"If you do not know where you are going, any road will get you there...If only you walk long enough"

Unlike Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat, as expert consultants and advisors, we will always seek to start with the end in mind - defining the desired future state to move towards. 

It turns out that this is another one of those 'common sense' skills that is not that common in reality. All too often, we see change programmes focussed entirely on the deliverables, or measurement scorecards focussing on the benefits. Both of these, although laudable, can lead to behaviours that are sub-optimal in terms of driving the real result intended. From Sionic's extensive research into the conditions for project success in financial services change programmes, 'a clear and relentless focus on achieving the outcome' came out as the #1 success factor.

A skilled consultant, I assert, makes clear distinctions between deliverables, outcomes and beneifts - and has the skills to create these distinctions in conversation with clients. These are the skills shared in this episode.