Consulting with soul: more than just a soundbite

By Rick James

What is INTRAC’s approach to consulting? We have energetic discussions in INTRAC about how to describe succinctly our particular approach. For some years we have used the phrase, ‘consulting with soul’. But while memorable, colourful and compelling, what does it really mean?

Consulting with soul is more than just a soundbite. It is an attempt to distil into just three main principles the essence of INTRAC’s 30 years consulting experience with civil society – combined with the extensive literature on good consulting. It is an unashamedly values-led and ethical approach to consultancy. It aligns with our commitment to be an anti-racist, feminist organisation.

In the last decade, consultants from around the world have really connected with this consulting with soul approach. But not because these principles are new or innovative. It is because they deeply resonate with peoples’ own personal values and lived experiences of change. It is a rediscovery of what people already know in their hearts and minds. There are three core principles.

Consulting with soul is not simply about fulfilling the terms of reference, making an accurate analysis with sensible recommendations, writing an excellent report on time, nor even leaving a client satisfied. All of these may be necessary, but they are not sufficient to catalyse change.

Organisational change is political. Too many consultancies content themselves with simply treating superficial symptoms or externalising blame. The presenting problem may be an entry point, but to bring change requires getting into root causes. So often root causes are inextricably linked to how power is enacted in an organisation. So consulting with soul involves looking at whose voices are heard and why – the often invisible dynamics of gender, equity, diversity and inclusion. Lasting organisational change involves shifting power.

Organisational change is also personal. To catalyse genuine change we need to look ‘below the waterline’ at why people behave as they do – there are always self-interested blockages as well as incentives to change. We need to consider what will make someone think and behave differently as a result of our work. We may need to identify and then address the underlying attitudes that cause people to behave as they do. So to catalyse organisational change takes us beyond the brute logic of recommendations to engage creatively and constructively with peoples’ mindsets, emotions, life experiences  and beliefs that shape people’s behaviour.

Ownership is the single most important factor in inspiring change. Even if change is triggered by external events, genuine, lasting change comes from within. So for any consultancy to be successful, the assignment has to be owned and driven by the client. The attitude of the leadership is particularly important, as they may feel the most threatened by the shifts in power. We may have to wait until there is genuine openness and willingness to change before we get involved – though this is often hard to know for sure at the start of a contract.

Ownership of change is not ‘all or nothing’, nor the same for everyone throughout the organisation. Ownership is fluid. It can be gained or lost. So even if the client does own the need for change at the beginning, this ownership is not guaranteed to last – especially when things get sensitive. Therefore, the methods and approaches we use throughout the consulting process have to cultivate shared understanding and strengthen their commitment to change. ‘Consulting with soul’ is about enabling a collaborative process of self-discovery. It builds collective responsibility for implementing change.

Being a consultant with soul is not simply about knowing the latest tools and techniques, but about how you show up. Who you are touches everything you do as a consultant. How effective you are in helping to catalyse change largely depends on how much clients trust you. People and organisations change through relationship. Clients need to believe you have the necessary competence, the commitment to be ‘on their side’ and a humble and courageous character.

Ultimately, the most important ‘tool’ will be the facilitator themselves. And like all tools, we need regular maintenance and care.

We have to bring the very best of ourselves to our work if we are to help catalyse change in CSOs. Yet being a consultant is not an easy profession – particularly when working in crisis-affected contexts. It is always demanding and often lonely. So we have a duty to keep ourselves as fit as possible – physically, emotionally, mentally and, for some, spiritually.

To bring the best of ourselves, we need to look after ourselves as much as we can in sometimes highly challenging contexts, to create habits for life-long learning, set appropriate boundaries and undertake consultancies that play to our strengths. It means creating a healthy work-life balance even in emergencies. We will be most effective if we consult from a place of rest, not stress.

Civil society is under threat in many countries in different ways. In many places it is facing increasing restrictions and even existential threats from governments. In others, civil society is at the forefront of dealing with the fall-out from climate crisis, wars and migration. Yet at the same time, with declining aid funding, civil society is often starved of the necessary resources to fulfil their missions.

What Civil Society Organisations do NOT need in such situations are ‘soulless’ consultants who are in it for themselves, focused on increasing annual income or building market share. Such consultants can do more harm than good. INTRAC believes that civil society needs wise, committed and constructively critical friends who will accompany organisations and leaders to help them find a path through the volatile, uncertain and complex terrain ahead. Our new strategy therefore prioritises strengthening the supply of ethical and values driven consultants who are locally-rooted and globally connected. Civil society organisations across the world need consultants who demonstrate solidarity and who put their heart and their soul into their calling.