In the book “Business of Consulting” by Elaine Biech, the paradigm of consulting in managing relationship between consultants and clients have shifted from just connected to become engaged, what’s the freakin’ difference?
Let me take one example in a story to describe the basic and beyond in consulting engagement. “The old paradigm” of consulting relationship with clients is like this following story; one of your friends invited you for a dinner, you were their friend and also their marriage counselor, this happened because they needed your advice for their threaten marriage. The dinner was a set-up in intention to get you more involved into their daily life, so you could have a better view on what is going on in their marriage, and you could give a more grounded and objective point of view. So, you came, you sat at the dinner table, had a delicious supper, a little chit-chat afterwards, it seemed this family was a very healthy one because the couple looked so happy and loving to each other. So you give your wise-word that they going to make it as in “till death do them apart” thing. You have no news from them anymore, and you thought that everything were all fixed, until a few months later you’ve heard the couple were divorced, something that shocked you ant were the most unexpected news of all.
“The new paradigm” in managing engagement with client is like you were facing the same set-up but with different handling; you came, you sat at the dinner table, had a great meal the wife cooked, and talked until midnight about anything related to their relationship journey, you were jump-in in the middle of the conversation to made it more alive. And after past midnight they offered you to stay in their house until the next morning. And you say ‘pleasures are all mine’, and then a couch was set for you to sleep. You couldn’t sleep because you could hear them arguing something about the husband tight salary that unable to cover family expenses. And then you finally managed to sleep… The next morning when you had your breakfast, you said to them that they need a financial counselor instead of marriage counselor, and you happened to know a fellow financial planner professional, and you would gladly refer the couple to that guy. Story goes, the couple were able to handle their problem little-by-little, slow but sure they regain their trust and love to each other again. They keep contacting you until they finally made it and solve the root cause of the problems.
The last example shows what engagement is all about, how it deployed and inherent with client’s daily life… When consultants and clients engaged, the consultants are like guests who stay overnight, not just once but over and again just to dig out the root problem. Not only 8-to-5 chit chat, but a more deep conversation, overhearing the unheard in normal discussion, validating, analyzing, and resolving the collected issue before fell asleep. And finally presenting the solution in the next morning… Well, client approach can be anything that convenient them the most, but understand this; engagement is not just some sexy words we use as name for recurring client, but we also act upon it, being conscious that we are responsible to deliver value, to help their problems, and giving the sincerest of all your effort. And I’m sure the client will sense your sincerity and put respect in your effort. Yes, most clients want their consultants to do everything, that’s common, it’s our job to manage their expectations to keep everything on track, as a basis to notify them whenever we are out of course.
Years ago, when I decided to be a consultant, I thought being a consultant was like those dandy ladies and gentlemen who wear Armani suits and Dolce&Gabbana leather wears, with all the style and confidence presenting the proposals. But then I know it a lot better now, it was not the end product presented per sé, it was the effort you and your team have between one end to another, the tears that we drop and blood that we shed to deliver the expectation is the bread and butter in consulting life. If consulting is just copy-pasting and no value being added, forcing them to nod their head while their heart say otherwise, then I don’t want to be in consulting business. And client value creation can only be achieved through engagement.
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