The Three Is of Consulting

David Straker

Introduction | Industry | Intelligence | Integrity | Conclusion

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Industry

The first thing that a client gets from a consultant is industrious hard work. When they are paying top dollar they do not expect a languid nine-to-five stroll. They are not paying for coffee-machine chatter or extended lunches, nor do they expect slow deliberation or the ‘spinning wheels’ of apparent effort with no result. The consultant's output is expected to be prodigious and constant. They are paid by the day and the client expects their pound of beef every day. While full-time staff may take on a varying workload, consultants who follow suit are likely to be viewed with disappointment.

To match this requirement, consultants may well work evenings and weekends to get the job done. They do not have holidays: much like actors, they have paid days and days when they are 'resting'. And when they are acting, it is a full-on performance with no chance of stopping.

In consultancies, the trio of 'finders, minders and grinders' caricatures the three roles of business development, supervision and, most notably, the sheer hard work of doing the job. This, however, can cause a problem for clients. Whilst they may accept the high rates of the grinders, they may see less value in even higher-paid minders and are very wary of the finders.

Industry is the basic platform of consulting and in some engagements this is mostly what is required. Where the client has known and urgent work to complete, they just want a pair of hands to get it done, often to demanding timescales that their own employees could not meet. They are in charge and are not seeking thoughtful input – they just want someone to do what they are told, without question and with significant industry.

When all that is needed is a pair of hands, it can be a little disappointing for the consultant who seeks more intellectually challenging work--but at least it is bread and butter. A danger here is where the consultant tries to offer unwanted advice that only manages to irritate the client.

The bottom line for consultants: Be industrious always. Visibly work hard on value-adding activity (and remember that the client always defines what 'value' means).

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