The Consulting Bible. Alan Weiss

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      1 Do not deal with non‐buyers.People in human resources or learning and development are rarely buyers. (I call HR “hardly relevant,” but that's me.) Never engage in a relationship with someone who can say “no” but can't say “yes”! You can use these people to get to the buyer, to obtain an introduction, but if you're seen as a peer of low‐level people, you'll never be seen as a peer of their superiors. Always ascertain you're talking to a buyer and, if you aren't, then use that connection to be introduced to the buyer. You can't name an exclusively HR executive of a Fortune 500 company who became the CEO in the last ten years. This is the La Brea Tar Pit of energy and innovation, and it's likely if you insist on staying you'll see a triceratops horn or stegosaurus bone.

      2 Streamline your delivery model.Too many of us are in love with methodology and techniques. We want to take them off the shelf for every single occasion, despite relevance or interest. If we have six steps to sales improvement, then, by God, you're going to accept all six! The obvious danger is that you're committing to X degree of labor to implement all this dusty stuff and creating that expectation on the part of your buyer. Never accept a consulting alternative from the client: “We need a four‐day leadership retreat.” Instead of quoting fees and getting out your calculator, simply ask, “Why do you need that?” That will take you to the larger objective (“Because we're not making decisions consistent with our strategy”) and an advisory role potential, rather than a long weekend. Every request for a proposal (RFP) is actually an alternative molded by low‐level client people who don't understand the real problem or issue. When Mercedes Benz North America became obstinate about this, I told them, “Here's the deal: I won't tell you how to make brake pads and you won't tell me how to consult.”¹

      3 Use the client's resources.There's an advantage in transferring skills to the client. Use client personnel to schedule, facilitate, interview, perform technical work, keep records, provide refreshments, and so on. In your proposal, which we'll discuss later on, there will be a section for “client accountabilities.”I learned to run strategy formulation programs by plastering the room with easel sheets, often 60 or more. They had to be placed in order, edited, transcribed, and circulated after the session, which was more work and harder work than the actual interactions.Finally, it occurred to me to require that a trusted client administrative person be present, take notes, retrieve the easel sheets, transcribe, and submit to me for final approval before dissemination. That saves me a week of work over the course of a 90‐day relationship. And it makes far more sense for client personnel to do this than someone you would hire.Today, I've created my own, one‐day strategic approach, Sentient Strategy®, and I (and the people I certify) can deliver it remotely in one day or two mornings.

      4 Outsource and delegate.I outsource graphics, web design, printing, bookkeeping, accounting, and a host of other “tasks” that too many people do personally. I also subcontract so that others can do routine client tasks, such as observations, interviews, and facilitation. Unless it's part of the relationship of the business (i.e., marketing or asking for referrals), it can be outsourced at hourly rates or fixed prices.

      5 Subcontract.There are a great many people who can't market but can deliver quite well, and they would be happy to work for you. Don't hire them as employees, but as situational subcontractors (metaphorically, a pair of hands). Consultants tend to overpay delivery people because they believe that methodology is king, but results are the ace that trumps the king. Your relationship and generation of results are the key to long‐term client projects and referrals.

       There is legitimate high volume—focus groups, interviews, classroom sessions, customer visits, and so forth.

       You need specialized expertise. Part of the project involves financial, or technical, or mystical powers that you don't possess.

       You are bored. You can do it, but you may fall asleep during the interviews.FIGURE 3.1 Reach Out Versus Gravity

       You have other priorities. It makes more sense for you to be marketing in a manner only you can do than to be delivering in a manner almost anyone can do. (Key: Just because you can do something faster or better doesn't mean that someone else can't do it just fine for the circumstances. You don't use a howitzer to swat a fly. At least I don't.)

       You anticipate needing subcontracting in the future, and this is a good opportunity to acclimate and train your potential help.