New consultant's dilemma: who do talk to?

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The second edition of Ian's book, Consulting, Contracting and Freelancing: Be Your Own Boss, published by Allen & Unwin, was released in August 2007. The book is listed by Smart Business in Queensland - the State Government Business Advisory office as the recommended book for people going into small business.

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New Consultant's Dilemma - Who do I talk to?

- February 2007

You are a new consultant. Not new to your area of expertise – you are quite proficient at that but you are new at working face-to-face with a client on their premises.

As you are both proficient at your job and keen to do well you want to make a good impression. A good impression all round.

The clients are nice people. You have been with them for a month and they have invited you to enter their footy pool competition and their Friday night drinks. When you attended the drinks you met an old mate you knew at Uni who now works for client firm.

In the course of your work you form four ideas:

1. The system could be easily be improved with about a 10% modification. It is just a bit lean on options throughout and some extras would create a very good system and solution for the client.

2. There is a potential problem ahead as not enough work is being done at the moment to allow the real outcome that the client wants to be produced.

3. Your Principal (boss) at the consulting firm is a tad tight. While a good leader, he/she always stresses how important it is to be profitable and how competitive the market is.

4. You doubt deep down, whether your Principal is really all that up-to-date on the technical aspects of systems/products you provide and that could be why the specifications have not been as comprehensive as you would have liked.

Canvassing your options, you wonder what to do. While you will not discuss points 3 and 4 above, you may discuss one or both of the first two matters. Given this, the options are, you believe:

1. Tell the (Client) Project Manager

2. Tell your Team Leader

3. Tell your Principal

4. Tell your mate from Uni

5. Do and say nothing

Prima facie, which of these options would you choose, given no further information?

More information:

1. Tell the Project Manager who works for the client and is an employee of the client firm. He/she is here on the job and in the best position to both understand my point and to do something about it. However he/she works for the client, not for my firm.

2. Tell your Team Leader – he is also busy and is covering a lot of issues. He does tend to say things will be OK, just wait a while. He is really doing a lot of hands-on work at another site.

3. Tell your Principal – certainly of the first two matters. An impressive person who you respect. You haven’t actually seen him/her since you have been on this job.

4. Tell your mate from Uni and go around the back door so to speak. That way you won’t be standing on any toes and it is unlikely that anyone will look foolish as the clients really don’t have this sort of expertise. You could just give him a couple of bright questions to ask his boss!

5. Do and say nothing. After all, this is your first job and you have only been there for one month.

Which of these options would you choose?

Is there another option you prefer that is not on the list – if so, what?

If your chosen option failed, what would you do next?

To read my answer, go to www.consultanttraining.com.au/articles_3.htm

Hope this helps – Best wishes, Ian

Ian Benjamin 0419 593 167 Consultant Training Australia Pty Ltd www.consultanttraining.com.au

Ian Benjamin is the author of Consulting, Contracting & Freelancing – Be Your Own Boss, Allen & Unwin, Sydney 2003, 2007.

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