CONSULTING

ENGAGEMENT LIFECYCLE &

CORE CONSULTANCY SKILLS
CONSULTING
ENGAGEMENT
LIFECYCLE
 START MIDDLE END

Brief Final Deliverable

Kick off meeting

Close-down
Proposal Consultations

Understanding of the problem

Proposed methodology Update Meetings / Key
Timescales Milestones
Agreed outputs
Rates
Terms & Conditions Draft Deliverables

Analysis & Critical Thinking

TOP TIPS

Make sure you understand the problem the client

wants to solve – play it back to them
Ensure the scope of work is – manage ‘scope
clear
creep’
Don’t get too hung up on the methodology – it can
change, in agreement with the client

Be clear about timescales – but they can change in

agreement with the client
CORE
CONSULTANCY
SKILLS
Breadth of business issues

Depth of personal relationship

 Ask yourself:
“What is going on
here?”
What the client thinks is the
issue might not be the issue
Don’t assume you have
the answer from the
beginning...
Hypothesise based upon
your experience
Keep a very open mind from the start – you
are dealing with limited information to
begin with
Technical mastery is
important
 But ultimately you must build a trust-based
relationship

“You don’t get the chance to employ advisory skills until you get
someone to trust you enough to share their problems with you”
 Care about their problem

Remember the client knows more about their business t

Know when you are outside your area of expertise

You can be creative

with the truth but
NEVER lie
MANAGE EXPECTATIONS

Practice the art of

thinking 3 questions
ahead
Don’t be afraid to
manage the elephant in
If you say you are going the room
to do something... do it!
 Express potential
solutions as options Never ‘tell’ someone
Not enough to be right – what to do
you must be helpful!

Provide clear rationale Remember it is the

for each option client’s decision not
You are there to make yours
the client’s life easier
not harder

Be mindful of internal
politics in determining That doesn’t mean you
options can’t exercise
professional opinion

Ensure the client remains the centre of attention

The client should feel like they have come up with the solution
 You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in that order

Listen and understand... I mean really listen

Show an interest and

establish (genuine)
rapport Earn the right to offer
advice

Research them and

Set clear goals and their background
outcomes
 Manage the Let the small stuff go...
engagement effectively