ABSTRACT
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. Most of the consultation process takes place through verbal and non-verbal communication between the consultant and consultee. However, the role of these consultation conversations is far more complex than they seem on the surface. Communication skills are at the heart of effective consultation, and they are learnable. Consultants-in-training who listen to their recorded consultation sessions are often surprised at what they actually said and how they said it, versus what they intended to communicate. Consultation is fundamentally a conversation between the consultant and the consultee. Social psychologists have provided research that supports the importance of language and communication in consultation. Every consultee brings a concern framed in a story that they tell to the consultant. Working with the consultee to develop a narrative that leads to change in perspective or to a potential solution is the goal of communication.
