1.5 - About University

13.11P ROFESSIONAL L EADERSHIP:D ELIVERING E XPERTISEInspired by Peter Block, Geoff Bellman, and thousands of consulting skills workshop participants.Organizations are increasingly dependent on accurate, innovative, and timely professionalexpertise from a wide variety of sources—engineering, systems, public affairs, humanresources, legal, environmental, finance—the list goes on. This tool is addressed to leaders insuch professional areas, providing them with a simple five-step model to better deliver theirexpertise in a timely, appropriate way, so they are perceived as valued members who contributeto the bottom line of the organization.Organizations today offer and expect a great deal more of internal professionals workingin staff support roles. As described by one staff professional, “It seems to me that in the past,the professional’s role started with someone elseassigning and framing the technical problem tobe solved. That is, the support professionalpicked up gift-wrapped problems. The professional’sjob ended with the presentation of hisor her recommendations. It was up to the linemanager whether the recommendation wasaccepted and implemented. This is no longer thecase! What organizations need now are ‘fullcycle’ professionals who can take responsibilityfor the entire expertise delivery cycle, fromclearly defining the business issue, to sellingtheir recommendations, through to sustainingthe change once their recommendations havebeen implemented.”Thus, to be effective today, professionalsneed to possess more than technical expertise.They also need a process for delivering theirexpertise, like the internal consulting model orTaking Stock orClosingRecommendingChangeClientCommitmentGatheringInformationExploring theNeedClarifyingCommitmentsframework illustrated here. Although rarely applied in a linear fashion, an internal consultingmodel provides staff professionals with a purpose and strategy for their work. When challenged,they can confidently explain their consulting process to clients.T HE EXPERTISE DELIVERY MODELThis is a field-tested, effective, five-stage model designed to deliver professional expertise insidean organization. Thousands of professionals presently use, adapt, customize, and internalizethis model, confident that their consultations are following a proven process that leads to success.424 SECTION 13 TOOLS FOR LEADING PERFORMANCE