The Consulting Way

The Consulting role Being a consultant requires a thorough understanding of your role. A consultant is first and foremost an advisor. A consultant gives advice, but it is the customer/client who makes decisions. The following is expected from you: o Integrity and accountability - you mean what you say and believe in your recommendations. “Integrity is the holy grail of consulting” (unknown). ”Think straight, talk straight” (Arthur Andersen) o Unbiased and objective when collecting facts, performing analysis and making recommendations o Professionality - high quality deliveries o Credibility - recommendations must be plausible and believable. Facts and fact based analysis are a good way to gain credibility. Another way is to meet or exceed the customer's expectations o Confidensiality - information and results are handled with care and not revealed to others without consent o Value for money - you must contribute to and deliver results that substantially exceed the fees incurred The Ideal Consultant - Is It Possible? What is the X-Factor that differentiates the great consultants from the rest of the pack? Is there a consulting gene that some people are born with? Can it be learned? I don't have a definitive answer to these questions, but I do believe that to have consulting as a long term career that makes you happy and your customers satisfied, you need the following qualities or skills: o The customer (client) comes first - you put the interests of your customers before your own personal interests. Keep your ego in your pocket. You are getting paid to help the customer be successful, not be right. o Genuine interest in helping others - you get pleasure from seeing your customers and consulting colleagues succeed without having to get formal recognition for your own contribution (although this is always welcome) o Ability to engage others - your knowledge and enthusiasm creates energy when interacting with the customer o Creative and imaginative - you find new solutions or ways of searching for them, making you a sought after advisor and facilitator o Trust Builder - you are able to build deep trust with customers and colleagues o Curiosity and continuous learning - you are always eager to explore new ideas and approaches