Dear Alex

Welcome to the first issue of The Perfect Fit, a monthly publication that provides information, suggestions, tips and guidelines to ensure a positive relationship between organisations and the external consultants that they commission.

Future editions will delve into various aspects of maintaining the relationship so that it is effective and rewarding for both the organisation and the consultant but this issue explores the all important first meeting which is often the launch point for establishing that good working relationship we all strive for.

Best wishes

Shirley

First Encounters of the Best Kind

Whilst a good start doesn't guarantee an effective and successful long term relationship, a bad one can certainly be difficult to overcome. Lots of things contribute to an effective working relationship between consultants and clients but how it begins is a key factor in achieving a positive outcome. Although you might think that the factors for a successful result would be different, depending on whether you are the consultant or the client, at a fundamental level, effective relationships are usually based on the same things:

Honesty and Openness
Whilst presenting yourself or your organisation in a positive light is to be expected when consultant and client first meet, being truthful is essential if the relationship is to work.

Listening and Questioning
If you're looking for a consultant to help then you must provide a comprehensive brief and if you're the consultant then it's best to listen to the client’s views before offering an opinion. However the consultant must also ask questions that help the client clarify the help that's needed. Jumping to conclusions is not helpful but consultants need to be prepared to voice concerns that clients may not want to hear - this is sometimes necessary if the relationship is to work well and if you're the client then try to keep an open mind. Neither party should get defensive because if both parties listen and question constructively there is a greater chance that they will reach a mutual understanding.

Cross Summarising
If you’ve ever left a meeting feeling that everyone understood the situation, only to discover later that they all thought differently, you will appreciate the importance of summarising. Each party should summarise what they have heard from the other as this will show any misunderstandings.

Follow-through
However good the relationship feels when you leave that initial meeting, the trust and rapport will need to be nurtured. Whether you're the consultant or the client, make sure you complete actions within the designated time, and be contactable. Keep in touch and respond promptly to voice-mail messages – the continued effectiveness of your client/consultant relationship may depend on it.

Relationships Matter More Than Size

Whatever the buying policies of organisations, in the end an organisation doesn’t buy anything. It is a person who makes the decision and it is generally accepted that ‘people buy from people’. So it is likely to be the relationship between you and the other party, rather than the size of either organisation that is the major contributor to a successful assignment.

Maybe as a potential client you see advantages to engaging a firm of consultants that has a team of people with different expertise and the ability to substitute for someone if illness or other commitments become a problem. However have you thought that this can also become a disadvantage if it means that you are unsure who will be working on your project and you haven’t had the opportunity to build a relationship with the people doing the work?

Individual consultants on the other hand often work with a group of associates to provide any necessary back-up and have the advantage that ‘what you see is what you get’. This means that the consultant with whom you build the initial relationship is the person that will work with you during the assignment. They may have more limited experience than a whole team from a bigger consultancy, but if their experience is exactly relevant to your needs that may not be a disadvantage. It is important that each consultant, not just their firm, is familiar with your situation and references should confirm previous success in similar contexts.

Deciding Factors?
Whilst size of consultancy and individual experience may be important factors in the selection process, the Institute of Management Consultants, USA suggests they should not be used to the exclusion of other considerations, like demonstrated ability to work with people diplomatically and the degree of trust and rapport established with management. Ultimately the relationships between all the people involved will be a major factor in how successful the consultancy assignment will be.