ILRHR529: Consulting Skills for Internal HR

Transcription

1 ILRHR529: Consulting Skills for Internal HR Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 1

2 This course includes Two self-check quizzes Two discussions Six tools to download and use on the job One scored project in multiple parts One video transcript file Completing all of the coursework should take approximately five to seven hours. You'll learn how to Launch an internal consulting relationship based on a written or verbal contract Work with clients to diagnose HR problems and do research to find a root cause Present findings and recommendations, and work with clients to identify appropriate solutions Drive the change management process to successfully implement solutions Course Description HR professionals today have an increasing number of opportunities to partner with managers to diagnose and resolve issues affecting their units' performance and business outcomes. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 2

3 While these issues often have dimensions that HR is uniquely positioned to help address, they require consulting and analysis skills different from those used in traditional HR roles or in one-on-one coaching and counseling. Internal consulting gives HR professionals another way to support managers and contribute to unit and organizational success. The role also presents pitfalls and challenges, especially for newcomers to the field. Professor Chris Collins draws on his extensive experience in HR consulting to guide the learner through the entire process, concluding with a careful look at the change management process. In addition to sharing insights with each other in online discussions, participants will engage in a multi-part course project that provides practical experience in applying the consulting practices and principles covered in the course. Christopher J. Collins Associate Professor and Director of CAHRS, ILR School, Cornell University Christopher J. Collins is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management and Director of CAHRS in the ILR School at Cornell University. He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Dr. Collins teaches, conducts research, and does consulting in the areas of strategic human resource management, the role of HR practices and leadership in driving employee engagement, and the role of HR in driving firm innovation and knowledge creation. His research has been accepted for publication in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Human Resource Management Review, and Human Performance. In addition, Dr. Collins serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, and Personnel Psychology. Start Your Course Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 3

4 Module Introduction: The Consulting Relationship To be successful, an HR consulting relationship must have a good foundation. In some cases that foundation may include a prior personal relationship between the consultant and the client, but a prior relationship is not essential. What is critical is that consultant and client develop a clear and shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities, as well as how they intend to work on the problem. In this module, you will consider several kinds of consulting arrangements and the pros and cons of each. You will learn how the specifics of a consulting arrangement should be regarded as a contract. Professor Collins will draw on his own experience as an HR consultant to offer guidance on how to kick off a project with a client on a specific problem or set of problems. You will apply what you learn in this first module as you begin work on the Course Project. This will involve working with someone else who will serve as a practice client, with whom you will meet at least twice. The initial meeting, in this module, will focus on reaching agreement regarding what the consulting project will involve and how it will be conducted. As you begin the course, be sure to review the play the role of client. Course Project document and make arrangements with a colleague or friend who will Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 4

5 Read: Three Kinds of Consulting Models What kind of consultant-client relationship should you use when addressing HR issues? There are a number of consulting models. To see the primary features of each, click on a model below to display details, then click again to hide them. Hired Gun Doctor-Patient Partnership In a hired-gun arrangement, the In a doctor-patient relationship, the consultant is usually brought in after the consultant is brought in as an external client has identified the problem and expert who is expected to identify completed an investigation. symptoms and underlying causes of a problem. The consultant is given a specific, well-defined task, often of a technical The consultant is given full rein to nature. In this arrangement, the client diagnose the problem and identify maintains authority and control over all potential solutions, and is expected to aspects of the project. give a detailed report of the findings and recommendations. Control then The consultant has limited goes back to the client. responsibilities and limited ability to influence the overall project or its Following a visit to a doctor, a patient outcome. decides whether or not to listen to the doctor's advice. Similarly, in an HR Of the three models compared here, setting, the client receives the this is the one that is most limited and consultant's advice and then decides narrowly focused. whether or not to implement it. In a partnership arrangement, the consultant and the client collaborate and work together through all phases of the project. The consultant helps the client to think about and identify the underlying causes of an HR problem, and usually helps to decide how data is collected and analyzed. This approach includes brainstorming with the client about possible solutions and then working together to drive changes to ensure success. Throughout this process, the consultant and the client work to gain the support of everyone involved in the initial issue. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 5

6 Watch: Choosing the Best Consulting Model The three common approaches to HR consulting-hired gun, doctor-patient, and partnership-each come with their own potential advantages and disadvantages. In this video, Professor Collins discusses the pros and cons of each approach and explains why the most effective solutions to an HR problem usually come from a partnership approach. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 6

