Value‐Added Consulting: Teaching Clients How to Fish

Abstract

Abstract With shrinking resources and expanding agendas, more and more museums are relying on consultants to provide expertise when time and resources are critical. Consultants can also provide another benefit that has not been widely discussed within the museum community: professional development opportunities. For museum staff members the process of working side by side with consultants can create valuable learning experiences that multiply the value of consulting fees. When consultants collaborate with their clients they may serve as coaches, partners, mentors, questioners or change agents. This article gives examples of each model and suggests which are best suited to different types of projects, team configurations, staff experience levels and project timelines. It also discusses the kinds of institutional investment museums must make in order to realize this potential for capacity building. Planning and budgeting for value‐added consulting means not only setting aside money for fees, but also budgeting time and resources for collaboration between staff and consultants.