CONTACT
Image is "The Lantern Bearers" by Maxfield Parish (1908)
The term “consultant” is one that has taken me a while to become comfortable identifying with. In the past, I’ve often associated it with Deloitte and McKinsey, corporate ghouls in expensive suits, charging hundreds of thousands for common-sense solutions, or roundabout recommendations that rarely involve the input and concerns of the community for whom they’re meant to be tailored.
I think consultancy, in many regards, has often become synonymous with thought-work of this ilk - idea generation, potentially just knowledge-sharing, overcharging often under-resourced organisations for solutions as groundbreaking as “start a newsletter.” The more simplistic the solution, the larger the potential for returning clients who want (and need!) to understand more in order to actually execute the advice they’d paid for.
I mean absolutely no offense to anyone who currently works as or holds the title of “consultant”. I know many who are absolutely indispensable to the organizations they work with, who care deeply for their work, who have integrated with the core team, and who turn out not just recommendations - but plans, implementation schemes, timelines, code, etc - all the bits and pieces that transform “consultation” into reality. This is my main bone to pick with the industry - that solutions should have practical value, that they should be actionable - and it is a consultants job to ensure (if they are not handling implementation themselves), that they have given the organization everything it needs to be able to move to the realization.
I’ve decided, embarking on my own consultancy journey, to create a set of rules for myself so I can to be sure that what my work does not constitute nebulous “one-size-fits-all” proposals, but rather - ensures that whatever we’re exploring together makes its way to the surface and makes the needed change, both in the process, and the deliverable designed for the team it’s made for.
1. CONVERSATIONS COME FIRST
No good solutions happen without conversations. Whatever work I’m doing - I ensure that the core team is involved from the beginning to ensure what we’re crafting will work for them. The intrinsic nature of a contractor is that of an outsider - but during the process - close collaboration, and as thorough of an understanding of “inside” is key.
2. LANDSCAPE & CONTEXT IS KEY
Very much complementary to #1 - solutions should not exist in a “perfect world” scenario. Whatever is needed, it should make sure it fits into the current landscape and context of the organization, and be tailored for their specific needs - be it budget, audience, timeline, team capacity, tech level, or geography. Without this - the solution is useless!
3. DOCUMENTATION 🤝 IMPLEMENTATION
It’s so important that once a solution is built there is thorough and accessible documentation for the team that will be working with it. It should be editable so that if any tweaks/changes/improvements are made the document can be updated accordingly.
4. COMMUNICATE FOR UNDERSTANDING
This may seem too obvious - but I cannot emphasize how important communication is when an organization has trusted a contractor with a piece of their large puzzle. The whole point of communication is to understand and be understood - and again, as reductive and glib as this sounds - these elements are not always prioritized! Some important tenets I use for digital communication with this principle in mind:
- Formatting is my friend - breaking large text up into smaller sections headed thematically, using lists, and formatting to indicate action points is incredibly helpful.
- Start a new email thread for key updates / new conversations - do not keep responding on a 40+ long thread with new information. Instead, start a new thread when moving to a different phase of the project, discussing different matters - and respond in these as needed.
- Be kind and understand people have their own lives and schedules. Just because I am working on a project at 5 PM on a Friday, doesn’t mean that other people are - and that is great! Good work requires collaboration, but we can be flexible and ensure that it happens at a time (and pace) that works for everyone.