Truthfully, we don't like this model too well. While we modestly admit to knowing everything and while we rigorously would never take any case to which we do not feel we are best suited, still this kind of procedure is not well suited to 21st century conditions. Expert recommendations (our own in particular) can indeed be of great benefit, but in a world of continual learning simply fixing the leak each time is inferior to developing plumbing knowledge. 

We know our stuff, however, and if you want expert consultation from us, you can have it. As a slight inducement to what we feel are more modern methods, however, we charge more for this service: $100 per hour. 

Some specific types of interventions in which expert consultation can be applied are as follows:

Under this plan, the consultant and the client work together to establish what the problem is, to find solutions, and (in best practice) to learn lessons of future applicability. You and the members of your organization have to make a greater time commitment, but you get and learn more.

Process consultation can help you end "consultant dependency". If you are or want to be a learning organization (which, by the way, is a necessity in this century), this is the best methodology.

Note also that, if your goal is not to solve a particular problem, but just to do better (and, by the way, not trying to keep doing better in this century means to fail), process consultation is clearly superior because it best promotes learning. If an iceberg has hit your vessel, you may well need an emergency repair expert; but if you are sailing along, however slowly, you may find making an investment in process issues more rewarding.

Price: $50 per hour

Some situations where process consultation is particularly suitable are as follows:

• Finding the cause of poor morale, motivation or production

• Solving difficulties between different internal organizational cultures

• Eliminating the common complaint that "There's no communication around here"

• Replacing Ill feeling between management and employees with partnership

We are probably the only business offering this model of consultation.  Here, the goal is not so much to solve a problem, but rather to create an environment in which problems can be solved. Welcome to the 21st century: You will always be facing new problems. If you hire a consultant or set up a task force every time you see a new problem, you may run out of resources before making any improvement!

Under this model, we work with you and the members of your organization to examine problems and find solutions. But we also help you to develop your organization’s facilitation and consultation capacity and to introduce new techniques that your organization can use. The goal is to create cycles of learning that correlate with continual improvement.

If your organization is in bad shape, you may need expert solutions. If you are OK or better but want to improve, process consultation may be for you. But, wherever you are on the scale of organizational development, if you want to be the best that you can be (and, by the way, that is what is what you should want to meet 21st century needs), consider going all the way to advanced process consultation.

We like this method so much that we are currently giving it away free.  Price: Nothing

Obviously  some restrictions may apply, as we cannot afford to take on too many clients of this sort simultaneously.  So take advantage while this offer is still applicable.

Some lofty, but perfectly practical, organizational goals that would be best supported by an advanced process consultation approach would be as follows:

•  Becoming a learning organization

•  Reinventing work

•  Undertaking whole system change

•  Developing fully participative management

Perhaps you already have a plan and simply want assistance in refining and/or executing it. That's great - clients own the problem (process consultation) and should design the solution (advanced process consultation).

Maybe you even have a change management program in operation, but could use some help in implementing it. Or you could be having some difficulties with an existing program and want some outside advice. We can help!

Are your meetings not as productive as they could be? Are your teams not working as effectively as they might? Are your management or HR systems not as up to date as they should be? Why not have someone take a look?

Little things can have a big "tipping point" effect. Just having one small piece of advice or assistance can make the difference between a successful beginning or another turn on the road to nowhere. 

Similarly, an objective outside observer can help you identify successful practices that should be expanded and problem areas where need for improvement exists.  Someone outside the organizational culture can also see what practices or techniques might be introduced to improve existing operations.

If you are intent on being in the driver's seat (unlike many consultants, we think this is fine!), then this is a very appropriate model for consultation.  It is also a good method if you just like to check out what we can do (a perfectly valid motivation!).

Price: $50 per hour

Some other specific reasons why you might want our facilitation services  are as follows:

• Ensuring that important meetings successfully meet intended goals

• Introducing new management techniques

• Surveying morale and motivation

• Getting an objective view of the effectiveness of existing systems and practices

Got a problem? No time for talk or process? We can still work with you.

Here is the deal:  E-mail us with any management problem and ask for our Instant Consulting option. Within 48 hours, we will e-mail you back a one page solution. Price: $200. (If for some reason we don't feel we can give a first rate answer to your question, we will return it to you with our regrets,  perhaps with a recommended alternative source, immediately upon receipt.)

Some situations where instant consulting would  be a viable and useful option would be as follows:

• Dealing with some particular problem employee

• Mediating between two individuals or factions

• Getting some advice on some common theme that keeps coming up without a solution

• Deciding whether some technique or practice that you have heard about would really be useful

Skeptical? See the "Dr. OD" piece in our Free Samples section and check out our Special Offers.

Of course we begin with an initial free consultation session. We are scrupulous about not taking cases in which we are not wholly confident of working harmoniously and productively with you, and we want clients to feel the same way.

We charge only for "actual work".   Our billable hours are only for time spent working with you, such as conferring or writing. Time spent thinking about or researching your problem does not count.

Other costs (copies, transportation, additional consultants, support staff) are negotiable. Our policy is to bend in the client's favor as much as possible. We are completely flexible: you can contract for an hour or a millennium and cancel at at any time.

We are currently accepting clients in Eastern Massachusetts, except of course for Instant Consulting (for which all you need is an e-mail connection).

We will not take clients who have no sense of humor.

We will not work with clients who are not committed to real change and to 21st Century Management.

We do not accept clients who pollute the environment or do other evil things.

Remember that Advanced Process Consultation is temporarily FREE.

For the month of September, we are offering the following for all services other than Instant Consultation: You can take our invoice, cross out the hourly rate, and substitute any alternative rate from zero to one thousand dollars.

If you have never used Instant Consultation before, and are skeptical, we will give you one free session if you promise to buy another one. If you are not satisfied with what you get the first time, you can simply cancel your promise – no hard feelings. To take advantage of this offer, simply put "Special Offer for Skeptics" at the head of your e-mail.

For organizations that want to deal with the stresses that have been impacting people ever since the  September 11 crisis (and we believe that all organizations ought to be taking such action), we are at present offering the following special offer: we will help you set up discussion or dialogue groups for free.