Seven Cs of Consulting, The

Orientation

Before you can start to understand the client's problem, it is imperative to appreciate how they make sense of the world. Unless you are able to develop a real appreciation of the client's view of the world, problems will inevitably occur at a later date.

Imagine two people, one an avid vegetarian and the other a passionate meat eater, cooking a meal together. If their personal viewpoints are understood, then it will be possible to cook a meal that satisfies both their needs. However, if their views remain unspoken, then at best the meal will turn into a fiasco. At worst there will be a fight as they both strive to assert their frame of reference.

This mis-alignment happens because people often do not understand how they map the ...