It is often said that a good consultant must be able to do several jobs at once.
Consultants have a set of professional and human skills that enable them to deal with many situations.
Let’s discovers 6 essentials soft skills that a good consultant must have.
“Speech is silver, but silence is golden.”
During their career as a consultant, many have experienced the junior consultant who spends his time talking during the first exchanges with the client... "I'm here", "I'm there"...
Being a consultant means above all knowing how to listen. To meet the expectations of your clients, you must first listen to them! This not only allows a better understanding of the context, the stakes, and the objectives of the project, but also a potential understanding of what is not verbalized (commonly called the nuggets ;))... And in these cases, yes, silence is golden!
An independent consultant is constantly working in a new environment and with very different people. These people may have radically different ways of thinking and acting. It is a question of adapting. To do this, you must first be able to observe. Don't expect a company to adapt to you (or you will have to be very, very patient). The consultant is like a chameleon, he understands and adapts to his environment to have a significant impact. The only thing that remains constant is our method and our professionalism.
It's not all about expertise. While experts thrive in their own field, the true consultant has the methodology and mindset to tackle subjects outside his or her primary expertise.
Whatever the assignment, expectations are high. A consultant must be able to deliver and guide project teams based on a solid and shared methodology.
We often hear that the consultant must be a "problem solver", as they are committed to providing concrete answers to the problems identified by his client. They therefore propose a solution and must present it in a methodical and organized manner so that it is adopted and deployed.
Moreover, there is a lot of talk about user experience in digital marketing (UX)...
Well, in the consulting business, it must be the same ! The path taken must be optimal in all aspects from start to finish.
No, curiosity is not a bad thing... It's no secret that the world of business and consulting is changing very quickly. This evolution reflects the world around us and its technological innovations. To always bring value to their clients, consultants must stay informed of new trends. It is essential to be curious and to be interested in many fields. A good consultant will work on his panoramic view (or 360º depending on their flexibility ).
The consultant is not a lone wolf but rather the captain of a ship. Their ability to unite the client's teams and make them grow will have a direct impact on the success of the mission. Federating teams around a project when you are an external consultant is not always easy. You must therefore know how to find your place and be accepted for your relational and intellectual qualities. Once the teams see the consultant as an ally whom they have every interest in helping, their work will be much more pleasant and effective.
Let's not forget that a mission is successful when the client no longer needs us..
An independent consultant must maintain his network and share with his peers in a spirit of mutual aid to enrich himself and thus multiply theirs professional opportunities for the future. Our mission at FocusTribes is to implement, within this collaborative and participative community, the strength of the collective. Created by consultants for consultants, this tribe is made up exclusively of hand-picked freelance consultants. For more information on how to join us, contact care@focustribes.com.