What is an Organizational Behavioral Consultant?
Organizational Behavioral Consultant.
Organizational Behavioral Consultant. It's a mouthful isn't it? That’s the title one early consultee used as a label for what HSC does with organizations. What exactly does it mean? Well, I'll give you my take.
First, the focus on Organizations means understanding the human "system." Our founder, Bryan Miller, was steeped in systems theory including taking courses on topics like “Cybernetics of Cybernetics”—a course on the “system of human systems”—whose underpinnings were all about systemic theory. Studying how complex systems of human work was critical to the founding of HSC.
So, when we talk about consulting with organizations, or being an Organizational Behavioral Consultant (OBC)—the consultant should have a focus on the organization as a wholistic richly cross-joined system. He or she needs to understand the entire "animal" and how subsystems work within the larger needs of the organization. They need to understand that each subsystem is interdependent upon the others and a change in one will effect the other subsystems.
Second, Behavioral means that the focus is on how the organizations actually "acts"--what it believes, says, and does. No grand theoretical models here! Instead it is a practical, pragmatic, approach that focuses on real outcomes and solutions. Understanding human behavior can, of course, be acquired over time by any consultant. However, at HSC, our consultants have backgrounds in the helping professions and leadership. With high-level training, and experience, in understanding the complex behavior of groups and individuals, HSC provides a rigor and depth of analysis and direction not found in typical consulting processes.
Third, consultant. At HSC, this means a collaborative partnership. Working with the talented, smart, experienced leadership in a way that allows our "outside" perspective and experiences with the methods, processes, and tools of consulting to help influence and guide the steps to creating the most effective and successful system. Our approach is to build upon the strengths of the organization and it’s leadership. Challenging each to rise to its best performance and breaking down barriers to that goal.
These traits . . . system-focused, behavioral, collaborative . . . enable us to use our tools (employee interviews, focus group, action planning, coaching) to quickly identify and target issues holding back the organization and free it to move forward in a less stressed and sustainable manner.
Well, that's it. Organizational. Behavioral. Consultant. This defines HSC and the work we do to help leaders and organizations support and connect the power of their human resources.
Available eBooks:
Private Practice through Contracting: Decreasing dependence on insurance.
Engaging Your Team: A framework for managing difficult people.