The right set of skills can help you pursue job opportunities as a consultant. Your relevant skills that you have developed over your career will help you when your clients and responsibilities change. This skill set will help you to be more adaptable and efficient, no matter where you are employed.
This article discusses eight key consulting skills that employers and clients value, and how they can be improved. It also explains how you can apply these skills in the workplace
What is management consulting?
Good consultants are able to provide concrete, specific information that can be used to solve a business problem or improve its process. These skills can be developed in your career by actively seeking out personal opportunities to improve your business knowledge.
Eight examples of important consulting skills
You will spend most of your time as a consultant gathering data, formulating strategies and presenting plans to companies seeking your advice. This list will help you to accomplish all those steps.
- Think outside the box
- Think conceptually and in practical terms
- Problem-solving
- Communication with clarity and empathy
- All levels of employees should work together
- Time management and organization
- Curiosity
- Credibility
- Think outside the box
In fields such as art, writing and graphic design, creativity is of paramount importance. It may seem that other industries would not prioritize creative thinking. However, the definition goes beyond producing art. Creative thinking allows people to come up with ideas that are different from the norm and the accepted way of doing business in the industry. It encourages people to brainstorm and listen to different ideas.
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- Think conceptually and in practical terms
Conceptual thinking can indicate that you are innovative and visionary. You might have a keen sense of intuition or be able to get people with a hard time expressing abstract ideas to come up with new ones. In a brainstorming session, you might ask provocative question to encourage others to think conceptually.
Your ability to think practically will help you transform your vision into tangible items. You can help define a strategy to narrow a company’s focus. You can help your clients organize their projects and assign tasks according to broad ideas customized for them.
- Problem-solving
Consultations may be requested when permanent employees require additional expertise or guidance. You may be asked to solve problems without much advance knowledge. You may have to resolve conflict between employees, assist in creating a business plan for an independent contractor, analyze the bookkeeping practices in a company, or provide training in various fields, depending on what type of consultant that you are.
You can be a valuable employee if you are able to listen to employees’ concerns and respond quickly and thoughtfully.
- Communication with clarity and empathy
When you are able to provide solutions for the problems of a business, your recipients will appreciate how well you can communicate these answers in a clear, concise and empathic manner. Empathy is demonstrated by showing that you are willing to look at the problem from the employee’s perspective, not just the financial or production aspect.
If your consulting is aimed at improving efficiency in a particular restaurant, then the cooks, server, hostesses, and kitchen staff will be the ones who implement your suggestions. If you show kindness and empathy while clearly stating the changes that workers must make, then they will be more willing to accept your suggestions and respond positively.
- All levels of employees should work together
You may be hired as a consultant by the board of directors, senior management, or a particular department in a business. Confidence is important when dealing with employees and stakeholders who are implementing a plan. You will be able to succeed in any situation if you develop poise, politeness and friendliness.
- Time management and organization
The time of a consultant hired by a company to assist with restructuring or an issue is just as important as yours. Meetings will likely be an inevitable part to the process. However, you can respect their time by conducting them with efficiency and brevity. It is possible to work together with others to create an agenda in advance. Be polite, but firm when you are trying to keep the meeting on track.
You might suggest that you limit the meetings only to the necessary employees, particularly for the preliminary work when you are defining the scope of the consultancy project. Prepare well in advance for the meeting and make sure you have all electronic presentations and documents readily available so that you can present your ideas confidently and without delay.
- Curiosity
A sense of curiosity is important for consultants, as they work with a variety of clients. This can help them to get the information needed to perform their job effectively. Curiosity is about asking focused and thoughtful questions, and listening to the answers. You can also learn how businesses fit into their industry and what innovations they may be making with their products or philosophy.
You can encourage employees to be curious about their industry and to form questions that they will ask themselves as well as competitors.
- Credibility
Credibility as a consultant will likely come from your expertise in the field, and your reputation for helping people and companies in measurable and legitimate ways. You can also improve your credibility by obtaining additional education, certifications or creating a website that highlights your experience and skills.
Start your own podcast to give advice, or be a guest in an existing podcast. You can also write a book or an academic paper to share your business philosophy and ideas. You can show your clients how you interact with real people by requesting testimonials.
How to improve your consulting skills
You can improve your consulting skills by doing daily work. You can identify your strengths and weaknesses by analyzing your daily interactions. Here are some tips to help you improve your communication skills:
- Hire a consultant
It is likely that you are familiar with consultants in many different industries who have demonstrated some of the skills which you wish to improve. Learn how they developed their skills, and create a plan for training or mentoring where they can share this knowledge.
- Consultancy courses
Many professional associations offer courses that lead to certifications. Find programs that will help you develop the skills you want to learn. Also, find out whether becoming certified by a particular organization can lead you to new clients and opportunities.
- Exposure to the world.
Try taking on different clients instead of sticking with the same type of consulting every time. You will gain new knowledge from each experience. Recognizing your strengths can help you shape your career.
- Experts’ words on the subject
Many successful consultants have written scholarly articles, videos and books that discuss how to improve your skills. Study the methods and advice of those whose skills and philosophies match your own.
