Two Aspects of Consultant Role

First, EO is a resource to your organization. The dictionary defines a resource as:

Something that can be used for support or help. An available supply that can be drawn on when needed.

Notice that the resource is there to be drawn on like a well. There is no verb in the dictionary "to resource." EO does not engage in pouring water on the client's head. Seen as a trusted partner, EO works where and when needed. The client provides the driving force for the project for which EO provides expertise when called for.

Second, as a resource, EO functions as a catalyst:

A substance, usually used in small amounts relative to the reactants, that modifies and increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process.

Therefore, EO is a resource added temporarily to your organization to increase the rate of your process of creating an Extraordinary Organization.

Primary Focus of the Catalyzing Process

The primary focus of catalysis is on creating a quantum leap in the quality of thinking of organization members.

Yes, people must upgrade the quality of their actions. But their thinking determines those actions. Therefore, unlike most consultants, EO focuses first on improving thinking then on actions or behaviors. EO accomplishes this in three ways:

Augmenting - Helping people upgrade their own thinking by questioning, providing knowledge, providing thinking frameworks, and the like. For instance, the catalyst might ask questions to help someone think through a decision more thoroughly. He directs his effort at helping you improve your thinking.

Collaborating - Thinking together in a joint effort to bring more ideas, more clarity, and more creativity to whatever you are working on. For instance, together you might generate ideas to redesign an activity or create a new process. The catalyst and client direct their effort at thinking together.

Supplementing - When the catalyst has expertise that the client only need sonce, he will, in some special cases, actually do some thinking for you. For instance he might design and administer a one-time survey to collect information. He directs his effort at thinking for you.