Consulting to me has always been about problem solving. I believed that it was merely about working together in teams to analyze a client’s problems and to provide and aid in the implementation of an effective solution for them. However, after reading the two articles, I discovered that it was a lot more than just analysis and problem solving. Consulting consists of much broader and complex roles and responsibilities that are constantly evolving.
I often believed that consultants were hired to resolve problems that were presented to them. However, more often than not, clients need help to actually define the real issue at hand first. Resolving a wrong problem definitely does not aid a client in moving forward. Consultants thus need to constantly explore various factors while working on a problem that is given by the client. By doing so, the definition of the problem might change to get to the crux of the issue that the company is facing, which results in more effective services rendered.
Several skill sets are required in consulting and accurate analysis to me was always the most vital. These articles however, educated me that it was important to be persuasive and convincing as well. Convincing a client however, does not mean deceiving them, but rather establishing an agreement that effective action needs to be taken by the whole organization to resolve the issues at hand. Ultimately, the goal is to recommend an effective solution that is accepted and willingly implemented by the client.
Nonetheless, recommending effective solutions to a specific given problem should not be the end goal. The invasion of hard analytics and technology has led to real time analysis with accruable insights that has rendered certain responsibilities of consultants obsolete to a certain extend. Thus, there is a need to focus on other value added activities in working towards a