CONSULTANT HINDSIGHT

"Last week is the time you should have either bought or sold, depending on what you didn't do."

Unknown

There's nothing worse than telling others what they should have done/not done after what they did/didn't do is past, other than doing so vaguely.

If your consultation and recommendations are not specific, in advance of whatever they're about, they, and you, are of little value.

I know; I've occasionally been guilty of hindsight consultation.

CONSULTANT ADVICE

"Consult. To seek another's approval of a course already decided on."

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) American newspaperman/short-story writer

Here's my consultation.

Don't employ any consultant, me included, unless you are willing to do what we recommend.

Particularly actions you may not intend or want to do.

To do otherwise is simply wasting your money.

Let's Ask Bill

"Consult.  To seek another's approval of a course already decided on."

Ambrose Bierce

19th century American newspaperman

As a strategy/planning/"change" consultant, I can attest to this.

How much opinion do you ask for where the real intent is just to support what you've already decided to to do?

Familiarity Breeds Contempt?

"The people who are absent are the ideal; those who are present seem to be quite common place."

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Late 18th, early 19th century German author

As a consultant I sometimes find that clients who hire me, more value my opinion than they do that coming from some of their employees.

I understand I need to make a contribution, and more often than not, I actually do.  

However, taking nothing away from me, there are times when what that is was in-house all along, had senior management only listened to their employees.

That's Right!

"Whatever advice you give, be brief."

Horace

1st century BC Roman poet

I agree.

She Knows!

"Counsel woven into the fiber of real life is wisdom."

Walter Benjamin

Early 20th century German philosopher

And wisdom is exactly what you'll get from Andrea Belz.

Meet her up close and personal to see how true that is.

Join her for her book launch party 7:00 PM, Friday December 10 at:

Vroman's Bookstore

695 E. Colorado Blvd

Pasadena, Cal 91101

Consultant to Self

"To advise is not to compel."

German proverb

And no one should better know this than a consultant.

Like our mothers before us, our job is to give advice, the majority of which will never be taken.

Management's Outside Help

"Men in the game are blind to what men looking on clearly see."

Chinese Proverb

Quite often, but not always, true.



As a consultant, I know there are many instances where I don't know enough about my client's business to help them, whereas in other situations, I know exactly what they need to do almost the minute I walk through their door.

Forest and trees with the "art" being knowing when which is which.

The Value of Consultants

"Good counselors lack no clients."

William Shakespeare

Do you suppose he was talking about consultants?

If so, my capability apparently varies one day to the next.

How about you?