5 Mistakes to Avoid When Working with Consultants
Businesses exist to keep the flow of resources going and growing in the economy. The internal flow and function of teams directly impacts the output of resources into the economy.
At some point you’ll have to hire or collaborate with outside consultants. It’s a different skill set than hiring employees because consultants are with you for short sprints.
Ground rules for hiring consultants
The goal of hiring consultants is to secure willing and able professionals to do the work that you don’t have capacity for.
Check your expectations. Consultants are not your employees. They are experts who can bring results faster in short periods of time and they have their own loyalties. They need your collaboration and direction. Your role is to set them up for success while they are with you.
Hiring the right consultant can be an exciting step toward growing your business, solving problems, and driving efficiency. Selecting the wrong consultant or not having a process to work with them can lead to frustration, wasted resources, and missed opportunities.
Here are 5 lessons we’ve learned hiring consultants
Lesson #1: Not Defining Clear Expectations from the Start
The purpose here is to delegate the work you can’t do or don’t have capacity for. Here’s where your direction comes in. Establish clear deliverables, timelines, and KPIs (key performance indicators) so both sides know what success looks like.
Mistake: Don’t let the program deadlines make you skip the initial conversation to define success. Jumping into working with consultants without a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved together and what success looks like as a collaborative can be a misuse of resources. This can lead to misalignment between your goals and the consultant’s work, resulting in disappointment, hits to your reputation and wasted time.
How to Avoid It: Before you hire a consultant, take the time to have an internal discussion. This is where you define your business objectives, the specific problems you want to solve, and the outcomes you hope to achieve.
Bring the consultant in on a specific task and don’t let your business impact their work. Outline your expectations, benchmarks, progress and a final report.
Once your needs are clear, you have the right information to direct the relationship. This will ensure you and the consultant are on the same page from the start.
Lesson #2: Failing to Vet the Consultant Thoroughly in the Beginning + at Check-ins
We know projects move fast and deadlines create pressure. It’s critical to take the time to do your due diligence so you won’t have to scramble later on. Ask for proof throughout of the deliverables they said they’ll deliver.
Mistake: It's easy to get excited about the prospect of bringing in an expert, but failing to properly vet the consultant can lead to poor fits. Not every consultant is right for every business, and a lack of due diligence can mean you end up with someone who doesn’t understand your industry or business challenges.
How to Avoid It: Do your homework. Ask potential consultants about their experience, specific industry expertise, and success stories with businesses similar to yours. Don’t hesitate to ask for references or case studies that demonstrate the consultant’s ability to deliver results. It’s also important to assess their approach and working style to ensure it aligns with your company culture. Even if they interview well.
Keep up the accountability at check-ins, too. You have a project to keep going.
Lesson #3: Not Measuring or Tracking Results
40% of projects don’t make the intended results because of lack of check ins and accountability throughout the project timeline.
Mistake: Once a project is complete, businesses sometimes fail to measure or track the results of the consultant’s work. This makes it difficult to determine the impact of the engagement and whether it was truly successful. Without clear metrics in place, it's hard to know if the investment was worthwhile and necessary to repeat in the future.
How to Avoid It: From the beginning, define measurable goals, benchmarks success criteria and KPIs to hit. Discuss progress during check-ins and results over time. Whether it's increased revenue, improved processes, or enhanced customer satisfaction, knowing how to measure success is essential.
Post-project evaluations and the consultants report will help ensure the value continues even after the consultant leaves.
Lesson #4: Overlooking the Importance of Communication and Collaboration Throughout the Project
Outside consultants are the most effective when they have your insights, critical information and direction from you. Their help is supporting you, not taking your responsibility.
Mistake: Communication breakdowns are one of the most common challenges in consulting engagements. Sometimes, businesses expect consultants to be independent and act in isolation, which can result in miscommunications or missed opportunities for collaboration.
How to Avoid It: Establish clear communication protocols before the project starts and make sure the consultant is actively engaging with your team to get what they need to be the best.
Regular check-ins and feedback loops are essential to ensure that progress is being made and that the consultant is aligned with your needs. Collaboration is key to this project's success. Consider the consultant as part of your team, not just an external resource.
Lesson #5: Not Setting a Realistic Budget and Timeline
We’re in a microwave society and social media makes us think everything should be a highlight reel. These distortions can cause conflict within your project team.
Mistake: Many small business owners are eager to see results quickly and on a tight budget. Failing to set realistic expectations across the team around cost and time can create tension and result in underwhelming outcomes. Consultants may also feel pressured to cut corners or rush through their work, which can hurt the quality of the final product.
How to Avoid It: Work with the consultant to develop a realistic budget and timeline that aligns with the scope of the project. Understand that quality consulting takes time and that success requires investment. Ensure that you have agreed upon a set of clear deliverables within an agreed-upon timeframe and budget.
Keep in mind that flexibility might be necessary, especially if new information or challenges arise along the way. Those are the times you need to communicate swiftly and with candor.
Conclusion
Consultants can offer invaluable expertise and insight to help small businesses thrive, but it’s important to avoid these common mistakes to make the most of your engagement and investment. By defining clear goals, thoroughly vetting your consultant, fostering open communication, setting realistic budgets and timelines, and measuring results, you can ensure a successful partnership that drives tangible outcomes for your business.
At First Glance specializes in helping businesses like yours navigate these challenges by offering tailored, strategic support.
If you're looking for expert guidance on how to choose and collaborate with consultants, feel free to reach out to us today!
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