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3/30/21

Listening Time:

53 min

Episode 101: Common Mistakes Consultants Make and What to Do Instead—with Dr. Scott Thomas

There are all-too-common things that consultants do that can prevent them from getting hired or rehired or, worse, get them fired. How do you avoid doing those?

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In this Craft of Consulting podcast episode, I interview Dr. Scott Thomas, former consultant, current consulting client, and my beloved husband. He and I check off our list of things that consultants should never do and what they should do instead to bring their clients their best and establish lasting, healthy relationships that support their business goals.

TODAY'S GUEST

Dr. Scott Thomas

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Episode Details

Scott Thomas has no tolerance for bad behavior from consultants. In this episode, we talk about:

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  • Bringing an appropriate amount of respect and humility to every client encounter

  • Using the Mutual Expert Model to tap into the mutual expertise of everybody involved

  • Asking questions and gathering the appropriate information and intel on your consulting clients to understand the details enough to be helpful

  • Applying reflective listening instead of just talking and talking

  • Framing what clients tell you and providing intellectual value as well as emotional value

  • Showing clients what it’s like to work with you and not repelling them

  • Demonstrating that a relationship with a consultant should be easiest relationship of all the relationships clients have in their entire lives

  • Avoiding showing up unprepared, having not done your homework, and trying to wing it

  • Making the entire experience for clients one that shows that you are the most prepared and always ready and able to get to the solutions

  • Building the muscle memory of what you say to clients so you get the outcomes you want

  • Giving clients the expertise they saw during the sales process

  • Bringing honest intellectual curiosity about a client’s problem and a toolbox of real-world expertise and tools

  • Dropping rigidity, being flexible to help the clients as things change, and changing the scope if needed

  • Straying outside your lane and the turmoil that happened when we did that on a project together

  • Saying no when you aren’t the right consultant for the job, even when the clients tries to get you to say yes

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