7 Watch: Why Contracts Are Important As an HR consultant begins to work with clients in an organization, both consultant and client need to have a mutual understanding of roles and responsibilities and the overall scope of work. In this video, Professor Collins discusses consulting contracts and why they are important to the success of a consulting project, even when the client is an employee of the same organization as the consultant. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 7

8 Watch: What a Contract Should Cover When you work out the terms of an HR consulting relationship, it's essential that certain aspects of the project and the consulting relationship are clearly defined. In this video, Professor Collins outlines six key elements that should be included in a consulting contract and explains why each is important. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 8

9 Watch: Planning the Initial Meeting (Context and Issues) To work out the details of an HR consulting contract, you must hold an initial meeting with the client or clients and any other key stakeholders. From his own extensive experience in HR consulting, Professor Collins has developed a standard format that has proven effective for this kind of meeting. Here, he covers the initial steps, which involve setting the context and summarizing the issues. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 9

10 Watch: Planning the Initial Meeting (Reassurance and Agreement) In this video, Professor Collins continues his discussion of an effective format for an initial consulting meeting. Once you have established a context and summarized the issues, the next steps involve providing emotional reassurance and working out the terms of a collaborative agreement. This video ends with a discussion of the agreement reached at the end of the contract meeting. Once you believe you have reached an agreement, seek feedback from the client. How committed do they feel to the project? Do they have any concerns about their own ability to offer commitment or the commitment of their leadership or of their employees? Do they have any concerns about the control of the project? Conclude the meeting by restating the expected responsibilities and actions in each phase of the project. Be sure there is agreement on the expected time frame. This initial meeting may not be concluded in a single session. Don't worry if a second, or even a third, session is needed. Take as much time as is needed to reach a firm agreement. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 10

11 Tool: Checklist for Initial Contract Meeting Download the Tool Preparation Checklist for Contract Meeting The initial meeting that an HR consultant holds with a client is critical to the success of the consulting project. As Professor Collins explained in an earlier video, consultants should go into such meetings with a good idea of the type of consulting relationship they will propose. They should reflect ahead of time on what they want from the client, what they will offer the client, what the client might want from them, and so on. To assist you with your work on the course project-and to give you a tool for use in subsequent consulting work-we have provided a downloadable Word document containing a checklist designed to help you prepare for initial consulting meetings. Download it and keep the original as a handy template for current and future work. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 11

12 Module Wrap-up: The Consulting Relationship This module has focused on getting an HR consulting project off on the right footing. The foundation you establish for the project will play a large role in determining its ultimate success. You've looked at the nature and risks associated with different consulting models. You've delved into the importance of getting everyone on the same page by defining the scope and nature of the consulting relationship through a written or verbal contract. You've also considered that critical first client meeting. Perhaps most importantly, you have started work on the Course Project, giving you the opportunity to apply what you're learning in a very practical way. By the end of the course, you will work through the phases of a practice consulting project, laying plans that could actually be carried out if this were a real-life project. You also had a chance to download and use the first of six downloadable tools provided in this course. These tools have been designed for use in the course as well as subsequent use in actual consulting scenarios. Download and retain a copy of the originals; they will prove useful as you engage in future consulting relationships. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 12

13 Module Introduction: Problem Diagnosis and Assessment Diagnosing an HR problem usually begins with considering potential causes and identifying what data will be needed to identify the exact nature, scope, and cause of the problem. In this module, you will obtain an overview of the diagnostic process. You will learn how organizational development models can be used to understand and analyze the cause-and-effect relationships among different parts of an organization. You will study performance levers that can be used to diagnose and resolve issues. You will also gain insight into the use of data for diagnosing HR problems. This includes how to identify what data is required, how to go about collecting new data, and how to determine whether certain data meets the minimum requirements for diagnosing a problem. Once again, you will apply what you learn through practical work on the Course Project as you meet with your client to draw up a plan for how you will collect data and diagnose the problem at hand. As explained earlier, this client can be a real client you are working with on an actual problem, or it can be a colleague or friend who has agreed to assist you in this learning exercise by playing the role of a client facing an imaginary problem. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 13

