The making of a successful consulting project

One of the most challenging things we may need to do is understand and admit the limitations of what we know. First, we must accept that it is not a weakness to acknowledge the limitations of our knowledge and expertise, but rather a strength to recognize that we may need to engage others to assist us in areas beyond the scope of our knowledge and experience. After all, most of us cannot run our businesses alone.  We need to recruit qualified persons to perform tasks and functions we do not have the time and in many cases the knowledge to complete. As a leader, it is our responsibility to create the vision, plan the methodology and oversee the implementation of that plan to ensure that all assets, resources, and strategies are performed at the very highest level.

Recognizing those areas of our business that need improvement is the first step in achieving company goals. Next comes a self-examination of the organization’s resources to assess the internal capabilities that can be drawn upon to deal with these issues successfully. Rarely are these sufficient for a couple of reasons: a) in-house staff are already pre-occupied with on-going responsibilities and diverting them would weaken the overall performance of ‘the company’ b) the possibility that not all of the skills and experience necessary to develop and execute a plan exist.

Calling upon external resources to overcome any barriers to successfully dealing with any improvements in the operation is very often the most viable alternative. Of course, choosing the right team to bring on board is a critical part of the process. This ‘team’ should not merely study the organization and make their recommendations but should also become active in the implementation of the accepted ‘plan.’

There are certain norms that we employ to ensure that our businesses run efficiently, providing the best return on our investment, whether that investment is our financial input, the effort that our staff and we contribute or a combination of both. You and those you employ are busy running the business. You have created a culture of efficiency in your enterprise, which generally means operating as lean as possible. Your staff may not have significant “free” time to take on projects or tasks beyond those they have been hired to do. Also, internal personnel may not be able to provide an unbiased assessment of the operation. They may be too close to and even too vested in the procedures and processes to be critically honest. Additionally, they may not have the experience in new and different methodologies available to be able to provide a proper comparison that could lead to productive changes.

Once you have decided to engage a consultant, it is essential to choose one that will provide the assistance that you need without disrupting your operation. You desire to fix a problem, not create new ones. A consultant with experience in different industries combined with knowledge of methods and technologies in the marketplace will have the scope to make the comparisons and assessments required to offer the best advice on your current operating processes and procedures, any issues you may be having and any improvements you may wish to make.

The process should be quite simple. An initial meeting with you is paramount to understanding your current unique operation and the issues that you feel are critical. While it may be necessary for an outsider to spend a little time learning about your company, its people and your processes, their professionalism and experience should allow them to gain the necessary knowledge to begin the process quickly. The focus should then shift to identifying the root causes of the problems that you believe you are having. Once again, this should be performed as quickly as possible, reducing interference in the day-to-day operation to a minimum. When this phase has been completed a report will be prepared that explains the methodology used, the issues identified and the recommended solutions. Reports can be onerous to prepare, read and understand. To prevent this, the summary should be concise (deal only with the issues pertinent to the mandate), informative (clearly outline the issues uncovered and their causes) and instructive (provide a simple, clear path to remedy them). The company and their principals are engaging the professional to resolve the issues, not write fancy reports that are too difficult to understand and too complicated to be effective. It should provide a clear guide for everyone involved, clearly outlining the steps to be followed to solve the issues.

Finally, any training required in the new or altered procedures will be given to the appropriate persons as part of the mandate. It would be a hollow victory if the problems that have been resolved return to the operation because operators slip back into old habits, or do not have the understanding needed to recognize trouble brewing if things begin to go astray. When those involved in the operation are part of the solution, they will own it and make it their priority to keep it running efficiently. Those on the front lines understand their responsibilities and want nothing more than to do their jobs to the best of their ability. That is an invaluable asset. Making them part a part of the solution is the surest path to success.

A short word about us. RSMS earned their knowledge and experience over many years on the owner’s side of the table. We understand the problems you are experiencing because we have been there. We have lived through your frustration having been in your shoes. This experience is the ingredient that separates us from other consultants. We know the pressure you are under to continue to run your business at the same time that you resolve the issues that are causing inefficiencies in the company. We understand the psychology of employees trying to protect their jobs, or at the very least feel they may be seen as inadequate at their jobs. We know what an intricate organization your business is, made up of procedures run by people. We don’t just solve the procedural problem. We deal with all components, human and otherwise to provide the most complete and lasting resolution possible.

Call us (844) 708-3555 or email us to arrange a meeting.

We believe we are your best solution.