7. Will you teach us to do this work for ourselves and become self-sufficient? How long will this take?

One common trap in using a consultant is becoming dependent on him or her. From consultant's perspective, this may simply be good business assuring future work for himself, herself or themselves. From your perspective, it may be little better than status you had before you had consultant come in.

By making training part of consultant's job, you can limit chances of a prolonged engagement. Establish a schedule within which consultant can accomplish his or her goals. Assign a staff person to work closely in this process-and learn everything he or she can.

8. Have you written anything-published or not-that deals with issues like ones this company faces?

Consultants love to write about their experiences and their theories. Sometimes this can be pretty rough reading, but it will usually help you understand how consultant sees markets and business factors that may affect you. Also, management or technical literature can be a good place to look for consultants. While latest management guru writing for Harvard Business Review may be beyond your needs and means, you might be able to find useful experts in trade or regional newspapers and journals.

9. How do you charge for services? Do your fees include travel time and other miscellaneous charges or are those billed separately?

There's no set standard for paying consultants: Some work on a straight-fee basis, others work for a fee plus performance bonus, a few work on a contingency basis- tied to sales increases or cost reductions. As with paying any outside contractor, your concerns should be assuring a high quality of work and containing costs within a predetermined bud get. With consultants, focusing their use as specifically as possible will help accomplish both of these ends. Also, make it clear from beginning what incidental expenses you're willing to pay and how you'll pay them. Consultants who've worked at or for large corporations may be used to expense accounts that you aren't. Be very clear about how much you're willing to spend on whole project or series of projects. Insist that consultant warn you-in writing-if project won't be completed on time and within budget.

10. What kind of documentation will you give us when project is completed? Who will own that documentation?

Keeping a paper trail of work a consultant does for you accomplishes several ends-all of them good. First, if consultation has worked well, this will usually give you some forms and tools that you can use to improve some part of your performance. Second, it allows you to keep a record of analyses made of your company and responses you've taken. This kind of "scrap book" can be a big help when dealing with future problems or other consultants. Third, it makes clear what consultant did-and didn't do-while working for you. If any disputes should emerge over payment or ownership or confidentiality, you'll have some support. In general, all work (including spreadsheets, computer programs, mechanical devices or literature) a consultant does for you is your property. Sometimes-especially in cases of devices and literature-this becomes an issue. Make it clear from beginning that you want to own everything that comes from consultation.

3. Start a 360 degree performance review process. Have employees reviewed not only by their supervisor, but by their peer group as well. Make these reviews optional for first year, but mandatory for employees who want to be considered for promotions.

A Caveat: It takes at least 6 months of preparation to introduce a 360 degree review process effectively. Show employees evaluation materials you intend to use up front. Train employees how to accept negative feedback by giving them a system to take it in and process it before reacting. Also train employees to give feedback that is work-related and objective with factual examples not feelings.

4. Have employees review company. Ask employees to hold company up against its own standards. Do this survey annually and check trend over time.

Ask yourself and others these questions:

Does company walk talk of its vision and values? Are management employees role models for ethical behavior? Do you take short-cuts with safety? Do you encourage honesty in reporting or do you shoot messenger?

5. Create action plans for each individual tied to your vision. Make a direct connection between employee actions and company vision.

Consider this process:

1.Develop a more specific mission statement from your overall vision, by defining your focus to what markets you are serving and balancing your commitments to quality, value, and service. 2.Determine factors key to your company’s success and focus on specific, but long-term, goals in these areas. 3.Create annual corporate objectives related to your goals. 4.Have each department manager develop department objectives derived from corporate objectives. 5.Post results of 1-4 and ask each employee to develop individual objectives related to his or her department’s objectives.