14 Watch: Overview of the Diagnosis Process The diagnosis of an HR problem involves comparing the current state of affairs with the desired state and figuring out the reason for the difference between the two. In this video, Professor Collins discusses the diagnosis process and offers guidance on how to approach it and how to know when you're hitting the mark. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 14

15 Watch: Root Causes of Performance Problems Organizational development models are useful when diagnosing employee performance problems in a business or organization. In this video, Professor Collins discusses a model that he has found especially helpful, and he explains how different elements within an organization may have a direct bearing on how individuals perform. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 15

16 Tool: Root Cause Analysis Download the Tool Root Cause Analysis In the preceding video, Professor Collins described an organization development model that is useful when diagnosing the root cause or causes of a performance issue. For your use in this course as well as for future use in your work as an HR consultant, we have prepared a downloadable document that you can use for capturing notes when you analyze root causes. If you haven't already done so, download this tool now. You won't be required to submit a completed version, but it will assist you with your work on the course project and it gives you another tool for use in subsequent consulting work in the future. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 16

17 Watch: Identifying the Required Data Consultants working to diagnose an HR problem must identify what data is needed for a full and accurate diagnosis. In this video, Professor Collins emphasizes the importance of focusing on relevant data and outlines several considerations when deciding what data to use in the diagnosis phase of a project. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 17

18 Watch: Five Ways to Collect New Data Consultants can often draw on existing data to help them diagnose an HR problem. But it may also be necessary to collect new data to ensure an accurate diagnosis. In this video, Professor Collins describes five ways to collect new data aimed at measuring the impact of a problem and understanding its causes. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 18

19 Watch: Key Considerations for Data It is important to use care when diagnosing HR problems. Conclusions drawn from analysis of this data will usually prompt changes affecting employees and the larger organization. In this video, Professor Collins outlines six questions to consider when collecting data for HR diagnostic purposes. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 19

20 Watch: Understanding Performance Levers After collecting data and diagnosing an HR problem, you will start thinking of ways the problem might be addressed. In this video, Professor Collins gives an illustrated summary of five key performance levers, a term used in HR to refer to aspects of an organization that can be changed in order to improve performance. He also explains why it's important to take a systems approach when diagnosing and resolving people-related issues. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 20

21 Module Wrap-up: Problem Diagnosis and Assessment In this module, you've been considering how an HR problem can be diagnosed. You've seen how this is best done by considering the problem within the context of the larger organization. You've also looked closely at how to identify appropriate data and how to collect and assess it to confirm a diagnosis. The same parts of an organization that contain the root causes of a certain problem are often the same parts that hold the performance levers that can bring about positive change. You began looking at performance levers, an understanding of which can prove helpful in both diagnosing and resolving a problem. You've had a chance to apply what you've learned by completing Part Two of the Course Project. The Course Project deserves careful attention because this is often where the most learning occurs. The next module moves on to the feedback and solutions stage, where you engage with your client or clients to discuss your findings and determine a solution. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 21

22 Module Introduction: Feedback and Solutions After a consultant has analyzed the cause of an HR problem and considered possible solutions, the consultant and client typically meet for an in-depth discussion. In this module, you will delve into all aspects of this important feedback meeting. You will learn about its purpose and how best to structure it. You will consider ways of selecting, organizing, and presenting the data that led you to your conclusions. You will learn how to assess and handle client reactions to your findings, as well as how to help the client reach a decision on whether to proceed with implementing a solution. Finally, you will look at how to wrap up the meeting in a way that ensures the needs of both the client and consultant have been met. As you have done in previous modules, you will apply what you learn as you return again to the Course Project. Part Three of the project calls for you to draw up an agenda for a feedback meeting, geared toward the real or imaginary HR problem you identified in earlier parts of the project. As you go through the content in this module, think about how you will use the many ideas and recommendations here to conduct your own feedback meeting. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 22

23 Watch: Purpose of the Feedback Meeting The feedback meeting is the important session where an HR consultant meets with the client or clients and presents findings and recommendations relating to the HR problem being addressed. In the first of several videos about this important session, Professor Collins delves further into the purpose of the feedback meeting and discusses the importance of maintaining a collaborative atmosphere. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 23

24 Watch: Structure of the Feedback Meeting Consultants typically present their findings and recommendations at the feedback meeting. It's important to plan this meeting carefully. Professor Collins draws on his own extensive experience as an HR consultant to recommend a feedback meeting agenda. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 24

