Becoming a consultant has been a journey that I’ve been figuring out layer by layer. Here is what inspired me to dig deeper on this question.
We’re down to our last few client projects, and in prior projects, when presenting to our client, my team focused on presenting just deliverables we had built. For example, let’s say a client wanted us to explore X question. On Friday afternoon, we would present our solution to answer that question. Little did we know, we weren't digging deep enough. It is not enough as a consultant to simply tell your client the answer to their problem.
For me, consultants are like therapists. A therapist doesn't just give you a diagnosis. In conjunction with the diagnosis, they explain what might have caused it, guide you through a solution, and help treat the condition. That is exactly how a consultant should approach a project.
This became more eye-opening to me after last week’s client project, where my cohort took this approach when presenting our deliverables. Although we presented 5 different deliverables, each group:
1. Established the current problem.
2. Presented their approach to the problem.
3. Presented their solution.
4. Explained any future considerations.
With this way of presenting, we built context and a story around each deliverable.
Being a consultant is not just about giving a quick Band-Aid result. You’re there to assess the issue and guide your client. You let them know where your solution succeeds, provide recommendations, and explain any limitations.