How to be a successful consultant

August 26, 2014 by Ife Adedapo 0 Comments

   

 

How to be a successful consultant

Consultants play an important role in the successful execution of projects. IFE ADEDAPO writes on the essential traits of the professional consultant

The consultancy business has grown in size and reputation over the years and this is evident in the rising demands for professionals in this field.

Research has shown that this business absorbs more graduates than any other sectors of the economy, thereby creating self employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Moreover, its viability was confirmed   by the first quarter Nigerian Gross Domestic Product report which notes that the services sector recorded a growth rate of 7.20 per cent during the first quarter of 2014, followed by agriculture at 5.53 per cent and industry at 4.84 per cent.

As a result, successful consultants have identified characteristics consultants need to possess for excellent service delivery.

Acquire adequate knowledge

Experts say a clear understanding of the clients’ business towards providing appropriate advice based on the issues affecting their businesses is the cornerstone of good management consulting.

According to them, consultants must have specific expertise usually resulting from an in-depth knowledge of a particular industry, function or technique.

Professionals say that most big organisations have limited time to solve certain problems or implement some projects that are not part of their core functions. Therefore they expect consultants to have more expertise than the organisation’s internal resources.

Consultants are expected to know when to ask questions and where to research to find solutions to challenges. They need to be abreast of issues by reading journals, magazines, informative websites and networking with fellow consultants.

The Chief Executive Officer of BDO Consulting, Dr Joshua Olagbaju, declares that to gain the confidence of clients and keep them, consultants need to develop an area of concentration, create a niche for themselves, demonstrate their expertise in that area, and focus on the clearly defined area so that you can be reckoned with.

In addition he says a wide knowledge of accounting, the market and competitor knowledge, and company knowledge is crucial.

Build good reputation

Successful consultants posit that clients have preference for people they can trust and therefore need proof of their reliability.

They say credibility can be established by referring to previous works, and from the consultant’s behaviour when they interact with the client.

According to them, accomplishments in previous jobs and referrals can be used to build credibility.

Moreover, experts note that companies they have worked with in the past, information on proven knowledge skills or experience, job titles they have held and in some consulting areas, specific qualifications can be used to establish credibility.

Olagbaju says expertise in an area of specialty is paramount because your track record of successes will make way for more clients.

A consultant, Mr. Olabiyi Adedipe, says a damaged reputation may be difficult to build. To avoid confrontation with people, he advises that consultants should let go of contracts that could jeopardise the reputation they have built.

Have the right personality

Consultants need to be self-starters, with high-energy levels, a high degree of self confidence and a high tolerance for ambiguity.

To be successful in consultancy, experts say essential traits have to be built. Such traits, according to them include a high degree of self confidence and tolerance, curiosity and creativity.

Others include tenacity, empathy, self-discipline and ability to pay attention to details.

According to Adedipe, creativity is important to enable them solve problems in a unique and cost- effective way.

He says a successful consultant must be able to see possibilities in everything, and should be able to look at challenges with excitement rather than apprehension.

Adedipe notes that their can-do attitude stems from the fact that most successful consultants are extremely confident in their abilities, even when it comes to large or difficult projects.

The ability to work on two to three commitments at the same time, when working with multiple clients is important. He says they should be flexible in their expenditure because cash flow may not always be steady but can be made constant by introducing other related initiatives.

Olagbaju notes that business and project management skills are important to break down business operations into processes for better understanding of best practices. In addition, he says adaptability to situations is also crucial because we meet with different personalities every day.

Networking

Experts say to excel as a consultant, personal and professional networks have to be built.

They say the network of professionals provide both a marketing base as well as a source of information and support which is critical for building the practice.

According to them, they need a network of fellow consultants to provide help with specific large projects or fill in for you when necessary because it is a key business development tool.

Olagbaju says although merit plays a major role in getting the right client, building the right relationship with people who matter will help to build a strong client base.