You’re working on multiple projects in Consulting. How can you develop resilience?

Assessing priorities is essential for success in a consulting job. Clearly defining short and long-term career goals definitely helps. Reflecting on your core values might also help on the same. Assign priorities based on various factors like personal interest and growth along with strategic importance. Collaborate with your team members and supervisors to ensure alignment between your priorities and the goals of your team and consulting firm. Prioritize your well-being and maintain a healthy work-life balance. While your consulting career is important, it's essential to allocate time for personal interests, relationships, and self-care to sustain long-term success and fulfillment.

One of the key objectives of consult engagements are to build trust with the customer that we are the right partner. So it’s important to identify and prioritise goals that help us win this trust

As a consultant, you would typically be discussing with decision makers and policy influencers. So you will have to highlight how your work can add value to their major goals. Study their ecosystem, style of working, present metrices and expectations. Then draw up a plan as to what you will cover, correct and measure with priority and timelines. This is your value to them, as an SME.

Consider adopting the following strategies: 1. Prioritize and Delegate 2. Effective Time Management 3. Build a Support Network 4. Continuous Learning 5. Mindfulness and Stress Management 6. Celebrate Milestones 7. Reflect and Adapt

I so go back to when I first learned about the Franklin Covey Time Management System; the time matrix/4 quadrants and the simplicity of the letters and numbers. Whichever method or system you implement, stay committed to it and follow through

A fundamental requirement for success for anyone working in a project-based environment is managing tasks that come at peak times. As a rule, Mondays are the busiest. A short Sunday prep, cardio early Monday morning, and a blank Monday calendar can help.

Outro passo fundamental para desenvolver resiliência é gerenciar seu tempo e energia de forma eficaz. Isso significa planejar sua agenda, estabelecer prazos realistas, delegar tarefas e comunicar seu progresso e desafios. Significa também tirar pausas, descansar e recarregar seus níveis de energia. Você pode usar ferramentas e técnicas como calendários, cron?metros, listas de tarefas e o método Pomodoro para ajudá-lo a organizar seu trabalho e otimizar sua produtividade. Além disso, você pode praticar hábitos de autocuidado, como alimenta??o saudável, sono adequado, exercícios e medita??o para ajudá-lo a lidar com o estresse e melhorar seu humor.

Resilience in consulting can be developed by maintaining a positive outlook, embracing change, and learning from setbacks. 1. Prioritize tasks, 2. Manage time effectively, 3. Ensure work-life balance, 4. Regularly update skills and knowledge, 5. Cultivate a support network, and, 6. Don't hesitate to seek help when needed. Remember, resilience is a journey, not a destination.

Has it happened that you are entering a critical meeting at the end of the day but also feel depleted of energy and not at your highest? This is not ideal isn't it. Consultants do need to have confidence and many have methods to start the day with high energy. however the aspect of maintaining energy and allocating energy for the most critical activities/engagements in the day is important. we may do this by planning ahead and identifying not just activities/tasks for the day but also which tasks need more and will use more energy. Therefore allowing you to plan how to infuse energy before and replenish after if there are still some demanding tasks to do.

The first aspect of managing your time and energy is knowing yourself. When is the best time for you to do cognitively demanding work: morning, later morning, or afternoon? Make sure you do your demanding work during this time and save everything else - meetings, calls, admin work - for the hours outside this time. Don't allow interruptions to pull you off your game, whether you need to pause notifications, close your office door, or whatever. And make sure you leave at a reasonable hour so you can recharge your brain by having time with friends and family and doing other activities that you love. Your brain is not a computer and it needs breaks.

Sometimes we tend to make the "same" mistakes. Identifying the pattern, focusing on big picture instead of details might help us when we feeel trapped or in dead end and also to develop better coping strategies later.

Um terceiro passo para desenvolver resiliência é aprender com feedback e erros. Em vez de vê-los como falhas ou críticas, você pode encará-los como oportunidades para melhorar e crescer. Você pode solicitar feedback construtivo de seus clientes, gestores e colegas, e usá-lo para aprimorar suas habilidades e desempenho. Você também pode refletir sobre seus erros e identificar as causas raiz, as li??es aprendidas e as a??es necessárias para evitá-los no futuro. Ao adotar uma mentalidade de crescimento, você pode abra?ar desafios e feedback como parte do seu processo de aprendizagem.

