As a management consultant, you want to deliver value to your clients, but also to leave a positive and lasting impression that goes beyond the scope of your project. How can you create a lasting legacy in client engagement, and why is it important for your career and reputation? In this article, we will explore some strategies and tips to help you achieve this goal.
Before you start working with a client, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how you want to be remembered. Your legacy is not only the final outcome of your project, but also the process, the relationship, and the impact you have on the client's organization and culture. Think about what skills, insights, and values you can offer to your client, and how you can align them with their needs, goals, and expectations.
Thinking about the legacy even before the engagement starts is not a good way to start any engagement. The objective should be to do a stellar job, create immense value for the client and for your firm. Legacy should be the by-product, not the objective itself.
One of the key factors for creating a lasting legacy is to establish a strong and genuine connection with your client. This means not only being professional and competent, but also being empathetic, respectful, and transparent. You need to understand your client's pain points, challenges, and aspirations, and show that you care about their success. You also need to communicate effectively and frequently, and provide honest and constructive feedback. By building trust and rapport, you can create a positive and collaborative atmosphere that fosters learning and innovation.
Another essential factor for creating a lasting legacy is to deliver high-quality and valuable results that meet or exceed your client's expectations. This means not only delivering on time and on budget, but also providing insights, solutions, and recommendations that are relevant, actionable, and sustainable. You need to demonstrate your expertise and creativity, and use data, evidence, and best practices to support your arguments. You also need to measure and showcase the impact and benefits of your work, and ensure that your client is satisfied and happy.
A lasting legacy is not only about what you do, but also about what you leave behind. You want to empower your client to continue the improvement and transformation that you initiated, and to enable them to solve their own problems in the future. This means that you need to transfer your knowledge and skills to your client, and help them develop their own capabilities and confidence. You can do this by providing training, coaching, mentoring, and documentation, and by involving your client in the decision-making and implementation process.
Transfering knowledge is very important in my opinion. I always try to summarize and write to my customers the key points related to an activity, so that they can use it also in the future. It also happens that the customer asks again for information I already delivered in a past assignment and I always remind them they have what they need: I never ask to be paid twice for same deliverable. I think this is part of the integrity the consultant must have and also helps in building the trust. It is also rewarding to me when I succeed in passing some information to young colleagues: it is a way to give back what I got when I was younger....and most of the times I learn more than I teach!
Creating a lasting legacy does not end when your project is over. You want to keep in touch with your client, and maintain a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship. This means that you need to follow up with your client, and provide ongoing support, guidance, and feedback. You also need to seek feedback from your client, and learn from their experience and perspective. By maintaining the relationship, you can create a loyal and satisfied client, who can become a source of referrals, testimonials, and repeat business.