25 Tool: Checklist for Feedback Meeting Preparation Download the Tool Preparation Checklist for Feedback Meeting Because the feedback meeting is so important to the success of a consulting project, the HR consultant must come to it fully prepared-not only prepared with data analysis and findings, but also prepared mentally and emotionally. The checklist provided here has been designed to help you prepare for this critical meeting. Download it to a convenient location on your own computer, and retain the original as a template. You may wish to fill it out as a personal exercise before tackling Part Two of the Course Project, and it will be useful in consulting projects you may do in the future. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 25

26 Watch: Presenting the Data and Recommendations You are a consultant researching an HR problem. You've gathered data and planned a feedback meeting with clients. But how should you go about the actual presentation of your findings and recommendations? In this video, Professor Collins outlines an approach that is most likely to produce the best results. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 26

27 Watch: Assessing Client Reactions An important part of the feedback meeting is eliciting the response of clients and handling that response effectively. In this video, Professor Collins discusses the range of emotions that may emerge during a feedback meeting and makes practical suggestions for consultants when facing different kinds of client responses. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 27

28 Watch: Deciding to Proceed A feedback meeting should always include time for clients to decide whether to proceed with addressing the problem and implementing a solution. In this video, Professor Collins explains why it's important for the HR consultant to be part of this discussion, and he outlines two requirements a client must meet if a solution is to be implemented successfully. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 28

29 Watch: Wrapping Up the Meeting Professor Collins concludes a series of videos about the feedback meeting by recommending how a consultant can effectively wrap up such a session. He explains how this includes potential input from both client and consultant and a look ahead to what's next. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 29

30 Tool: Feedback Meeting Review Download the Tool Feedback Meeting Review Sheet After the feedback meeting, it is often very helpful for a consultant to reflect on what occurred at the meeting and identify possible areas for improvement in future meetings of this kind. To help with this post-meeting evaluation, we have prepared a document that contains key questions for personal reflection. Download it to your computer and retain the original as a template that you can use following this kind of meeting. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 30

31 Module Wrap-up: Feedback and Solutions In this module, you delved into various aspects of the important feedback meeting, when a consultant presents findings and recommendations. This meeting is worthy of close attention because it's usually the time when a decision is made about a possible solution. With the work you've done in Part Three of the Course Project, you should now have a good understanding of how to conduct a feedback meeting. If you haven't already participated in the course discussions, take time to do so. Sharing experiences with others in this course and reading about their experiences is an excellent way to broaden your knowledge and prepare you for a variety of consulting scenarios. Once a consultant has completed a successful feedback meeting, it's time to move to implementation of a solution. That's the focus of Module Four, which will conclude this course. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 31

32 Module Introduction: Implementation and the Change Process After an HR consultant has worked with client and stakeholders to diagnose an HR problem and identify a solution, the next and most important step is to implement that solution. As this module begins, you will study the balanced scorecard, a performance management tool that can be used to make the business case for change. You will then examine in detail an effective three-step change model that you can use to implement HR interventions or other organizational changes. You will also learn how to measure the outcomes of change so you can promote a culture of continuous improvement. Finally, you will conclude your work on the Course Project with two practical activities: proposing an HR solution to the problem addressed in your project, and drawing up a brief implementation plan. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 32

33 Watch: Using the Balanced Scorecard to Make Your Case HR consultants can use the balanced scorecard to diagnose performance problems as well as to show how positive changes in one part of an organization may bring about positive impacts on another part. In this video, Professor Collins explains how to use balanced scorecard concepts to justify proposed changes to HR policies or practices. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 33

34 Watch: Example of the Balanced Scorecard in Use In this case study, Professor Collins uses an example from his own consulting experience to describe the use of the balanced scorecard. Company officials used balanced scorecard concepts to justify certain planned changes to HR practices, as well as to track the outcome of those changes after they were implemented. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 34

