Working With Consultants

Before you embark on the search for a Management Consultant or Business Consultant to help “grow your business” be honest with yourself about the process you are getting into. This involves answering some tough questions.

Do you just want advice about where you are and what it will take to get you to where you want to be or do you really want to implement the changes necessary to grow your business?

Before you answer you need to decide if you prepared to make tough decisions and to take action necessary to implement the change you are seeking. Here are some examples of tough decisions that may arise:

What would you do in these situations?

• Consultant determines that Nancy in Inside Sales, whom you believe has been doing a great job, is not suitable for the role she is in and there are no other roles for her in the company.
• The salesman you think is the worst of three is actually your best according to your consultant and they recommend you move him into a new position.
• The Consultants determine your Sales Manager is not right for the role of Sales Manager but is a good Salesman, but he happens to be your son-in-law and another Salesman or new hire is recommended as Sales Manager.

What could be the outcome should you decide to overrule the Consultants’ recommendations?

If your answers tend toward overruling the Consultants recommendations, then you are either better off not investing in a Consultant, or simply asking for recommendations and not help implementing them.

If however you are committed to growing your business no matter what the difficult decisions you may face then by all means find a Consultant whose philosophy you get and whom you feel you can trust.

Comments

[Laurie]

Definitely. Asking for business advice and being able to follow advice are two very different things!