Files and Notes



John Barclay

Why people engage consultants

  • Methodology, not solution
  • Heavy weight letterhead
  • Short term labor market: contracting is not consulting. If you're doing a job you're contracting but if you're solving business problems then you're a consultant.

What makes a good consultant?

  • Learning Agility
  • Personal Agility
  • Stakeholder Management skills - finding out who are the different stakeholders on any assignment
  • The ART of consulting is the management of expectations
  • Customer centric: be able to wear their shoes, talk their language but see their roadblocks as speedbumps: hurdles to be overcome, not impassable barriers
  • Supreme confidence for the process
  • Why not what. What is success removes focus from the what to the why, allows flexibility to achieve goal
  • Leave them with the "aha" factor - if you haven't given them a piece of insight or other revelation, you won't have the perception of having provided value
  • Patience = 2x cleverness

Benefit of major company?

  • strong body of knowledge and strong discipline

Positive side of the profession

  • Learning
  • Industry knowledge, not role
  • Challenge thinking
  • Diversity
  • Smart people
  • Non trivial issues
  • No internal politics
  • Constant big picture

Downside

  • Kill what you eat - constantly selling
  • Business development as a solo is constant rollercoaster - not ideal
  • Drop & run - travel quickly loses glamour
  • Billing - put money where your mouth is


Kevin McCaffrey

The Consulting Craft

©2008 Kevin McCaffrey, Managing Director, Effective Governance NZ. Ltd. All Rights Reserved. License for non commercial use granted to AUT MBA Consulting Club

Who is the client?

  • Understand who is driving the assignment and what their agenda is
  • Ask who else you have a duty of care for

Manage Your Clients Expectations

  • What are your Terms of Reference?
  • Notwithstanding these what does your client expect?
  • How does this change over the course of the assignment?

Being right is no consolation

  • Having the right solution does not mean you will get it implemented
  • What gets implemented is what gets done
  • How will you influence your client to get it right?

Understand the forces in action

  • What is really going on in the client space?
  • What other factors could run your project off the rails
  • Does the client have the time, resources, and inclination?

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail

  • Some consultants only have one way of doing things
  • Others keep coming up with the same solution for every client

Methods are maps

  • Methodologies give you and the client a programme of work and a method
  • Methods have to suit the client and circumstances
  • They are not a hammer
  • When in trouble on a project they take you back to a safe place

Say what you see

  • How you offer a critique is important - if you say what you see it is possible to be critical but supportive
  • Use really simple language that the client would use

Conflict can craft relationships

  • Do not be afraid to confront a client over an issue - but be tactful
  • Don't be compliant and back down when they are wrong or treat you unfairly
  • Always support you team member but accept any reasonable criticism

Manage your exit

  • Two thirds through the project agree the close out plan and project review with your client
  • Leave
  • Go back for a project review and give the client feedback on their performance and team
  • Thank them and ask if they will be a reference

Success is being invited back

  • Any repeat work no matter how small in an endorsement
  • Small projects lead to big projects
  • What price your reputation?
  • This is a small town if you are a compliant consultant clients will lose respect for you
  • That will be your reputation
  • If you strike an irresolvable ethical issue, take independent advice
  • If necessary resign the project
  • Only take on a job you can do to a high standard or you will lose money on the job AND get a poor reputation
  • NO is a useful word

Lifespan of a consulting career

  • 3 months I know if you will make it
  • 6 months you know you will make it
  • 18 months Ready for the next level or challenge
  • 3 years Running a team of consultants??
  • 5 years Promoted to a senior level with ownership on the horizon?
  • 7 years If not stay and enjoy or leave

Cycle in - Cycle Out

  • Cycling into consulting for 3 - 5 years and back to industry is a great way to develop your skills.