35 Tool: Balanced Scorecard Worksheet Download the Tool Balanced Scorecard Worksheet You've seen how the balanced scorecard is a way of looking at performance management in order to identify important metrics and the interrelationships among metrics in different parts of an organization. While there are sophisticated software packages that support balanced scorecard initiatives, it's also possible to apply balanced scorecard concepts through the use of spreadsheets, document templates, and standard office software. The balanced scorecard doesn't refer to a place to collect raw data; it refers to a broad conceptual framework that helps to ensure that the traditional financial metrics are balanced with non-financial metrics. On this page, we provide a simple Balanced Scorecard Worksheet that is designed to focus attention on the three most important aspects of this approach: objectives, metrics, and logical connections. When you're diagnosing a problem or proposing a solution, you will want to identify the metric that is causing concern and sum up the organizational objective associated with that metric. Then go to the other sections of the worksheet and fill in objectives and metrics that are likely affected by the objective and metric that are the focus of your current concern. Finally, draw connecting lines to indicate the logical connections between metrics. For more information about how you can use this worksheet in this course, see Course Project, Part Four. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 35

36 Watch: Overview of the Change Model Implementing change in an organization requires the ability to look into the future and bring about desired improvements. In this video, Professor Collins outlines a three-step change process that will guide you through the essential actions. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 36

37 Watch: Creating the Vision for Change The first step of the SEE model is Set the stage. In this video, Professor Collins explains how to get off to a good start by ensuring you have the backing of key people and are creating a strong vision for change. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 37

38 Watch: Planning the Change In this video, Professor Collins discusses the second step of the SEE model- Evaluate and plan. This includes identifying who should be involved, communicating the change and the reasons behind it, and working out implementation details. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 38

39 Watch: Executing the Change The third step of the SEE model is Execute the change. Professor Collins discusses this final step of the model by outlining several key actions required for a successful implementation. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 39

40 Watch: Measuring the Change After change has been implemented within a business or organization, it's important to measure the results and foster a culture of continuous improvement. In this video, Professor Collins outlines several kinds of outcomes to track and briefly discusses the concept of the "new norm" following implementation of change. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 40

41 Tool: Checkpoints in the Change Process Download the Tool Checkpoints in the Change Process When introducing change as part of an HR consulting project, there are at least three points where you should stop and make sure you've completed certain essential activities: After the initial project formation Before rolling out a change After the change has been implemented To guide you in this assessment process at each of these points, we've put together a tool, Checkpoints in the Change Process. You will want to download and refer to it while completing Part Five of your Course Project. It will also prove useful in any future consulting projects, so we recommend that you retain the original template along with the other consulting-related tools provided in this course. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 41

42 Module Wrap-up: Implementation and the Change Process Change is often uncomfortable but essential. That's certainly true when addressing HR problems, especially ones that may affect the performance of an individual, department, or organization. In this module, you've looked at the entire change process because HR consultants often need to help guide the implementation of the solutions aimed at the problems they have diagnosed. With careful planning, using the SEE model outlined by Professor Collins, change can be handled in a manner that minimizes disruption and brings about positive results. The work you did in the Course Project in this module gave you an opportunity to embrace these change-related concepts and prepare yourself for effective implementation of solutions in real-life situations. Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 42

43 Read: Thank You and Farewell Dr. Christopher J. Collins Associate Professor and Director of CAHRS School of Industrial and Labor Relations Cornell University Thank you for participating in this course! I hope you found it to be a great experience. The skills you have been developing here will enable you to play a significant role as an HR consultant, enabling you to provide expert problem-solving services in the most effective manner. You've covered important ground: Looking at the benefits and risks of several consulting models and examining how to launch a consulting relationship in the most effective manner. Considering how to diagnose an HR problem and assess data collected as part of that diagnosis. Exploring how to present your consultant findings and recommendations and engage the stakeholders in determining the best solution. Understanding the key components of a good change process, enabling you to help implement HR solutions successfully. Most importantly, you've had an opportunity to apply all of this to your own situation as you've completed the multi-part Course Project. So, move forward with confidence as you use the skills and tools you've acquired here. Best wishes in your work as an HR consultant! Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 43

44 Supplemental Reading List Professor Collins has identified books that may be useful if you wish to delve further into the topics covered in this course. These resources are available for purchase via a special page provided by the Cornell Store. (The page will open in a new window/tab, so just close the tab or window when you want to return to the course.) In addition, the following book chapter may be a useful resource: The Balanced Scorecard's 20th Anniversary (PDF article) Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton Available directly from HBR Press Copyright 2012 ecornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners. 45