1. How does the Consultant Training work
The consultant training is in a distance learning format, which runs over a 5 week period and includes four two hour web tutorials, which require your live participation via conference call. The actual timing of these sessions will be agreed to accommodate all of the participants on the programme. There is no requirement to attend face to face sessions.

In between the tutorials, there will be background study and reflection activities.

The next step in the training programme is for consultants to find a client of their own so that TPC can work with them to help them to apply their learning in a real context.

The final step in the accreditation process is for consultants to submit a final report of up to 2000 words, summarizing their learning around the use of the Excellence Audit in their own practice.

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2. What is the total cost of the Training and the payment timeline?
The total cost of the program is £UK1500/$US2000, which covers the cost of the first audit for your own client. Most of our participants believe they will be able to charge this fee on to their client. This amount is payable in advance of the training.

Subsequent Excellence Audits commissioned will be charged at £UK1,500/ $US2000 per 50 person/single group audit.

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3. Is there any way to reduce the cost of the training?
The way we have structured the charges for the training are that the training cost (£1500/$US2000) includes the first Excellence Audit. You could consider therefore that the first audit is free. Alternatively, you could consider that the training is free!! Some previous participants have found a client who will pay the normal fee for the Excellence Audit, which means that for them, the cost of the training will be covered.

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4. How is the Consultant Training structured?
We believe that the prerequisites for using the model and the tool are a good understanding of FSW and the Excellence Audit, how they fit into a consulting process, and interpretation of the Excellence audit results. This learning process will be different for each person, which is one of the reasons that a Distance Learning approach has been chosen.

Our Excellence Audit Distance Learning Package has five phases of learning, and a final assessment assignment.

1. Firstly, understanding the background to Future Shape of the Winner (FSW); where it came from how it has been developed, how it helps, how it makes a contribution to business.
2. Secondly, how FSW and Ex Aud fit into an overall consulting approach; in our experience each prospective consultant needs to give thought to how it can be incorporated into their own practice.
3. Thirdly, how to interpret the Excellence Audit; work through a case study to understand the data and its interpretation.
4. Finally, what makes the approach distinct and how it builds on or connects with other organisation development theories, and how consultants can position and sell the Audit to their own clients.
5. Finally, the real test of the learning process is a consultant being able to convince a client of theirs to undertake their own Excellence Audit; setting up and interpreting the audit would be fully supported by TPC.
6. Having completed these five phases of learning, consultants will submit a final report in which they describe their own interpretation of FSW, and outline how they plan to integrate Excellence Audit into their own practice. Successful completion of this report and participation in the Distance Learning Programme will result in consultants becoming Licensed Users of the Excellence Audit.

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5. What does it mean to be a licensed user of the Excellence Audit?
Successful graduates of the ExAud Distance Learning Programme will be approved as Licensed Users of the Tom Peters Company Excellence Audit. They will be entitled to market themselves as licensed users, but may not represent themselves as Tom Peters Company consultants. A special page will be created on the Tom Peters Company website listing approved Licensed Users of the Excellence Audit.

Both parties will sign a Heads of Agreement that describes the partnership obligations on both sides. For the early members of the Licensed Users network we do not envisage a minimum sales target of Excellence Audits, as we consider them to be partners in the network development. Licensed users will be encouraged to be active contributors to the FSW community, which will have its own users website. This community is set up to enable users and TPC associates to share experiences of using and interpreting the Excellence Audit.

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6. Is there a standadardized output with the results of the audit?
Yes. The Excellence Audit report provides information about present and future ratings against the 50 characteristics of Future Shape of the winner, organised under the various FSW elements and axes. The present and future ratings give data about how the organisation/team rates today and how people believe it ought to rate in future. The gap between present and future ratings gives indications about the energy for change that exists in an organisation/team. Survey participants are able to provide verbatim comments about aspects that matter to them, and these provide qualitative data to complement the quantitative data. These standard results require interpretation, in order to help the client to make sense of the data, and to decide which aspects deserve priority.

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7. What types of client are most suitable for the Excellence Audit?
One of the most important attributes we look for in an ExAud client is their ability to make decisions and change the way things are done in their business. For that reason, we would say that it is the client mindset that matters more than their size or industry. However, our bias is to look for smaller units; either divisions, or departments within large companies, or owners of medium or small sized enterprises.

A second important characteristic is the type of employee that exists in the client company, and the extent to which the business needs the employee to exercise judgement and to make freewill contribution. The greater the need for employee free will contribution, the more ExAud will help.

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8. Is there an ideal survey size?
We would recommend that the people who are invited to complete the survey are those individuals on whom the future success of the business depends. In some smaller businesses that might be everyone, but in larger ones, we recommend that leaders are more selective about who they include. You certainly need a representative sample (25%+?) of key employees.

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9. For what period of time do I have access to the Excellence Audit?
Successful completion of the training will result in consultants being accredited to use the Excellence Audit. We see this accreditation being open ended, but will be dependent on the consultant using the Excellence Audit on a regular basis. At this point in time, we do not have a minimum frequency in mind, but this will be developed in consultation with licensed consultants.

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10. What are the plans for marketing the Excellence Audit?
The Excellence Audit will remain a branded tool of Tom Peters Company, and we will continue to market it as a product. The licensed users of the Excellence Audit will be able to market the product to their own customer base, and we will assist with marketing information, which can be customised by each licensed user. If licensed users wish to create their own marketing literature or initiatives we will support with content and advice. Licensed Users of the Excellence Audit will be listed on a their own page on the TPC website.

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11. How does the Excellence Audit process work?
Once a person is a Licensed User, and they have a new client for the Excellence Audit, they will commission this from TPC. TPC will administer the audit, and will produce the results, which will be forwarded to the consultant. The relationship with the client will remain with the consultant.

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12. How does my client get invoiced for the Excellence Audit?
When you commission an Excellence Audit, you will be responsible for paying TPC for this service. Invoicing the client will be down to you, as you will doubtless want to make extra charges for the services that you offer to support the Excellence Audit.

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13. What is the cost model for audits of more than one x 50 person group?
The size of an Excellence Audit can grow in one of two ways; more participants and more sub groups. More participants will have an additional per capita charge of UK£10 each. More subgroups will be charged a fixed fee of £500 for each additional sub group. Hence, a group of 200 people with two subgroups would be costed as follows; basic survey (1 group/50 people) @£1500, plus one additional subgroup @ £500, plus 150 more participants @1500. Total cost of survey £3500. Local taxes will be applied as applicable.

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14. Can I have an exclusive agreement for distributing the Excellence Audit in my market?
We do not have plans to grant exclusive access to the ExAud at this stage.

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