Flawless Consulting, 4th Edition

CHAPTER 13From Diagnosis to Discovery

WHEN THE CONTRACT IS CLEAR and you are ready to deal with resistance, attention turns to the discovery phase. There are two primary purposes for this phase: (1) to develop an independent and fresh way of looking at what is going on and (2) to create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership, and action. This means that the goal of discovery is not to be right but to be effective and powerful.

There are two quite distinct ways of thinking about this part of the work. The traditional way is to consider it a diagnosis, following the medical model of diagnosing the problem, coming up with a prognosis, and then offering a prescription. This is the expectation most clients have. They have a problem, want a solution, and want you to give it to them. As common as this expectation is, it has the limitations of being strictly problem focused, and it has the consultant doing the bulk of the discovery.

In recent years, a way of thinking differently from diagnosis has emerged—one that focuses more on possibilities than problems. Instead of looking at what is wrong, looking at deficiencies, we look at what is working, what the client's strengths and gifts are, and seek to deepen and take advantage of those assets. This is variously called an asset‐based approach or a strength‐based approach.

The shift from problem to possibility grows out of the belief that dramatic change or transformation comes not from problem‐solving but from a more future‐minded ...