPS

CHECKLISTS

AUTOMATED SUPPORT

TRAINING
© ProfWeb 2011 26

Process

The consultingExecution Closure &
Engagement, Closure,
Qualification Contractingactivities Review


© ProfWeb 2011 27

Consulting Activities
 Throughout the consulting lifecycle, a
consultant performs certain activities,
which impact on the success of the
phase in the consulting process.
 These activities are repeated at various
points and distinguish competent and
inexperienced consultants.
 What are they?

© ProfWeb 2011 28

Consulting activities
 Interviewing
 Research & Fact finding
 Analysis, synthesis & diagnosis
 Taking Notes
 Managing documentation & record
keeping
 Presenting findings

29
© ProfWeb 2011

Engagement Management
 The consultant with the highest level of
accountability on the engagement or
intervention is accountable for the overall
success of the engagement.
 This is known as Engagement
Management and covers the consulting
lifecycle and all the consulting processes
and activities related to that particular
intervention.

© ProfWeb 2011 30

The Consulting Lifecycle and Process
Engagement Management

Build & Maintain the Client Relationships

The consultingExecution
Managing Productivity and Performance Closure &
Engagement, Closure,
Qualification Contractingactivities Review


Knowledge Transfer & Learning

Methods and Practices

© ProfWeb 2011 31

External Awareness - PESTLE
The experienced & competent consultant
should remain current in every aspect of the
environment that affects his/her work
 Political

 Environmental

 Social
 Technical

 Legal

 Economic

© ProfWeb 2011 32

PESTLE Relates to all domains
 It is imperative to remain aware of
developments in the
management, specialist and consulting
fields.
 The certified consultant needs to prove
this through a continuing professional
development (CPD) record.

© ProfWeb 2011 33

Specialist Competencies
 Functional and technical competencies
include IT, HR, Strategy, change
management, project
management, finance etc
 Industry specific or sectoral
competencies – banking, manufacturing
etc

© ProfWeb 2011 34

ACT – personal and
interpersonal competencies
 Acting
 Communicating

 Thinking

….Like a management
consultant

© ProfWeb 2011 36

ACTing like a management
consultant
 This is the behavioural aspect of the consultant
and has much to do with the ―attitude‖ in
competence.
 The consultant needs to be emotionally
intelligent (25 competencies), an above
average communicator, a good
listener, astute, self driven, motivated, able to
solve problems, be politically astute, remain
independent and objective in difficult situations
and much more.
 This requires an all rounder who can perform
well in different contexts
© ProfWeb 2011 37

ACTing like a Management
Consultant
 Professional Attitude/behaviour
 Professional conduct/ethics,
 Dealing with client culture
 Managing conflict, Motivating and
developing people, Leading
 Facilitating, Mentoring, Coaching

© ProfWeb 2011 38

Communicating Effectively
 Interpersonal and communication skills
(listening/verbal/written)
 Proposals
 Client communications
 Written reports
 Oral presentations
 Marketing and selling skills
© ProfWeb 2011 39

Thinking
 Empathizing
 Creativity
 Problem solving
 Lateral thinking
 Seeing the end from the beginning
 Contingency planning
 Having a flexible approach
© ProfWeb 2011 40

Ethical Values and Practices
 Knowledge of what constitutes ethical
behaviour
 The ability to deal with ethical dilemmas
 Testimonials as to ethical behaviour

© ProfWeb 2011 43

Practice Management
 Covers all aspects of managing a
professional practice including:
 Recovery and utilization
 Training & developing consultants
 Marketing and brand building
 Methodologies
 Practice management is not required for
CMC – hence managing CMC
 Practice management is covered in a
separate course.
© ProfWeb 2011 47

The International Competency Framework

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