Intervening with an intervention is to enter into a human or organizational system of relationships for the purpose of making a helpful difference. If done properly, interventions can transform deficits into assets, initiate influence in the proper places, and create a climate for creative problem solving. Selecting the proper intervention is preceded by understanding the problem context, completing an accurate diagnosis, including the assessment of system variables that will support or hinder a given intervention, taking ownership of the problem, and determining consultee client readiness. Intervention failures are caused by too much or too little diagnosis, by setting goals impossible to reach, or by implementing the wrong intervention. In addition, because of the intricacies of selecting and implementing the proper intervention, it is essential that the consultant's definition of consultation be articulated to the consultee.
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