Discussion on:

Listen, learn, question, and think before you consult

I was speaking to myself as much as to anyone.

It's a good checklist, for just about any problem solving task.

Right on as usual, Chip. Consultants indeed often fall prey to skipping to solutions, but so too do many others with whom we???re involved, including especially those charging us with consulting who already have decided what they think the answer should be.

I???ve found that very often consulting and other projects get off-base from the start, seldom with awareness thereof until much later if ever, because they are initiated with inadequate understanding of what the real problem, opportunity, or challenge is and what the real value (if any) is of addressing it.

When I point it out, my students generally are grateful to finally recognize how this has been limiting their success and how to apply more effective techniques to improve listening, learning, questioning, and thinking. However, I???ve also found that it remains difficult to convince the others that time should be spent on anything other than leaping to (their) presumed solutions.

Even though my business is as an independent consultant, my seven years in corporate IT support has convinced me that the best role the consultant plays when on customer time or on-site is to act as "the corporate IT department." There is a whole attitude change, YOU are it in a nutshell. Do not forget time, billing and that you are really NOT on the client's payroll per se, but YOU are the department. In corporate, freedom of action is hard to find. As a consultant, YOU have freedom but it also must act in accordance with where their IT demands want to go. I am the CIO, CTO and tech field agent all rolled into one. I work with my clients, not FOR them and that is a huge difference. I sitll like the three old IBM rules: Respect for the individual (i.e. my client's staff and their concerns); Go the extra mile to do a thing right and lastly spend alot of time making the client happy.

This is a great list that too few consultants follow. One that I would add, once the consultant has played each of the above roles is advocate. Be an advocate for the client's best interest regardless of how it affects your own bottom line and you will both be more successful in the long run.
Lew Sauder, author, Consulting 101: 101 Tips For Success in Consulting

I have formally ended my working relationships with two franchise consultants because the pay is so bad as compared to the level of work I perform. I pay myself best of all and while I learned a few tricks, I saw more dishonest work too. It has improved MY SALES presentation to new clients as I know how my direct competition works.