Selecting the right consultant can be a daunting task, whether you’re a seasoned manager or new to the process. Over the past 20 years, both as a manager hiring consultants and as a consultant myself, I’ve learned valuable lessons about what truly matters. The key to a successful consultant engagement lies in hitting three crucial targets.
First, the consultant must demonstrably possess the skills and experience to complete the work effectively. Second, they must integrate seamlessly with your team and organizational culture. Finally, the engagement should enhance your internal knowledge and capabilities.
**1. Can the Consultant Do the Work?**
While it seems obvious, competence is paramount. Define your project specifications with clear, measurable outputs for quality, quantity, time, and cost. Use these criteria to evaluate potential consultants.
* **Check References:** Request contact information from their most recent projects and inquire about their performance against your output criteria.
* **Define the Scope:** Determine whether you need help identifying the problem, implementing solutions, or both. Consider dividing the project into distinct phases.
* **Assess Listening Skills:** Do they genuinely listen to your needs before offering solutions? Be wary of consultants who seem to have all the answers upfront.
* **Evaluate Customization:** Is their proposed solution tailored to your specific project, or is it a generic, one-size-fits-all approach?
* **Demand Transparency:** Do they openly discuss their limitations as well as their strengths? Honesty is crucial for a successful partnership.
* **Review Responsiveness:** Is their initial response timely, detailed, and aligned with your quality standards?
* **Seek Expertise:** Does the consultant possess both depth of knowledge in the subject matter and breadth of experience in its application?
* **Ask About Uniqueness:** What differentiates them from other consultants you are considering?
**2. Will the Consultant Fit In?**
Compatibility is critical for smooth implementation and optimal results. Consider these factors:
* **Respect and Trust:** Is the consultant likely to earn the respect and trust of your key stakeholders?
* **Trustworthiness:** Do you trust this person (or team)?
* **Process and Integration:** How will they work within your organization? Visualize their interactions with your team and assess the potential for a positive partnership.
* **Team Composition:** Who specifically will be working on the project, and what will be their roles? Beware of firms that use experienced “front people” to win projects but then assign less experienced staff to execute the work.
* **Define a Good Relationship:** Ask the consultant to describe their ideal working relationship. Their response should emphasize partnership and collaboration.
**3. Will You Learn From the Consultant?**
A key objective should be to enhance your internal expertise through the project. Consider these questions:
* **Identify the Gaps:** Why did you decide to hire a consultant in the first place? What internal gaps are you trying to fill?
* **Anticipate Learning:** What specific knowledge and skills do you hope to gain from the consultant?
* **Process and Content:** Will you improve your understanding of both process management (the consultant’s methodology) and content management (their area of expertise)?
* **Role Strengthening:** Will the consultant support and strengthen your role within the organization?
If you’re torn between equally qualified consultants, consider assigning a small pilot project to each as part of the selection process. This allows you to assess their capabilities and working style firsthand. Ultimately, the best selection criterion is a trial run to see how they perform.