How can you become an indispensable consultant to your team?

One thing that i find helpful when getting to know my client is to keep an open mind. Most of the time we try to recommend what we consider best practices but fail to realize the reason behind current practices. Listen and understand first before proposing anything. If asked to provide recommendations before you are able to investigate , then try to provide examples of how things are recommended and get instant feedback to find out more about how your client operates

“Know your client” is pretty broad. Yes, know the client - eg why they want what they want, goals, challenges - fine. But define “they” properly. Spend time understanding individual stakeholders and teams in the business. The client isn’t the name of the business you’re working with or a solitary thing - your client is the people who make the business work. Spend time with them and understand how they contribute to the business’s goals, the challenges they’re facing locally in their jobs, in their teams. Be present.

As part of your research and to stand out as a consultant: 1. Search your client on platforms such as LinkedIn for any mutual connections and reach out to learn more about the client. 2. Check Glassdoor for any reviews about your client. This can help understand your client's perceived strengths and weaknesses by employees. Do keep an open mind as you read these reviews. 3. Visit your client's website to learn about the company, including its work, mission, vision, and values. 4. Read recent news stories about the client to learn even more. Doing preliminary research about clients and sharing some of those insights when appropriate shows genuine interest in helping the organization.

Delivering quality work isn't just about meeting expectations - it's about exceeding them. We strive to proactively solve problems, exceed deliverables, and build trust with clear communication and transparency. We brainstorm with what-if analysis to anticipate future needs, quantify our impact, and offer additional resources to go the extra mile. By consistently exceeding expectations, we become more than just a consultant; but a trusted partner, adding value that sets us apart as indispensable. It's not just about ticking boxes; it's about exceeding them and leaving a lasting positive impact on our clients' success.

Your work is your best calling card. Put your heart and soul into it and you will reap dividends. As a consultant you must: 1. Possess Knowledge and skills 2. Be creative and raise the bar 3. Be courageous and honest This will set you apart.

Out of all the pointers listed in this article, the single most important thing is to be PROACTIVE. The nature of consulting assignments are fast-paced as the clients require quick de-bottlenecking of their problems, hence one needs to be proactive in collecting data, interacting with SMEs, coordinating with ones teammates and if one is not then it really tanks the assignments.

"No man is an island", like the saying goes, however it is at your disposal, discretion and with your unique skills and much broader understanding of humanity, that'll make a difference somewhere. Sometimes it assists a lot, to have some prior knowledge, of the broader geopolitical, historical and cross cultural understanding, of those you're directly dealing with. Knowing how to converse with them too, based on their lingo, also plays an important and vital role, to unlocking some of the hidden mysteries and narratives, of their worldviews and aspiration.

Probably the most important. I’ve made a similar point in the first part of this article, but rapport is (almost) everything. Build trust, be present and be reliable. People remember the human things you do for them. If they feel they can call you to help them get out of a sticky situation then you’ve won and you’ve built something fruitful.

I believe that it is not productive as a consultant to be the "Yes" man. Regardless if it is within your team or with clients, it is important to investigate why there is a specific requirement rather than agreeing or disagreeing with everything. Once you find out more you are able to share better insight and recommendations to improve the situation at hand

Some predictions that were made in the past, have not become a lived reality, over and through time. This is mainly in the business and commercial entities, that made good use of the boaderless world, to achieve their targetted goals. Competing as the so called giants, pubs, lions, dragons and monkeys in the transnational and multinational (MNC&TNC) corporate entities, their local practices have succumbed to numerous anomalous undertaking and corruption. Prior consultation with those at the grassroots, especially the local native populace, have been ignored till date. Despite strategic measures being set in place, TNC & MNC's local practices, have continued to raise eyebrows, due to their local cultural insensitivilty and vulnerability.