What does a business consultant do?

In my personal opinion, a business consultant should first get a full perspective of the current process. They then should compare with best practices in other companies or different departments in one company. Based on all findings, a proper visualization should take place. When the business process owners get another perspective, it would be easier for them to make a change. So business consulting it's a focus on "to be", but with careful analysis "as is" and "as isn't".

1. Noticed how friends in the same city never find the time to get together, but immediately do when another classmate from a different city comes visiting? - That's one role a consultant plays. A time bound project with money paid, adds urgency to addressing issues. 2. Noticed the friendly alien in a movie like PK? A fresh pair of eyes, unconditioned by the way things are done on this planet; surfacing the assumptions that are invisible like water is to fish. - That's a role a consultant plays. 3. Noticed how some sport enthusiasts become the best coaches, even if not great players themselves? Because they can observe & guide, without the pressure or obligation to play. - That's the consultant's privilege and responsibility.

I believe- Business consultant needs to be accountable for the tangible outcome of consulting assignment . Specifically referring to strategy consulting - going beyond the strategy options , the roadmap selected by the client etc etc a good strategy consultant gets fully involved in monitoring the implementation and therefore the outcome . “ Execution is the key “

Based on my 20+ years of experience in business consultancy - first of all I bring doubt and curiosity. As an outsider I can see things that internal team adapted to not see, I can ask questions that could be uncomfortable to ask if you are insider, I can notice things with fresh eye, I can bring models or insights from other success cases. So business consultant could be a great listener and provoke great questions for self reflection in business.

As a good consultant it is wise to develop a T-shape during the career. This often leads to a good and broad understanding of a branch and their pains as well as being SME for a certain topic. Besides of hard skills it is crucial to have soft skills. We are working in a people business and our client employees are humans. Empathy, the ability to connect to people and understand their perspective paired with hard skills lead to successful projects and outcomes.

To provide real value, a consultant must FIRST excel at listening to understand a client’s greatest challenges and transform these into their greatest opportunities.

Being a fast learner and agile is important to add to the repertoire. A business consultant who can connect the dots to generate realistic yet creative ideas is highly sought after.

Business consultants need a range of skills to provide effective advice to organisations. They require analytical, communication, problem-solving, project management, industry knowledge, and interpersonal skills. Analysing data, identifying problems, communicating complex ideas, managing timelines and budgets, understanding industry trends and regulations, building relationships, and working collaboratively are some of the key skills that business consultants need. By possessing these skills, they can help organisations improve their performance, achieve their goals, and stay competitive.

Un consultor de negocios requiere habilidades analíticas para identificar problemas y soluciones, destrezas de comunicación para expresar ideas con claridad, habilidades interpersonales para establecer relaciones sólidas, capacidad de gestión de proyectos, creatividad para generar ideas innovadoras, adaptabilidad a diversos entornos y actualización constante de conocimientos y habilidades.

The most critical phase among the four in a business consultant's process is the diagnosis stage. In this phase, the consultant meticulously identifies the root causes and issues affecting the client's business performance. Using tools like data analysis and interviews, they gain a comprehensive understanding of internal processes, organizational structures, and external factors. The value of this phase lies in its ability to inform targeted and effective solutions, guiding the consultant in crafting proposals that precisely address the client's unique challenges. The diagnosis phase forms the cornerstone for successful consulting interventions, fostering trust and aligning proposed strategies with the client's needs and goals.

The process of a BC begins with framing the objective of the session followed by a workshop with key stakeholders. The primary goal here is to understand their current operations, the reasons behind their methods, their objectives, and the challenges they face. Visualization is key to me for a better comprehension. As a BC, I use a whiteboard to illustrate concepts. I blend global and detailed perceptions to cater to different thinking strategies among my audience. This understanding allows me to project the situation into a new, solution. A plan or specification document outlines the solution and its application in the new process. It serves as a roadmap for the transformation, guiding the team towards improved efficiency and performance.

Las dos fases más importantes son el descubrimiento y el diagnóstico. El descubrimiento responde al QUE. que necesidad tenemos que cubrir y el diagnóstico responde al POR QUE, cual es la causa raíz del problema que necesita solventar nuestro cliente. Solo con un diagnóstico correcto podremos hacer un dise?o y una entrega que responda a sus expectativas

The consulting process typically involves several steps: Assessment: Understanding the client’s business and challenges. Analysis: Gathering and analyzing data to identify problems and opportunities. Recommendation: Proposing actionable strategies to address issues. Implementation: Assisting in executing the strategies and ensuring they are effectively integrated into the business. Follow-up: Monitoring the outcomes and making adjustments if necessary.

There is no good diagnosis without examinations and research. Every doctor knows this, similarly should do consultants and their clients. Can you imagine a doctor sending you for surgery "because it seems right to them" and not spending money on tests? Unfortunately, such things happen in consulting, (although I would blame clients if they turn down offer to spend time and resources on decent exploration) . Simply assume that you will spend 5-15% of the budget on diagnosis and discovery using objective diagnostic methods. Its not about having in-house team confirm your business is on right track. Its about constructive critique and risk assessment

Scope out the role - fully understand what you require. Profile your ideal hire - what is their background, educational relevance etc Consider your bandwidth and personal networks if you are not in talent acquistion or human resources. Do you have time to conduct a meaningful search? If not then engage with a headhunter in your space and work collaboratively.

