| What Sets Successful Consultants Apart? Are you | | | | dynamics, they will be able to start outlining how |
| part of a Management Team that is considering | | | | things fit together and begin to work toward |
| engaging a Business Consultant? Are you a | | | | formulating successful solutions. They also have a |
| Consultant who is considering a Consulting Job? This | | | | knack for not only seeing what is there, but what's |
| Article Covers 10 Qualities of a Successful Consultant. | | | | not there--discernment can be pivotal. |
| 1. Know the Client. It is not enough to know about | | | | 6. They Deliver. Perfectly crafted proposals, shining |
| the client's business or industry, or to offer up | | | | referrals and resumes do not guarantee success. |
| boilerplate solutions. Consultants must understand the | | | | When a business pays for expert analysis, skill and |
| history, mission and goals as relates to their tasking | | | | advice from outside of their internal pool of |
| and, any relevant information about competitors and | | | | expertise, consultants need to deliver-and deliver to |
| stakeholders. In essence, they are being paid to be | | | | the client's satisfaction. |
| an extension of the organization's team by helping to | | | | 7. Best Alignment. Not all consultants are |
| carry out key objectives through successful | | | | cross--functional. Oftentimes, at the point a |
| execution. In order to do that, it is critical that | | | | consultant is hired, the organization is desperate for |
| consultants understand the client's business. | | | | help in building, making an important correction or |
| 2. They Listen. Consultants need to be expert | | | | securing a very specific skill set. They cannot afford |
| listeners in order to accurately assess, advise and | | | | to lose time or money. A consultant can hold multiple |
| apply their expertise and acquired discovery for the | | | | degrees or have decades of experience under their |
| benefit of the client. It's important to note that there | | | | belt and still not be a good fit. Both the organization |
| is a substantial difference between hearing and | | | | and the consultant need to be sure that they are the |
| listening. Listening gives us the ability to formulate the | | | | best alignment for one another. |
| right questions and deduce accurate information from | | | | 8. Communication Excellence. Apart from possessing |
| which to base our solutions. | | | | excellent verbal skills, the consultant should also have |
| 3. Proper Connections. The sooner a consultant | | | | excellent listening skills and the ability to articulate. |
| connects with the right people in the organization, the | | | | They need to be able to articulate pain points, goals |
| better. Too often, consultants misread the inner | | | | and solutions. They should also keep all stakeholders |
| workings of an organization or miss important | | | | informed, be prompt and clear with reports, and issue |
| elements that may be key to their decision-making | | | | relevant feedback throughout the process. |
| by catering exclusively to the top level. Successful | | | | 9. On Their Game. Detail-oriented preparation, process |
| consultants will pro-actively engage and connect with | | | | and delivery are all important. They are also prompt, |
| all of the key people who in any way, relate to their | | | | professional, organized, responsive and reliable. |
| objectives. | | | | Staying on top of the latest trends and intelligence |
| 4. Customization. When it comes to processes, | | | | and being able to apply anything of relevance will also |
| people, communications, strategies and solutions--one | | | | set them apart. |
| size does not fit all. Great consultants put their | | | | 10. Create Value. Successful consultants create value |
| experience and intuition into practice while analyzing, | | | | by demonstrating business acumen and have the |
| discovering and rendering solutions, and looking to | | | | ability to lead and manage both processes and |
| best practices as a companion guide, but not as an | | | | people. They are pro-active in understanding what |
| exacting science. | | | | the client needs, act as trusted advisors who bring |
| 5. Discernment. Critically, they must see the whole | | | | the best solutions to the table in an effective and |
| picture--that includes processes and people. Once | | | | profitable manner, and they produce on their |
| they have identified all relevant components and | | | | deliverables. |