I believe learning from feedback requires a person to first be open to accept feedback, whether critical or otherwise. Many of us are taught to defend our territory and methods. In my experience, we should all first seek a good mentor or coach who can help us with this acceptance, then the rest becomes easy. When we are open to know our learning gap areas, that is 70% of the job done. The other 30% is then your technical experience and improving upon it.

The one thing about consulting is that we tend to become very defensive or closed about the feedback and issues given the contractual and commercial nature of the engagements and there is nothing wrong about it as it’s part of the job. However it is important to compartmentalise feedback, mistakes, lessons learnt to break into facts and circumstances. It is important to acknowledge the problem or issue, separate the justification from it and look at what could have been done to avoid it. The other aspect of this is that it is important to sound it out to fix it. There needs to be a forum to openly discuss these without blame gaming. Having a broader audience including peers enables a path to a logical solution improvements

Consulting is all about learning on the go. Rather than viewing feedback negatively, I have always seen them as valuable opportunities for learning, growth and improvement. A good reflection helps understand the root causes, extract lessons learned, and implement preventive measures.

Research indicates that resilience is strongly rooted in 'social relationships.' As a consultant, I recognize the significance of 'cooperation' and 'collaboration' in cultivating these relationships. Cooperation: Working together, like when I buy you lunch, and you reciprocate next time. Collaboration: Simultaneously working on the same task in the same space. But, there is a higher-level concept: Co-creation! Co-creation involves creating together. This level not only helps build trustworthy relationships but also brings joy, satisfaction, purpose, and innovation into our lives – all closely linked with resilience. In short, creating environments that foster 'co-creation' is crucial.

One of the best ways to navigate through project challenges is to seek support from those who have experienced similar situations. Sharing your dilemmas or questions with others can provide you with valuable insights and guidance that can help you work through your challenges. In my opinion, building a strong team and promoting teamwork is an essential tool for developing resilience, which can help you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.

I would summarise this section under the heading 'resourcefulness'. In theory yes, resourcefulness and teamwork within and across business units is ideal for all sorts of outcomes and results management seeks. In practice though, the culture and daily BAU are challenges faced when working to embed resilience capability. Consultants don't have to work in isolation but if that's what everybody does, that is what everybody will do. The write up here implies resourcefulness is left up to the individual consultant to work out for themselves. No :) There's a lot that can be done by thoughtful and intentional management seeking to embed resilience capability to translate it through to outcomes.

A consultant is a guide & supervisor. To be effective, he/she should have all aligned to the desired outcome. When all believe in that GOAL, the best effort is automatic. Even if all are not onboard with your objective or method, you prove your effectiveness with data, style of presentation & value. This will get key members on your side. Continuous effort then results in the momentum which automatically brings all together take it to its goal. If they believe in you as a person by your demonstration of emotional skills, then the implementation of the technical part becomes simpler. We may say systems and processes, but without people's support, collaboration and having fun doing all this, a goal cannot be reached in a satisfactory manner.

As mentioned above: being able to delegate work and tasks is an essential trade. Even temporary assistance and highly motivated students can be great assets. Building a great team and leveraging an ecosystem of experts will also help to leverage best practices. Sometimes colleagues in other teams/units are working on similar challenges. Getting connected often helps to create shortcuts or get topical advice.

Celebrating achievements boosts resilience. One should always recognize their efforts and impact, as well as those of the team. Acknowledging milestones and successes, expressing gratitude and reflecting empathy in anything that you do, is the key to developing resilience. Celebrating helps gain confidence, motivation, and inspiration to persevere.

Celebrate the team, your win is automatic. Even if we do not openly acknowledge our direct value add as SME, all around us knows that the consultant is the reason for this positive change. Document what you have done, create case studies of your work, especially the before and after improvements and positive impact you made on the working style of your client. This is a big deal.

