Why would I want to work with a consultant?
There are two main reasons why someone wants to bring in a consultant:
- I need to bring in skills that aren’t present in my organization and I don’t want to hire someone
- I want to prove, or validate, that what I’m thinking is correct
The first point is the easier one, and it’s a ‘Make or Buy’ question. Why hire someone for a temporary position? Can one employee bring in the knowledge and expertise that I need? If I do hire someone, are they going to speak frankly about what they see? These are questions of ‘Value’ and they all boil down to one – “Am I going to get what I need from the investment?” A good consultant is going to do several things: 1) Listen. 2) Research. 3) Develop
a strategy with a theme. 4) Provide you with a plan. And they’ll do that with straightforward conversations. That is a unique combination that can be hard to get from employees.
The second point is not as clear. What you don’t want is a ‘Yes’ person. You want clarity, accuracy, and the premise that what you’re starting with is tested through tough questions and analysis. Here’s what we don’t believe in – “I bet you that’ll work”. If that’s a place you’re comfortable operating from, we’ll take that bet. Your instincts might just be perfect
and dead on. If that’s the case, then we should be able to prove that with some evidence. If they’re not, we’ll tell you why and do our best to provide an alternative. This is a theme that you’ll see through the entire process of working with us – “Prove it. Provide the evidence to back it up.”
Why The Solution?
Since 2002 we have worked with Nova Scotia businesses assisting with marketing and promotional activities, internal and external strategic analysis, human resources consulting and walking through change. We work with all sectors from municipal governments through not-for-profit, social enterprises, start-ups and established SME business. Here’s what some of our clients have had to say – Testimonials.