The standard way would be to put your requirements together, float some RFQs and have a conversation with the identified consultants. I would suggest to look for thought leadership articles, have reference checks with existing clients, cut through the chaff of the shared case studies. Start with smaller pilots before diving into deeper bigger engagements.

Hace algún tiempo cayó en mis manos un libro sobre el mundo de la consultoria: “Soy consultor, con perdón”. No toca ahora hablar del contenido, pero si de lo que refleja el título. Ser consultor es algo serio que exige un nivel de conocimientos y experiencia muy elevada. Una mala asesoría puede arruinar un proyecto y peor aún, afectar a muchas de las personas que hay detrás. Como bien refleja el artículo, hay que elegir muy bien, porque como las meigas y los coaches, consultores buenos, haberlos, haylos.

Acertar con un buen consultor de negocio no es fácil. Lo ideal es uno referencido que sepamos que tiene amplia experiencia en la materia que nos ocupa y si no lo tenemos acudiría a una de las grandes consultoras de negocio con McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group...

It is extremely important to find a business consultant with some degree of background in the industry in which you operate to allow them to provide contextualised statements that are meaningful for your company and your industry. Yes there are some things that are generic but there are also some things that are very industry specific, so having someone with some industry background can be very useful.

They can bring a fresh, external perspective to solving your business challenges. They also have the advantage on having deep experience in change and transformation and being able to execute at pace.

1. Speed - a good consultant will analyse and solve a problem with external perspective speedily. 2. New and external frame of reference - you cannot solve the problems/ challenges with the same thinking, you need new ideas. 3. Best model of engaging is a collaborative model where the internal team brings contextual know how and the external consultant brings new ways of solving / creating value

Hiring a business consultant provides organizations with valuable benefits, including expertise in various areas, an unbiased perspective, enhanced efficiency, and potential cost savings. Consultants assist in strategic planning, specialize in change management, and offer industry-specific insights for staying competitive. The flexibility of hiring for specific projects allows organizations to access expertise without long-term commitments. Consultants also contribute to staff training, help mitigate risks, and enable organizations to focus on core competencies. Overall, this strategic investment leads to improved efficiency, innovation, and organizational growth.

Das Engagieren von Unternehmensberatern kann verschiedene Vorteile mit sich bringen. Zum einen k?nnen Projekte und Probleme gel?st werden, bei denen man alleine nicht imstande w?re sie zu l?sen. Auf der anderen Seite k?nnen Berater und Beratungen auch als Absicherung für Ma?nahmen und Rechtfertigung für diese genommen werden. Man sichert sich also gegenüber Stake- oder Shareholdern ab indem man sagt selbst die Berater haben zu gewissen Schritten geraten.

In simple words, business consultant is a business doctor, who studies and develops business consulting skills from identifying business problems and developing and imparting solutions to the corporate world, where needed. As a business consultant, you have to know how to detect a problem and which solution fits, which may come from another industry, where your client may not have the required visibility.

One has to be careful not to fall into a "billable hours" trap. An ideal business consultant should have only the interests of the customer/executive sponsorship team at heart. However, financial considerations of a business consultancy can corrupt the consultant - the more hours one spends on a project, the more revenue one generates from that particular engagement. One way to manage it is to replace the Time and Materials remuneration basis with a fixed retainer fee - perhaps duration based, with a minimum levels of engagement specified upfront. A good business consultant must NOT be pulled into daily workloads, or else they can turn into high-cost contractors, complete w political influence, self interest and worse

When hiring a business consultant, consider their cultural fit with your organization, the clarity of their proposed solutions, and their ability to work collaboratively with your team. It’s essential to ensure alignment on goals and expectations from the outset to maximize the impact of their work.

I'd summarise that Business consultants offer expertise, but beware the following potential dangers: - Cost, High fees & uncertain ROI. - Expertise, Mismatched skills & personality clashes. - Implementation, Resistance & lack of buy-in. - Knowledge transfer, Limited knowledge sharing & short-term fixes. - Confidentiality, Leaks & IP risks. Minimize these dangers with: - Clear contracts & expectations. - Strong internal buy-in & knowledge transfer. - Focus on long-term solutions & expertise alignment. Having hired many before please reach out if you'd like to discuss.

Business consultants are not magicians. If not specialized (such as general management consultants), they are usually quick learners, but they need to be onboarded neverthless, especially for strategic assignments. To minimize issues in this phase, and as the context permits, ensure that the consultants and not just the firm working on your assignment bring in the most relevant experience on to the table. The sponsor should be clear of the stated and espoused objectives of the assignment given to the consultant. Ideally objective, sometimes the intent may have certain intangible goals as well.