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