This fourth unit offers one assessment – an online discussion or ‘Shared Activity’, taking place on the discussion forum. This is worth 10% of the overall module grade. Your initial post should be completed by day 7 of this unit.

Consultants use communication, negotiation and facilitation skills to help determine the needs of the organisation as well as a variety of methodologies to improve processes.
In this Shared Activity, you will discuss the importance of different skills sets in being a successful consultant. You will apply these in a self-critical manner by considering what skills you currently have and those you need to acquire or improve upon.

To prepare for this Shared Activity:

• Review the Readings for this unit.
• Reflect on various skills necessary to undertake the role of a management consultant.

To complete this Shared Activity:

By Day 7:

• Develop a maximum 1,000-word piece in which you critically discuss the skills that a management consultant requires.
• Compare these skills to those of a project manager. What similarities and differences are there?
• As a potential management consultant, to what extent do you feel that you already have these skills or need to develop them?

Be sure to support your postings with evidence from the Readings, other current literature from the UoRL Library and other credible sources. Consult the Harvard Referencing Style Guide for proper citation and referencing information.
Two Follow-on Posts:
You are required to make two follow-on posts by Day 14

Respond to at least two colleagues’ posts by:

• • Commenting on their own evaluation of consultancy skills.
  • Commenting on their own self-assessment and compare this to yourself.

You should aim to engage with and extend the academic discussion in a sensitive and professional way. Aim for at least 2 posts of minimum 200 words each.

Guidance & Rubrics

Participate in this Shared Activity only during the period of this unit to ensure that you and your colleagues can keep track of one another’s postings and maintain a focused, collaborative discussion. Review the Shared Activity Rubric for information on how your contributions to the Shared Activities will be graded in this unit.