1/12/21
Listening Time:
40 min
Episode 90: Using a Human-Centered Approach to Get the Right Consulting Clients—with Mike Biggs
In this Craft of Consulting podcast episode, we delve into how to use a human-centered approach to get more of the right consulting clients as well as ensure you are in sync with what the client truly needs. We also walk through the three priorities and risks consultants need to pay attention to when you're talking with prospective clients.
My guest in this week's episode, Mike Bigg's (aka, The Consultant's Consultant) is an expert in this approach. He works with technical leaders and sales consultants to help them apply a human-centered approach when seeking consulting business and consulting itself.
TODAY'S GUEST
Mike Biggs
Episode Details
Mike Biggs knows that humans make decisions about who to hire; what an engagement should be; and, knowing that, how to use a human-centered approach to your advantage. In this episode, we talk about:
Being behind the scenes as the person helping roughly 1,500 consultants use a human-centered approach to be the best consultants for their clients
Providing trainings, workshops, and coaching to other consultants on this approach
Recognizing the priorities for consultants when engaging with a prospective client
Deciding if you want to and can go on a good journey together with a client
Determining if you can truly help the prospective client and if they interested in working the way you want to work
Recognizing when a good-enough fit is as good as a perfect fit
Assessing if the timeline, terms, and budget are going to work
Looking for shared values and similar attitudes and understandings to approaching risk
Using stories and narratives to get at underlying Issues and needs
Avoiding downplaying or dismissing what clients know
Digging deep into what a human-centered approach means
Avoiding polluting your long-term relationships, building with transactional hassles, and trying to sell what clients don’t really need