How to Hire a Management (or Quality) Consultant and Get the Results You Expect

[Wes Bucey]

After commenting in another thread about a remarkable document which gives many worthy tips about hiring a management consultant (and by "reverse engineering" - how to make yourself a "hire-able" consultant"), I was saddened to learn the institute no longer provides this document for free

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Thus said, I can use excerpts for "educational purposes" without violating copyright laws.

Here's the first "pearl"

3. How Can I Tell If I Need a Consultant?
There are no hard and fast rules for deciding to bring in a management consultant. Common situations suggesting that a consultant may provide help include:

• Management believes that performance could be better but is not sure what to do to gain improvements.
• Management does not have the specific knowledge and skills necessary to solve the problems it has identified.
• Management has the necessary knowledge and skills but not the time or personnel to solve problems.
• Management’s efforts have not produced the desired long-term improvements.
• Management requires an independent, third party opinion, either to confirm a decision or to provide alternatives.
• Often a situation will require that a consultant be retained until in-house capabilities are enhanced by a permanent staff addition.

So, whichever side (management or consultant) you find yourself, you need to look at these points and make a decision. If you are the consultant, you have to identify these points to tailor your pitch on how YOU can provide a solution to the FIRST hurdle - deciding whether an organization needs a consultant. Sometimes we serve the clients best by telling them when they do NOT need the services of a consultant.

The next step:[emphasis mine]

4. How Do I Determine What Needs to Be Changed?
At times, you will be able to specify the issue, such as a puzzling increase in workplace injuries. Often, however, this will not be possible. In such cases, listing symptoms or desired goals will usually indicate the type of consultant you need.

Be aware, though, that often a consultant’s largest contribution is to help clients define problems or opportunities. Your initial conversation with a consultant should tell you if your problem has been properly defined.

This is one of the often omitted steps in selling consultant services - the point that the consultant can HELP recognize and subsequently DEFINE the problems facing an organization. How many have you have faced a clueless top management?

So - tell us which side of the equation you are coming from (consultant or employer) and tell us YOUR comments about hiring (or being hired) as a consultant.

[qualitygoddess]

From the consultant point of view:

I am typically asked to visit a company so the management team can bounce ideas off me, or to take a look at what the "problems" are from someone outside the company (and who is not a customer!). In QMS language, we call this an audit or a gap analysis. I always make a point to recognize the positive things the client is doing. It isn't hard, because most companies are doing lots of things well.

I spend a lot of time asking questions and listening to answers. I make sure I have the knowledge of their processes before I start spouting off advice. I will make recommendations, but it is ultimately up to the company if they want to follow the recommendations or not. I think this is where Wes noted that the consultant is often the most valuable at better defining the issues at hand. I don't think that the management is often clueless, I think they are too close to the issues to be able to step back and think clearly. Remember the old saying about the forest and the trees?

So, if I were to hire a consultant, I would want someone who was willing to take time to learn about my company, and not just walk in the door with a canned approach. As a manager/owner of that company, I would feel that my company was unique and special, and I would want the consultant to show me how to piggyback or benchmark some other success story to help my company improve.

[db]

There is a very easy way to hire a consultant, and get the results you expect....hire me!

[Jim Wynne]

Originally Posted by db

There is a very easy way to hire a consultant, and get the results you expect....hire me!

Be careful what you wish for--some people expect to be disappointed .

[db]

Originally Posted by JSW05

Be careful what you wish for--some people expect to be disappointed .

I don't think so....if you hire me, you would get the results you would expect if you hired me....I mean after all, how high can your expectation be if you are hiring me?!

[tarheels4]

Originally Posted by db

I mean after all, how high can your expectation be if you are hiring me?!

Don't sell yourself short. With the rates MMTC charges I would have the highest of expectations. No doubt you are a fine consultant though.

[Wes Bucey]

Well, not exactly the direction I was expecting for this thread, but you raise interesting points:

1. How does the would-be employer form his expectations?
2. What should a consultant do in his advertising/promotion to create an expectation in the mind of a prospective client which the consultant can meet or exceed?
3. Does (or should) a consultant try to counter far-fetched promises of other consultants ("guaranteed registration in 40 days")?
4. How do we counter unrealistic expectations in the minds of clients?
5. What is fair and reasonable advertising of a consultant's service?

[qualitygoddess]

Originally Posted by Wes Bucey

Well, not exactly the direction I was expecting for this thread, but you raise interesting points:

1. How does the would-be employer form his expectations?
2. What should a consultant do in his advertising/promotion to create an expectation in the mind of a prospective client which the consultant can meet or exceed?
3. Does (or should) a consultant try to counter far-fetched promises of other consultants ("guaranteed registration in 40 days")?
4. How do we counter unrealistic expectations in the minds of clients?
5. What is fair and reasonable advertising of a consultant's service?

Wes:

I'll repost part of my answer from before to get the thread on your track again:

(1) Expectations forming: So, if I were to hire a consultant, I would want someone who was willing to take time to learn about my company, and not just walk in the door with a canned approach. As a manager/owner of that company, I would feel that my company was unique and special, and I would want the consultant to show me how to piggyback or benchmark some other success story to help my company improve. JMHO, but I do think owners of smaller businesses think their businesses are unique, and should be treated as such.
(2) Advertising: I think the advertising needs to highlight the background, knowledge, training of the consultant to assure the company that he what it takes to be considered. There should be no guarantees.
(3) counter unrealistic expectations: now that's a tough one. I think the client has to trust you in order to believe you about the unrealistic expectations he has set. So, you need time to build that relationship, or you need to come to the business by referral -- sometimes the referrer can knock down that barrier for you, and you will be trusted right away.
(4) fair and reasonable: there should be no guarantees. Otherwise, I think it's OK to advertise anywhere at any time. Heck, 150 ft billboard in Times Square, if it will make the phone ring!

--QG