The Role of a Consultant

Just as the doctors say, “First, do no harm,” the consultant is only successful if the client is better off after the engagement than before. That improvement may be in the form of a problem fixed, an opportunity exploited, a disaster averted, confidence validated, or any number of other salutary results. But if you haven’t improved the client’s condition, then you haven’t been successful. 

This means that our roles are those of advisors. We don’t do the work, per se. When a consultant becomes the temporary (or de facto) director of sales, he or she is no longer a consultant but an employee filling a key position. It’s up to our client to assess our advice and make appropriate decisions. After all, if the lawyers made the legal decisions, the auditors the financial decisions, and the consultants the management decisions, then why would we need managers?

Consulting is a relationship business. That means we must develop trusting relationships with internal partners and clients. To me, trust means that both parties have the underlying conviction that the other person has the partner’s absolute best interests in mind. If I believe that about you, then I’m much more likely to listen to unprecedented, painful, and/or counterintuitive advice. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt (as you will extend that to me).

One of the key problems in internal consulting is a lack of trust. We address this as we progress, but we all know that a lack of credibility attached to a department or function also attaches itself to individuals representing that department or function. When that’s the case, it’s far easier to build individual trust and credibility than it is to change an entire department’s reputation. When enough individuals have made the change, the department will benefit. But functions do not change perceptions; people do. Departments don’t earn trust; individuals do.

The role of an internal consultant should place an emphasis on anticipation, improvement, and innovation. There has been an inordinate concentration on problem solving. While always important, problem solving has become a fairly mechanized routine and therefore of less value, despite its frequency. Problem solving basically restores performance to past levels.

But innovation raises the bar and is of much higher value. Since most managers have their noses pressed tightly to the glass of their own operations, they often fail to see the opportunity surrounding them. Catching up with the competition is important, but creating a gap between yourself and the next closest competitor is invaluable.

As a rule, internal consultants have been far too reactive and not nearly proactive enough.

Finally, an important part of the role is to disagree. We’re often swept along in the fervor of an executive’s bright idea, but no one has had the fortitude to point out that no one is wearing any clothes. Outstanding (and trustworthy) consultants push back. They consider legality, ethics, pragmatics, risks, and costs to other parties. They don’t blindly implement.

We have an excellent plumber. He arrives on time, fixes the leaks, and charges according to his efforts. But we would never ask him to come in and discuss the way the kitchen is decorated or the location of the bathrooms. 

We need plumbers to fix the leaks. But I don’t think anyone reading this sees his or her future mending the corporate pipes.