Lunch and learn session on consultancy
Date: 10/02/2014
BA Human Resource Management (HRM) students attending their course’s regular series of Lunch & Learn sessions were treated to a detailed insight into the role of a consultant working within client organisations from Senior HRM Lecturer and Consultant, Tricia Leman. Tricia explained that a consultant’s role can vary greatly but whatever that role might be, maintaining credibility is critical to success. Tricia spoke of the breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise required along with competencies such as relationship building, facilitating skills, active listening, influencing and conflict handling. She explained that a consultant’s role is to understand the nature of change and be able to facilitate the client through this. Consultants must develop emotional intelligence, understanding people’s fear of change, and want to help them through the process. She emphasised that consultants need to understand the culture of their client’s organisation, be able to get to the root of the problem and facilitate the client to take ownership of the solution.
Lunch & Learn sessions are a regular feature of the BA HRM programme, providing students with careers and employability advice.
