Step three: Engage

Anyone who has shared a house with another person can testify that a relationship is not just a relationship. It can be many things and can operate at a range of different levels, from warm and cuddly to passive and distant. Your aim is to manage the shift along this continuum and get as close as possible to the client. The objective is to develop a relationship that is highly interactive and grounded at a personal rather than contractual level.

This continuum can be mapped against a "relationship bridge", an indicator of how effectively the client-consultant relationship is being managed. In the worst case, it might be inactive, with little real energy in the relationship and little attention paid to the potential value contained ...

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