#1 – Hire a Consultant With Similar Values

This may feel obvious, but you want to be sure you are working with a consultancy with similar values to you and your organization. At TSI, we consider this the forgotten dimension of hiring a consultant.

Here are two quick questions for you to find out how compatible you are: how do your organizational values match up with the values of the consulting firm? How does the firm demonstrate its values?

Organizations that miss this evaluation process component risk poorly completed projects. In turn, poorly completed projects lead to an increased risk of projects not completing on time, on budget, or without error.

As a result, organizations end up spending more money to complete projects or fix errors, ending up over time and over budget.

Hiring a consultant who has similar values to your organization helps to assure that your projects are completed well and are cohesive with your current values.

#2 – Take Control of the Conversation

In the past, we have heard from more than a few clients that past consultants have come into their organizations and dominated the conversation around solution design. As a result, the consultants fail to take client feedback and insight into account. This resulted in the client’s team (in your case, you) feeling like their solution was pushed upon them. This is as opposed to the solution being developed with them.

So what happens next? The client puts the prior consultants’ findings on a shelf. They then will not look at the findings unless prompted to do so. As a result, the solution is not fully implemented.

And what does that mean? You guessed it. Time and money are wasted.

Hiring a consultant who includes you in the conversation around solution design helps to assure that you felt it was created specifically for your organization, instead of neglecting to use a solution that was pushed on your team.

#3 – Read the Reviews When Hiring a Consultant

Raise your hand if you always read the reviews before purchasing a product or service…just me?

Although you can find some people who simply want to blow off some steam on the internet, many reviews are quite helpful! They offer information around details that the maker or organization may have not known to include. They also testify to how valuable the product truly is.

So when it comes to hiring a consultant or utilizing their services to ultimately save time and money, reviews serve the same purpose.

When reading the reviews of a consultancy, there are a couple things to look for.

1. Collaboration with The Consultancy

As we discussed in point #2, YOU need to be able to take control of the conversation. If there is not a sense of collaboration and understanding, your project will not be successful.

TSI worked with us to complete a strategic technology assessment, which included the difficult task of coordinating and articulating our vision and strategy for new technology.

– Sara Barr, The University of Chicago

2. Mention of Time or Money Saved

Let’s cut to the chase. You just want to know if you can save time and money with a consultant. The best way to find out is to see how the consultancy you’re exploring has saved other organizations time or money.

Dan and the team engaged, were sensitive to how they approached our teams, and were tough-minded with my leadership team and me around ways we could deliver more effective service at a lower cost.

– Mike Orscheln • Former CEO, Phonak Hearing Systems USA

Every time they were on/under-budgeted timeline and costs. They were professional, hardworking, completely objective, and helped us in ways that I did not originally anticipate. I would highly recommend them.

– J. Brodsky, High Growth Telecommunications Company

Discover More Ways a Consultant Can Collaborate With Your Team

There are other factors that go into hiring a consultant to work with your team, but these 3 points are a great way to assure that how you are doing it aligns with your organization, as well as saves you time and money.

As your organization brainstorms its next project, discover 7 additional things to consider in the process. These 7 considerations help you further understand the timeline and develop expectations.

The post How to Waste Less Time and Money With a Consultant appeared first on Transforming Solutions Inc..

What are the differences between a project manager, program manager, project coordinator, and project administrator? Without clear expectations, project managers run the risk of missing the mark on what their leaders want them to do. PMs should work more closely to manage expectations and ensure they understand what is needed from their leaders.

Project managers offer a wealth of experience, insights, and skills to bring to an initiative. Some projects may need simple guidance and oversight that a project coordinator can provide. Larger, more complex initiatives require detailed oversight, integration between players, and someone who can ask tough questions. Project managers are well suited for the latter. Establishing clear expectations of your project manager allows for better collaboration amongst your team, as well as the successful completion of your project.

2. Understand Your Role in the Project

Project sponsors typically take on the main role in terms of the operation of the project at hand. They are responsible for being champions, clearing hurdles, resolving issues, or escalating to higher levels for support. Project managers and sponsors collaborate to establish a better understanding of what is expected from each role. Just as a project charter helps to define the constraints within which a project will run, a meeting with a project sponsor will help to define the boundaries of a PM’s operations within the project. The project manager’s role is to successfully deliver the project for all stakeholders, as well as the project sponsor.

3. Focus on Collaboration

Some project managers are expected to be glorified administrators of the project’s schedule, budget, issues, risks, and more. And while this is often an under-utilization of a project manager’s talents and capabilities, more experienced project managers serve as empowered guides, mentors, and decision-makers.

Senior project managers own decisions, issues, risks, budgets, and project scope. However, these senior project managers do not make these decisions in a void – project managers are responsible for owning the processes as well. For example, a PM owns the issue list. They ensure information is recorded accurately and that all entries are acted upon in a reasonable timeframe. They do not own each issue; the team is given autonomy over their tasks!

The project manager does not need to check in with a sponsor for permission to resolve each issue. PMs have been authorized to solve issues and seek help (escalate) when needed. This is why collaboration amongst the team, as well as the establishment of expectations for the project manager, is important to the project process.

Project managers – do you want to ensure that your work is effective? Need to clarify where and when to escalate or to drive a resolution on your own? Let’s connect!

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