Some lessons from Consulting

A brief thought as I complete 2 years dealing with many folks in a new role - as consultant - very different from as a employee since my own way of dealing with them changes. The reader looking at this from a employee/sales person eyes versus the more neutral eye can understand my comments better.

At one level very often these head honchos want to use a consultant to independently endorse their ideas so that they can get their shareholders/ family/ others to accept them.

Some decide to jump on a horse that looks to be the flavour of the day and expect the consultant to make that happen.

Some others think the consultant is their operating manager who will given them the results while they go on a "vacation" and when the penny drops blame the consultant for not giving them results.

One lot don't listen to the advise given, do their own thing and then when they stumble, hurting themselves expect the consultant to make the pain go away.

There are some folks who thrive and are most comfortable in chaos to function and with success get convinced about the chaos as a strategy.

At a positive level many exhibit a thinking that makes me realise why they are successful and how much one can learn from them. Some of the financial decisions they take seem bizarre on the face of it, but where the client is willing to debate it with me, I have almost always accepted their decision and in the process my role as I understood, itself changes. It is such clients who are best to deal with since they are open minded to accept my advice and fine tune their approach but also are able to articulate their thoughts so well that I also constantly learn and improve myself. These are like 2 pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit perfectly.

Finally, I find it strange when senior folks - Head Honchos - who are literally at the top constantly seek validation from others, still expect and crave for appreciation, keep telling stories to convince their juniors how great they are and striving to prove their credibility to occupy that chair. I can understand this from middle level managers who are climbing the ladder and selling themselves to all around them. But someone who is already at the top should be confident, should be giving appreciation to others and above all the stories should be about Teaching the juniors some lesson.

I find it grating when someone like a CEO/ VP cribs about not being appreciated, how hard they work, constantly trying to tell folks around them how good they are. As salespersons we often massage these expectations unconsciously and never realise how shallow a person maybe in reality. Such folks don't even realise that behind their back, their juniors and others sometimes laugh at them. The one lesson I feel like drilling into their head is - you must always command respect, credibility and stature by showcasing your leadership and knowledge.

To be honest and fair to such folks, one challenge I have observed that these folks face is - they are trying to be what they are not, and thus failing, leading to such behavior to establish their own credibility and standing. They have this unreasonable assumption that as the head honcho they must know everything and impress everybody who works for them. Where folks are willing to listen, this is the advise I give them.

Identify what you are good at, and focus on that to demonstrate your credibility to your team. On all other subjects, use common sense, logic, listening ability, be open minded, talk to those who know, ask a million questions to learn and based on everything you hear, give decisions, directions and then delegate to those who know the subject. Your leadership is cemented by backing them, their decisions and then giving them the credit and appreciation, but taking the debit when things go wrong. Easier said than done, but then this is what sets apart a true leader from others. But when folks jump into subjects they have no clue about because they think as leaders they need to do that, then whine about not being respected I find that frustrating.

Those willing to listen I tell them only one thing - think of the late Sri Ramakant Achrekar - the man created a genius cricketer called Sachin Tendulkar by being his coach - but he didn't even play a first class match like Ranji Trophy let alone play test cricket. When a leader thinks he must be a combination of both Sachin and Achrekar they are bound to fail.

Lastly, I have found these tough but have managed to do it -

1) I no longer get involved emotionally as if my career depended on it - career no longer matters in a way

2) I no longer focus on being valued or compensated monetarily when folks seek any help. I give that freely and often call it - desh ki sewa or giving back to society, even if I get taken advantage of.

3) I focus on enjoying my work, the results and don't write up reports to impress or help anyone.

4) I tell folks that I am not giving a ready solution, but listening to my way of thinking, analysis, approach, way of working they must find their own solutions they believe in and implement it.

5) My thoughts on what their target must be, need not be the target they have for themselves and when folks don't articulate this but are at divergence I simply walk away.

DOWN MEMORY LANE:

Two years back when I started this journey called consulting, I penned down my thoughts after about a year of work which was essentially a HUGE learning and education for myself. Like I said, my journey has been more by default than design and the thoughts I penned down a year ago I share below which gives a better perspective to my journey and learning.

Some thoughts - Having spent 36 years in corporate life working as an employee, often fighting and arguing on issues, trying to do what I felt was the right thing to do in a given situation (doesn't mean I was always right), meeting customer and other expectations and above all being involved in some situations to a point where professional issues became crusades for a larger cause - a change over to this "self employed" "consultant" status has taught me some very interesting lessons in a short period of time.

1) Often we have little clue about what we are good at, our value proposition and why someone prefers to deal with us. Asking these never asked questions helped me learn so much more about myself that I didn't know.

2) Professional life was never a popularity contest, it was about trying to do what I believed is in the best interest of the company, society with an open mind to change opinions and often I have been unpopular but in the long run I have gained the trust & goodwill of most people.

3) Unlike in a corporate role where by being intuitive, analytical & "gossip" a bit, I could hear the hidden voices that helped me shape my decisions, as a consultant I can only share my views, recommendations and then I need to back off and accept whatever strategy my client pursues. Over time I may understand the hidden voices but rarely if ever do I hear them in real time.

4) Consulting assignments are often the result of one's corporate career network, experience and that history propelled me forward where I often get taken for granted and expected to deliver solutions for free. I have ended up working and sharing information, knowledge for free more often than desirable. The ability to draw a line and then convert that into a value (revenue) proposition is something that I continue to struggle with.

5) Most importantly, the value I bring to the table is often READY MADE INFORMATION/ KNOWLEDGE which I may not recognise at that point and end up sharing free. What one gets paid for often is for time and activity which has much lesser value as compared to the information/ knowledge that is far higher in value. Again the ability to understand this difference and proactively manage it is key when working as a consultant.

6) Life continues to be a lesson daily, still teaching me so much of what I don't know and makes me feel inadequate but yet confident. Sounds paradoxical but yet true.