M.A.R.S say's - A Consultants Must:
- Have self-confidence and be as adept at delivering bad news as good. There’s nothing worse than consultants who are not sure of themselves, especially when they’re being asked about sensitive issues.
- Have a good understanding of the business and of themselves. A consultant has theoretical and practical knowledge. It’s important to know what solutions have worked in the past and to have ideas about how to improve them.
- Have transferable skills. Cookie-cutter approaches are weak. A great consultant is able to apply learning across different situations to come up with innovative ideas. The result should be practical new strategies that are credible—and that work.
- Have the ability to simplify and explain a problem. Not every customer cares about regression analysis. A consultant needs tools to explain ideas simply, whether through a diagram or a metaphor.
- Have more than one solution to a problem. Stuff happens and things change. Successful consultants foresee multiple solutions. They are also ready to think on their feet when challenged and to improvise.
- Be a good listener. Consultants never assume and don’t hesitate to ask questions until they understand their clients’ needs fully.
- Be a team player. While personal goals are important, the customer’s goal must come first.
- Be able to market. Self-employed consultants are often great at client work but miss out on marketing. You need to be good at both to stay in business.
- Gain client trust. To uncover the real issues, you have to be able to develop a strong relationship with your clients. Passion for their cause helps, but for integrity, you also need to be a critical friend.
- Remember who’s the star. It’s tempting to think you’re clever when you solve a seemingly intractable problem. But successful consultants need humility and must remember that the customer is always the star of the story.
What would you add to this list?
