Refinement works wonders
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Tuesday, 29 October, 2002 - 21:00
A DECISION by IT management specialist the Conan Group to refine the traditional consulting model is starting to achieve results, according to its general manager and 2002 WA Business News 40under40 winner, Tabitha Wellman.
Ms Wellman said the company’s new coaching strategy was a first for the IT sector and took the traditional consulting model a significant step further.
“The consulting model is really about an organisation engaging a specialist to develop an IT strategy. The consultants tell people what they should be doing and, typically, nothing goes further than that,” she said.
“A lot of people are good at telling people what to do but not necessarily how to do it. We are taking it to that next step and delivering the return for the client.”
Ms Wellman said the change represented a fundamental mind shift in the way traditional consulting companies would be required to provide their services.
“Coaches are a personal resource to the IT executive,” she said.
“They provide the frameworks, templates and expertise but because they work with the IT executive on the job, the IT executive retains the knowledge,” she said.
The coaching model was also a preferred way for employees to adopt new processes.
“Everyone has a need to do it ‘in time’. No-one has the time to log on and spend an hour learning something,” Ms Wellman said.
She said the Conan Group helped employees implement the strategies its people recommended, for example, teaching people the mechanics of IT continuity.
“We teach people to prioritise; what services are critical and need to be operational as soon as possible if a disaster takes place,” she said.
“We are working with a finance cooperative and its billing system is the be all and end all.
“If they lose that they can’t pay suppliers or bill clients.
“Within a couple of weeks it could be at a critical stage.
“We teach people how to go through and do a proper assessment and determine what needs to be achieved.
“Technology changes so quickly and we need to be reminded of the basics. People get caught up in the technological aspects.”
Ms Wellman said this new form of a coaching consultant not only gave clients a better return, but was more cost effective.
“Clients are not happy to pay large sums of money and get little return,” she said.
“By coaching our clients they get a bigger return and it costs them less. We come in a third of the time and check their progress. The coach provides the frameworks and strategies and returns at a set time to monitor how the implementation is going.”
According to Ms Wellman the shift from consultant to coach has made a marked impact for the companies clients.
“Our clients are really receptive … traditional consultants will be really fading by the wayside,” she said.
The Conan Group was currently working on IT management, including IT service continuity, but the coaching service would extend to all elements of IT in the future.
“We are talking with a few multinationals and looking at building some alliances,” Ms Wellman said.
Ms Wellman said the company’s new coaching strategy was a first for the IT sector and took the traditional consulting model a significant step further.
“The consulting model is really about an organisation engaging a specialist to develop an IT strategy. The consultants tell people what they should be doing and, typically, nothing goes further than that,” she said.
“A lot of people are good at telling people what to do but not necessarily how to do it. We are taking it to that next step and delivering the return for the client.”
Ms Wellman said the change represented a fundamental mind shift in the way traditional consulting companies would be required to provide their services.
“Coaches are a personal resource to the IT executive,” she said.
“They provide the frameworks, templates and expertise but because they work with the IT executive on the job, the IT executive retains the knowledge,” she said.
The coaching model was also a preferred way for employees to adopt new processes.
“Everyone has a need to do it ‘in time’. No-one has the time to log on and spend an hour learning something,” Ms Wellman said.
She said the Conan Group helped employees implement the strategies its people recommended, for example, teaching people the mechanics of IT continuity.
“We teach people to prioritise; what services are critical and need to be operational as soon as possible if a disaster takes place,” she said.
“We are working with a finance cooperative and its billing system is the be all and end all.
“If they lose that they can’t pay suppliers or bill clients.
“Within a couple of weeks it could be at a critical stage.
“We teach people how to go through and do a proper assessment and determine what needs to be achieved.
“Technology changes so quickly and we need to be reminded of the basics. People get caught up in the technological aspects.”
Ms Wellman said this new form of a coaching consultant not only gave clients a better return, but was more cost effective.
“Clients are not happy to pay large sums of money and get little return,” she said.
“By coaching our clients they get a bigger return and it costs them less. We come in a third of the time and check their progress. The coach provides the frameworks and strategies and returns at a set time to monitor how the implementation is going.”
According to Ms Wellman the shift from consultant to coach has made a marked impact for the companies clients.
“Our clients are really receptive … traditional consultants will be really fading by the wayside,” she said.
The Conan Group was currently working on IT management, including IT service continuity, but the coaching service would extend to all elements of IT in the future.
“We are talking with a few multinationals and looking at building some alliances,” Ms Wellman said.