What Makes a Consultant Great?

By: Jean-Gael (Jay) Reboul, Lead Consultant, AIM Consulting

Consulting is a unique occupation that may not suit everyone. In fact, how many folks knew consulting was a path they could take as kids? Or even in college?

Why is that? Because many don’t know what a consultant does. I was the same. For the first ten years of my professional career, I worked as a Software Engineer and then a Technical Program Manager. I developed my expertise thoroughly, but after successfully delivering several projects of the same nature, I felt the need to challenge myself further and try this “consultant” thing…

To be clear, the transition to consulting was neither easy nor smooth. But it was worth it as I not only grew professionally – learning different industries, working with various clients, and continuously adding new methodologies and technologies to my toolbox – but personally, too. Indeed, deciding to be a consultant is only the first step, while becoming a great consultant is a process. And this journey starts with an honest look at our abilities and an understanding of our strengths and weaknesses. So, what makes a consultant great?

First, great consultants are unafraid of change. They understand that change is part of life. As a matter of fact, consultants make a living out of changes! The nature of the profession includes absorbing, triaging, and analyzing the information they need to hit the deck fast and identify the correct problems to solve for their clients.

Great consultants are always self-aware. They admit their weaknesses and limitations. They are honest about their abilities (or lack of) and know how to best leverage their specific strengths to benefit their clients.

Great consultants don’t fear embarrassment. They don’t pretend to know everything and ask questions when needed. They think outside of the box and don’t shy away from unconventional or untraditional ideas that could help their clients. That said, they do recognize and acknowledge their mistakes because no one is perfect.

Great consultants don’t fear feeling inferior. They leave their ego at the door, agreeing to be blamed (even if it’s not their fault) to protect their client from potentially damaging situations. Every decision a consultant makes is to understand and support their client’s business and needs.

Great consultants are customer-obsessed. To have a successful career in this peculiar line of work, consultants must be genuinely interested in and empathize with their clients’ needs. They can quickly add value and deliver the right solution to their clients and end-users with this focused mindset.

Great consultants don’t fear losing business. Instead of trying to sell their services, they focus on advising their prospective and current clients. They tell the truth and confront clients when needed while delivering the message with respect and empathy. They aren’t afraid to address the elephant in the room for the benefit of the client and the entire organization.

Great consultants daily demonstrate several essential traits of healthy conflict management, proactive commitment, vulnerability-based trust, peer-to-peer accountability, and a sharp focus on attaining results. These values define them as ideal team players: humble, hungry, and people-smart. The same values lead organizations to have incredibly successful teams.

Last, great consultants associate their success with the success of their clients. If their clients fail, the consultant uses that to signal needed improvement and change. Great consultants aren’t afraid to call it like they see it when they notice that internal issues or organizational silos negatively affect their clients’ success.

Working as a consultant isn’t always easy. But embarking on the journey to becoming a great consultant is rewarding, especially as this journey is a never-ending one. You learn so much about yourself, feel challenged in ways you never imagined, and find triumph in many different areas.

If you’ve ever found yourself intrigued by exploring the consulting path, reach out to AIM, and we can connect you with our exceptional recruiters!

Happy Learning! Happy Consulting

About AIM Consulting

AIM Consulting understands that great cultures power the best companies. AIM is dedicated to developing a fulfilled, successful team because we know that our employees not only build our culture but also provide the best experience and products for our customers.

At AIM Consulting, we are always soliciting new ideas from our employees and using this feedback to drive organizational changes. We work every day to make AIM a place where the people are passionate, teamwork is valued, innovation is the norm, customer success is the goal, and our relationships are the measurement of our achievements.

We believe our people are AIM Consulting’s most valuable asset. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of our culture, reputation, and the company’s achievement.

Founded in 2006, AIM Consulting provides industry-leading technology solutions to a diverse portfolio of clients across the United States, ranging from startups to the Fortune 500. AIM Consulting specializes in Enterprise Application Development, Data and Analytics, Cloud and Operations, Delivery Leadership, and Digital Experience and Mobile.

AIM Consulting is hiring across the nation (offices in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, and Seattle). Experienced technology consultants interested in career opportunities can visit aimconsulting.com/join-our-team. Companies needing technology subject matter experts in the Houston markets should?submit an inquiry?via the AIM Consulting website.