A view from outside can be useful when
- important decisions are required
- big investments are needed
- buy-in for decisions is weak
- opinions in the organization differ
My role in a second-opinion may be an expert role, for example:
- to give a second-opinion on the selection of a software solution
- to review on the quality of a project plan
- to assess the risks of a plan and the mitigation measures.
The process role is usually just as important as the expert role, and quite often more important. For example:
- people in a company may have vested interests and strong opinions, and they may therefore get stuck in their position during discussions. An outsider without any vested interests may be able to re-focus on the needs instead of the positions, and by doing that to find a solution that addresses those needs.
- an outsider without any vested interest may with help of techniques such as active listening be able to win trust and to get the process back on track.