The mediocre consultant receives a problem from a client and solves it. The elite consultant questions and explores the issue in depth. Here are three questions to ask before you get to work.
Great piece, Richard. When you're given a problem, think hard and engage your client to understand *together* if there's a more precise problem to solve.
I find that clients often believe they have to fix problem X, but after a couple of workshops actually agree they have to fix problem Y.
If you can define with accuracy and precision the actual problem they must fix, then you unlock those $100K (or $Mm) projects!
Totally agree. I have seen this as well where clients "think" they just need X (a widget, a tool, etc.) to magically fix the issue.
And you as the consultant are supposed to validate that idea and implement the widget, except, the problem is really upstream or downstream.
Asking good questions is key to really give them more than an answer, a real solution.
Really liked this:
"The point is that most organisations we work with want us to provide a solution without fully diagnosing the real problem. This often means the solution wouldn’t work."
Which is why we get called in to 'fix' what others have done in the past.
Yes, there's so much vendor-driven methodology. People begin with a problem and begin looking for a vendor to solve it instead of trying to figure out what actually solves the problem.
Great piece, Richard. When you're given a problem, think hard and engage your client to understand *together* if there's a more precise problem to solve.
I find that clients often believe they have to fix problem X, but after a couple of workshops actually agree they have to fix problem Y.
If you can define with accuracy and precision the actual problem they must fix, then you unlock those $100K (or $Mm) projects!
Totally agree. I have seen this as well where clients "think" they just need X (a widget, a tool, etc.) to magically fix the issue.
And you as the consultant are supposed to validate that idea and implement the widget, except, the problem is really upstream or downstream.
Asking good questions is key to really give them more than an answer, a real solution.
Really liked this:
"The point is that most organisations we work with want us to provide a solution without fully diagnosing the real problem. This often means the solution wouldn’t work."
Which is why we get called in to 'fix' what others have done in the past.
Cheers Richard.
Yes, there's so much vendor-driven methodology. People begin with a problem and begin looking for a vendor to solve it instead of trying to figure out what actually solves the problem.
Yep, hence the line “there’s the right way, the wrong way and the vendor way” 😁