Client Relationships and Consulting Realities a response to John Hedberg's paper ‘Client Relationships in Instructional Design‘

Abstract

For the practising consultant, the most directly usable part of Hedberg's paper is his treatment of the effects that the interaction of the client's and consultant's cognitive styles can have on their working relationship. The treatment of consulting modes, reviewed by Hedberg, is, in essence, an application of role theory. In practice the use of mode‐theoretic language increases the risk of the consultant depersonalizing the relationship between consultant and client. Role‐theoretic language, with its focus on client and consultant as individuals and in interaction, maintains equal emphasis on people, task and process. Role‐theoretic language also facilitates the formulation of explicit agreements or ‘contracts’ between the client and the consultant. Such agreements are extremely useful to both client and consultant, and are almost essential in large‐scale consultations.