Unconventional Consulting
A recent conversation with a client helped me realize that there are some conventional practices for a consultancy that we've had a lot of success (and fun) challenging over the years. Here are a few of the conventions we've (not) followed:
1. (Don't) Focus only on billable client projects. Rather than only maximizing billable time, we've always made it a priority to take on internal projects as well, at all levels of the company. Creating a tool, writing an article or post, or giving a talk are often the best ways to reflect and learn as well as build a sense of ownership in the company.
2. (Don't) Only send senior people to meetings. Rather than sending just senior people, we send the full team. This allows the team to get feedback and respond in real-time, avoids things getting lost in translation, and accelerates the development of junior people through client exposure.
3. (Don't) Work on one project at a time. While focus is important, working on multiple projects simultaneously accelerates learning since lessons from one project can be applied right away to another, and it also forces people to be thoughtful budgeting and spending their time because they don't have a default project to pour all their efforts into.
4. (Don't) Share the financials only with leadership. Rather than only a select few knowing how the business is doing and why, our P & L is transparent (as are data from our client satisfaction survey and our 360 feedback forms) to build trust and ownership and inform everyone's decisions and actions.
While working this way isn't always easy and may not be the most "efficient" at times, they've been important parts of shaping our learning culture and delivering for clients.
What are some ways you've had success going against the conventional wisdom?
CEO at Matter Real Estate
7 年I would add that most firms and individuals over specialize, creating competencies that are too narrow. Vertically integrated firms can serve clients better and innovate more successfully. Close collaboration between disciplines leads project teams to "connect the dots", which is how creative ideas arise. A firm that offers several services also benefits from keeping lessons learned in house.
Global Managing Director at FreeState
7 年Here’s my add: “Don’t always follow the same process. Use the appropriate process for the project and follow the opportunity” - I’ve often seen the “10 (or whatever number) steps to success” approach being blindly implemented without regard for the nuances of a particular opportunity. User research often leads to unexpected places and it is a lost opportunity not to follow new paths.