When it comes to the fundamentals of great communication, nothing overrides the value of genuine listening. Having spent time in my career as a communication consultant turned corporate insider to then return to consulting, I have had the opportunity to reflect on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to truly listening to learn and add value as a consultant.
Consider this….
Have you ever gone for a haircut, only to discover the stylist had his own ideas about what was just PERFECT for you? As you interjected comments about your lifestyle and maintenance preferences, the stylist pretended to listen. Suddenly you got caught up in the enthusiasm of the stylist, allowing him to override your practical considerations in return for a cutting-edge, head-turning style. You walked out with a fabulous new look that lasted for the next 24 hours. Then you were stuck with a cut impossible to maintain and replicate. Your stylist may have gotten great practice on the latest trendy haircut, but that lack of real listening and consultation left you ultimately dissatisfied.
This is a major turn-off and its world of work equivalents are alive and well in the business consulting community. Following are my five top turnoffs and the remedies to solve them:
1. Do you prescribe prematurely?
I sometimes cringed (because I recognized myself) when I heard consultants dive into prescribing certain solutions before they’d done any thorough analysis. Prospective corporate clients are turned off by boilerplate approaches like "Here’s what our other clients have found effective…" "What we do best is…and I am sure this would work for you…" "Here’s what I would suggest…" This approach is the equivalent of being rail-roaded into that trendy haircut when all you really want is an easy "wash and wear" style.
* REMEDY: Listen! Truly listen and approach the potential relationship as a partnership, one where you communicate that you are in this together, that you will discover together what the core issues are and how you will solve them collaboratively. Do your homework and make sure your presentation makes clear distinctions between needs and benefits. Let the client know in advance that your approach to the first meeting will be about discovery and thus avoid the expectation for a "diagnosis." While discovery takes time and time is money, demonstrate to your client how you will be efficient and effective in your unique approach to discovering who the organization is.
2. Do you forget to acknowledge what’s already in place?
One of the things that irritated me most was the lack of many consultants’ ability to acknowledge and embrace what the organization or team had already accomplished. I found few consultants were prepared enough to be able to discuss the progress and accomplishments achieved to date so as to incorporate these achievements into the process moving forward. It was important to me to have a partner who was not trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, I wanted someone able to leverage what was already in place and working well. Every organization’s accomplishments are a source of pride and should be handled with care.
* REMEDY: Be sure to inquire in advance about the building blocks in place and accomplishments already achieved and prepare to demonstrate how your work will complement and build on the team’s hard work. Use specific examples in your presentation when possible. I found such relief in knowing that all we had built would not be tossed out the window but instead would be framed as part of the solution going forward. It also made it much easier to send up the chain.
3. Do you complicate the relationship with cumbersome contracts?
The more complex a contract or working agreement is, the less I wanted to work with the consultant. The easier it was to do business, the better. Within the corporate environment, things are moving so fast and the right solutions are needed so rapidly, that no one has time to be buried in multi-layered contracts that require weekend reading time and nine pairs of eyes to review.
* REMEDY: Create a simple contract where the deliverables are spelled out succinctly and the investment is clear. This is a win-win for everyone involved and is particularly helpful for the consultant’s key contact as he/she will need to "sell" the consultant’s services to the manager. The easier it is to explain the who, what, where, why, when, and how much, the better.
4. Do you charge for everything?
While this is connected to the need for a simple contract, it deserves a separate heading. It is that important. During my consultant days, I remember setting up parameters around what it would cost for a telephone conversation, copies of PowerPoint slide shows, permission to use X,Y or Z. It not only was difficult for me to track and manage, but I am sure it drove my clients crazy. One of my favorite consulting groups made it clear from the start that if I hired them, I was free to use their "stuff" internally — including articles, presentations, and so forth — to get the job done. They were in no way territorial about their materials. Their priority was to assist us with culture change, and that did not mean they needed to be present with billable hours 24/7. They were open to the occasional 15-minute phone call to help clarify an issue or approach. This generous and open agreement made it clear to us, internally, that these were our partners. They were just as invested in our success as their own. Their goal was to make sure we reached the desired outcome. If it helped us to achieve the goal by being able to share their materials internally, they applauded it. We brought them back time and again.
* REMEDY: Have faith that your clients will not take undue advantage of you. Abide by an abundance philosophy — the more you give away, the more will come back to you. Obviously some parameters need to be set, but go into the relationship knowing what you are prepared to share liberally. Delight your customers with abundance. They will feel they get many more benefits than anticipated, and you’ll distinguish yourself from your competitors.
5. Do you ask for more business without a plan?
Another area of frustration occurred when consultants would get in the door, work on a project, complete it successfully, and then ask for more business without providing solid recommendations about how they could help further. At this point, they had the great advantage of knowing the organization well. However, they had not clearly determined how else they could continue to add value. They just knew they wanted to continue the collaboration. I recall on a few occasions actually asking them, "I understand you want to do more for us… but I am stuck on what that would be. Make it easy for me by sharing what you’ve identified as the next step crucial to our success, and how you would address that need."
* REMEDY:Become a student of the organization. Know intimately their mission and vision and how you can help them. Be a professional "observer" as you move through the first project. Get to know the constituents, ask good questions, and ascertain what additional gaps may still exist. Before you ask for additional business, be ready to discuss what you have noticed and observed and how you can help continue to move the organization forward. This approach also requires you know yourself well. You may have to be willing to admit that what the organization needs is outside your own expertise. This may also create an opportunity for you to recommend a colleague!
Heightened awareness and good planning are essential to avoid these five major turnoffs. The decision to hire a consultant has to be justified, quantified and qualified internally. Make it easy for your internal contact to make the case for you. Assist your contact by listening and partnering, embracing the organization’s accomplishments, providing a simple contract, being generous with your time and information resources, and affirming what you do well.
It is admittedly a delicate balance between discovering and understanding the client’s needs and pitching your practice and what you bring to the table. That meeting of the minds sometimes resembles a therapy session. Both parties are attempting to be heard; both are looking to reach agreement; both are aiming to achieve success. As a result, sometimes you’re not listening to one another or you’re not partnering to solve the issues at hand.
A great consultant is a partner, one who wants to ultimately make his or her services unnecessary. There is no better satisfaction, from a corporate perspective, than to feel your consultant colleague has given you and your team the tools to fly from the nest and achieve success on your own. That is a gift. Yes, the relationship can be a bit like therapy, but who wants a therapist who keeps you as a client for life? Win over your corporate clients by avoiding these turnoffs. Help them untangle their problems, provide solutions, and empower them to move forward without you.
