FOCUS Consulting Model

The FOCUS Consulting Model is a framework that is used to facilitate discussion. This framework consists of five elements – Future, Opportunity, Change, Unique Proposition and System. Applying the framework is this sequential order will help participants to organize their thoughts, beginning with exploring the group’s desired future state/direction, identifying what needs to be change, selecting the best ideas and designing support system to ensure sustain change. Application of the FOCUS Consulting Model will vary between groups, depending on the session objectives and context.

Future

provides the direction for growth and success. A clear future allows members to align their personal aspirations with the team’s vision.

Opportunities

that enable the team. This element involves the identification of resources and creations of openings to facilitate the change process.

Changes

are required for improvement. When things are done the same way, they will produce the same results. To progress, what does the team need to change?

Unique

Propositions are the differentiating factors in each idea. Unique Propositions are used to identify the best ideas.

Systems

that form the support network for ideas to grow and flourish. It is about the development of infrastructure for the ideas to be self sustaining.

FOCUS Consulting Model Application

The group starts by first clarifying the Future they are seeking. Future can be the vision of the organization, the goals it hopes to attain, or simply the objectives of the meeting. Sometimes, the ‘future’ has already been determined before the meeting (we are looking for ways to increase productivity by 25% ) while other times, ‘future’ is discussed and identified during the meeting (where do we want this team to be in 5 years time?).

Next, the group will identify or create Opportunities that will help them meet their ‘Future’ with greater efficiency. Opportunities can come from within the organization or from external sources such as sponsorship or partnership.

The third stage is Change. ‘What needs to be change in order for us to attain our goals?’

Now that the group has a list of ideas and suggested changes, it has to decide and select which to work on.The group decides by filtering all the ideas across a set of criteria to pick out the ones that offer the most Unique Propositions.

The final stage requires the group to develop Systems around the selected ideas in order for it to be sustainable. Without the right support, no matter how innovative or well intended the ideas are, it will be hard for them to take off.