Multicultural Issues in Consultation

Multicultural Issues in Consultation

The article Multicultural Issues in Consultation presents the issues that arise in consultation processes due to ethnic, racial and cultural diversity. In this article, the authors, Jackson and Hayes, start by reflecting on the history and evolution of counseling from being any other profession, to center on "developmental and preventative activities" (Jackson and Hayes, 1993), with the counselor or consultant taking on the role of process helper. Jackson and Hayes (1993) define a consultant as a professional who offers direct service to a client who has work or care related problems with an individual, community or an organization. They recommend collaboration between the client and the consultant in the process. According to the authors, the current consulting model is deficient due to ethnic, cultural and racial diversity in organizations that embrace racial and cultural diversity. Consultants thus need awareness of multicultural issues in order to achieve success in consulting sessions. The authors use Block's model of the consulting process to point out the multicultural issues that arise during consulting, and how they can be dealt with. Block's model details five major stages during consulting which include: entry and contracting, collection of data and diagnosis, feedback, implementation and termination, recycle or extension of the consulting contract.

The entry and contracting stage involves initial contact between the client and the consultant where the consultant's skills and client's problems are assessed and goals established. At this stage, care needs to be taken when dealing with clients of different cultural background from the consultant. The consultant needs to be aware of their own culture and that of the client to understand any nuances that may influence the process strongly. A good consultant should acknowledge the existing cultural differences especially when the consultant lacks familiarity with the client's culture. This helps to open an honest communication line and build a relationship with the client. The consultant should also strive to gain familiarity with the client's culture to build mutually trusting relationships. A consultant who fails to do this is limited in problem solving and setting the stage for frustration and disappointment in the consultant-client relationships.

Collection of data and problem diagnosis is the second stage where the consultant uses his or her understanding of the problem to design this stage. The authors of this article note that there is always the possibility of resistance during the process and in most cases, culture plays a significant role. As such, cultural differences that influence the responsiveness of the consultee should be identified and dealt.

One such cultural issue as the author notes is the difference between low context (English and American) cultures and high context (Asian and African) cultures. While low context cultures value contracts and written agreements, high context ones take verbal agreements as binding. Low context cultures also work with strict schedules while high context cultures are more flexible and time spent depends on the workload nature. These cultural differences may cause problems especially in organizations with racial diversity. When diagnosing such culture related problems, the consultant should be careful to respect the organization's cultural beliefs, as this will enhance an open and sincere relationship between the client and the consultant.

According to the authors, Block's third stage of feedback and decision to act is very crucial when there are cultural differences. The consultant should attend to the need of the client using the cultural language that the client understands best. The authors suggest an interpersonal