Embracing Resilience: Celebrate Achievements and Progress ? Acknowledge Efforts: Take a moment to recognize the hard work and dedication you put into your projects. ? Appreciate Impact: Reflect on the positive outcomes and value you bring to your clients and yourself. ? Celebrate Milestones: Mark important milestones and successes achieved by yourself, your team, and your network. ? Express Gratitude: Show appreciation to those who supported you along the way, including colleagues and mentors. ? Boost Confidence: Celebrating achievements can bolster your confidence and reaffirm your capabilities. ? Stay Motivated: Use celebrations as a way to stay motivated and inspired to continue making progress.

Seit Corona arbeite ich hierzu mit folgenden drei Fragen, die ich w?chentlich für mich beantworte: - Worauf bin ich besonders stolz? - Was hat mich positiv überrascht? - Worauf freue ich mich in der kommenden Woche?

Prioritize tasks, set realistic deadlines, and allocate time efficiently to prevent overwhelm. Be open to change and willing to adjust your approach as project requirements evolve. Take regular breaks, exercise, get enough sleep, and maintain a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout. Build a strong support network within your team and utilize resources such as mentors or coaches for guidance. Enhance your ability to solve problems effectively, both independently and collaboratively, to overcome challenges as they arise.

I was in Consulting for a while. Here’s my thoughts: 1. Be well read - a polymath. 2. Be coachable / mentorable 3. Be opinionated, sometimes 4. Be competent in more than 1-2 skills 5. Be ready to experiment

I like to think that we all have a gift, and finding it is our quest in life. Once we have found it, we are ready to bring it out into the world and specialize in it with much ease. There is so much knowledge available; what matters is how we apply it and if we love to do that.

Growing your skills and knowledge, you can enhance your competence and credibility, and prepare yourself for future opportunities and changes.

I am reminded of the story about having to take time away to sharpen the axe to cut more trees. This is to ensure that they are being useful to both. Same way if we are not constantly up skilling we are not going to be helpful. Up-skilling can be from courses,book and other academic means but more importantly it is something we get from our peer groups. Understanding how different projects are run, what they saw and faced differently, and leveraging their experience to learn about an industry or process or product or solution better. This is how we ensure we are confident to face new challenges and scenarios as we are not alone in the battle.

Well, first is to experience failure, thus, you don't need to mope around it too long, but embrace it, learn from it, and move on with it. People quit easily once they sense their self-worth is breached at the very onset of failure. If you fail, fine, charge it to experience, even if it’s worth a million dollars of project budget ??. But hey, the next time you do other consulting projects, that’s a return on investment to yourself. But of course, a million dollars of failure might be too much of a responsibility, so the key to learning from mistakes is to learn from other people’s. That’s not only resilience but also resilience avoidance.

As a consultant , it’s critical to have strong resilience. One can follow “EASY” framework to develop & enhance this skill. E stands for having empathy which is key to any problem solving , A is for Adaptability ie how flexible and adaptable you are in your approach, S is for Support network - having a strong support network allows you to add credibility & seek help when needed. And Y is for having ability to always know or ask “Why” ie what is the purpose, goal & vision of whatever we are doing, which allows us to develop deeper understanding & add more value.

The answer is cloning :) Okay, to effectively manage multiple consulting assignments with different clients simultaneously, prioritize tasks based on deadlines, importance, and client needs. Create a detailed schedule or project plan outlining key milestones, deliverables, and timelines for each assignment. Use project management tools or software to track progress, allocate resources, and monitor deadlines. Communicate regularly with clients to provide updates on project status, address concerns, and manage expectations. Delegate tasks when appropriate and leverage teamwork or collaboration to streamline workflows and maximize efficiency.

Above all else, you need to be able to enjoy the work, believe in it that you are making a difference and are constantly learning. Knowing this is the case will create the energy and mindset needed to handle any of the adverse situations. The other important aspect is always look at how you are delivering the work and look to be strategic about it than transactional. That means knowing the vision, purpose and the broader benefit of the work at hand, making sure that you deliver it in a manner that can make it repeatable and sustainable so it can be delegated and you can move on to the next big thing. Lastly know that the outcome alone doesn’t define you.

In my experience you must have ambiguity tolerance with working on multiple projects. The greater the comfort levels, the better the resilience.