Poster boys, face time and reputational risk

Towards the end of last year I asked a client to fire us. Well, not quite in those words. But I did tell them that we will not be facilitating anymore workshops on a certain project. It was something a delegate said in the second last workshop in a series of organisational culture sessions that got me thinking about the risk facilitators and consultants face in becoming the face of a project for a client.

It was the second time this group of employees had seen me as we were nearing the end of the second round of workshops on the project. Towards the end of the session I wished the staff well in the future, knowing that my official engagement had come to an end on the project, but that internal resources and champions would be continuing with it. A lady said, "Aw no, we won't see you again. Is the project over now?"

I realized then, that through my consistent involvement, I had become the face of the project to the general staff, and that my exit signified a potential end to the project.

Now, there are two factors that compound what I call the 'poster boy phenomenon'. Firstly, organisational culture and change projects are inherently risky. They tend to in the end disappoint people in the general rank and file of large organisations. Secondly, facilitators and consultants are generally keen to be as involved in these types of projects as much as possible. High levels of face time and the high risk of failure pose a great reputational and professional risk to facilitators (as well as internal staff/champions who fulfill a facilitator-type of role).

Simply put, if the project fails you will forever be tarnished by that failure. Staff will associate you with the failure which will more than likely constraint your effectiveness should you work with them again.

The lesson is this: whether you are an external consultant/facilitator, or an internal resource, consider carefully the extent of the role you will play in the project and it's potential for failure and the knock-on reputational risk. This is why I told my client I won't facilitate more sessions on the project - I was becoming the poster boy for the project and that some work needed to be done by internal resources to reinvigorate the project and keep it alive.

Of course, there is a flip side to this phenomenon. If the project is a success, being the poster boy is a massive plus for the continuity of work for a facilitator/consultant.