But what many in your loafers might neglect is what happens after the consultant packs up their charts and graphs and heads for the door: the all-important follow-up.<\/p>\n
Because let\u2019s be frank, engaging in consulting project management isn\u2019t just about having another coffee aficionado in the office. It\u2019s an investment. And the real dividends from this investment? They materialize through meticulous follow-through.<\/p>\n
Without further ado, here are seven tips to ensure your consulting dollars don\u2019t simply waltz out the door with them.<\/p>\n
1. Aim Beyond the Project in Consulting Project Management<\/strong><\/h2>\nEnvision what success will look like. No, not at the end of the project\u2014longer-term. Picture someone about to break a block of wood or concrete with a karate chop.<\/p>\n
If he aims for the block, he instinctually will start to draw back a bit just as he is about to make contact with the block. Now picture him focusing\u00a0a foot past the block<\/em>\u00a0as he aims, then chops. Crack!<\/p>\nAim past the project. That will help begin to mark the right follow-up path.<\/p>\n
2. Plan the Transition from the RFP<\/strong><\/h2>\nRemember, the RFP<\/a> is all about procuring solutions, not just making a purchase. With that in mind, think long-term and include the ways to determine whether consulting project management goals were met and additional consulting support is needed once the consultant leaves.<\/p>\nKeep in touch. Executives and consultants should keep in touch to ensure that the consultant\u2019s recommended systems and ideas work to resolve the original issue.<\/p>\n
Yes, we\u2019re talking about data collection\u2014evidence that the new knowledge and systems work, fail, or result in zero changes that are meaningful. Build in the collecting of data points during the project for three to six months, or even a year afterward.<\/p>\n
The data points need to measure the extent to which the solution you were aiming for does exist. You or the consultant can analyze these data as a way to determine project success, failure, or status quo, as well as the next steps to take<\/p>\n
Include a compliance check within the RFP. Once the original project ends, the consultant should schedule a return visit to determine to what extent your team absorbed new lessons and how well new systems are being incorporated as intended.<\/p>\n
The last deliverable could actually be the proposed way forward.<\/p>\n
3. Decision Time: Figure Out Which Recommendations to Keep<\/strong><\/h2>\nJust because you paid a consultant to address a gap and offer a solution does not mean that your company needs to jump in blindly.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s senior executives can sift through the consultant\u2019s suggestions and cherry-pick the ones that are most likely to solve the issue at hand.<\/p>\n
Once that sifting occurs, meet with the consultant for feedback on what your team has chosen as the wheat and what\u2019s the chaff.<\/p>\n
After all, the consultant may have experience with what result can occur (positive or negative) if recommendation A is kept but recommendation B is tossed.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
4. Know the What, the How and the Who Before the Consultant Exits<\/strong><\/h2>\nClarity with regard to the next steps is key. Knowing what to do but not how to do it is a roadblock to success.<\/p>\n
Before the consultant departs, take the time to make sure that everyone affected knows what to do next, and how to do it and that the appropriate resources will be allocated.<\/p>\n
The combination of the\u00a0what to do<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0how to do it<\/strong>\u00a0makes the difference between a return on the consulting investment or a loss.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s not enough that employees just understand. The rubber won\u2019t meet the road if they can\u2019t also implement what they know they need to do.<\/p>\n
Plan ahead to build in ways to manage implementation and potential failures.<\/p>\n
\n- Who will be accountable for implementing the plan? How will the activity be steered?<\/li>\n
- Who will be responsible for correcting implementation issues? How often and by what method will that person be accessible?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Plan to Retain Learned Knowledge and Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhether it\u2019s staff turnover or vacation time, new skills can get lost in life\u2019s shuffle. You need a plan to keep that new information at the forefront of employees\u2019 work.<\/p>\n
\n- Is transferring knowledge explicitly part of the mandate?<\/li>\n
- Will you offer annual refresher courses? Online manuals? Access to the consultant via email or web forum? All of the above?<\/li>\n
- Will there be a mentoring relationship for an extended timeframe once the project ends? Mentoring often makes the difference between long-term ROI or loss on consulting investments. Just be sure to structure the arrangement with a timeline and clear data points for ending the mentorship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. Keep the Door Open to Transformational Ideas.<\/strong><\/h2>\nYou know what often happens when you focus for a time on a project and then step away. New, perhaps even transformational ideas may pop up unexpectedly.<\/p>\n
Depending on how your company is structured in terms of consulting project management, novel ideas can float up to your senior team or through your project team. Or perhaps the consultant experiences a couple of brainstorms once the project has ended.<\/p>\n
You will want access to these raw new ideas. Coming on the heels of intense project focus, they may contain just the right germ of an idea that, when shaped and cultivated, can provide an unforeseen breakthrough that boosts your competitive edge.<\/p>\n
Explicitly create the potential for following up with the consultant on promising innovative ideas and approaches after the initial project ends.<\/p>\n
7. Build in Check-ins as a Forcing Function<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, assuming that you found the consulting team<\/a> helpful, build in check-ins at the frequency that matches your business tempo to take a fresh look at what was accomplished and perhaps what needs to be tweaked now to continue to optimize the original investment.<\/p>\nThese build-in check-ins as forcing function will also prevent business as usual from taking over. Procuring the consultant and working through the project aren\u2019t the goals. Sustainable solutions that boost your competitive edge are the goals.<\/p>\n
Meeting those goals requires you to lead the company through a follow-up phase once the consulting team leaves to ensure the highest return on your consulting investment.<\/p>\n
In Conclusion: Planning for Goodbyes Should Begin at Hello<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhen the curtain falls on a consultant’s project, it’s not uncommon to find both parties exchanging courteous handshakes and pleasantries, with the underlying sentiment being, “Well, that was fun.<\/p>\n
Now, what next?” Unfortunately, too many projects go adrift post-consultation, largely due to a failure in foresight. For consultants, it’s not too surprising.<\/p>\n
After all, leaving room for encore performances\u2014subsequent projects to address issues ‘discovered’ along the way\u2014might be part of their playbook. And can we blame them? Their business thrives on repeat engagements.<\/p>\n
But for the client? This oversight is more like shooting oneself in the foot. Not intentionally, of course, but the result is just as painful. Post-project missteps can diminish, if not nullify, the benefits reaped from the consultation.<\/p>\n
To dodge this pitfall, start laying the bricks for the project’s conclusion right at its commencement. Plant the seeds of sustainability in the fertile ground of the RFP phase.<\/p>\n
After all, if you\u2019re going to invite a consultant to the dance, make sure you\u2019ve also planned for the music that’ll play when they leave the floor.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Keywords” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_font_size=”0px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”how-conpulse” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”How Consource Can Help?” image=”https:\/\/consource.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/lightbulb.png” image_icon_width=”60px” module_class=”b3_blurb_3″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|||on|||||” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”40px|40px||40px|false|false” border_color_right=”#ff7700″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\nNavigating the twists and turns of consultancy can be a breeze. With Consource<\/a>‘s RFP and SOW wizards at your fingertips, ensure that you’re planning for success right from the outset. Start smart, finish stronger\u2014choose Consource.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_text=”Book a demo” button_alignment=”center” admin_label=”Book a demo” module_class=”btn-primary btn-icon” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” button_use_icon=”on” button_icon=”||fa||400″ button_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” button_icon_placement=”left” custom_margin=”||40px||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|10px||10px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”width:280px;” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
D\u00e9couvrez les aspects essentiels de la gestion de projets de conseil qui garantissent une transition en douceur lorsque les consultants se retirent. Cet article pr\u00e9sente des strat\u00e9gies \u00e9prouv\u00e9es pour doter votre \u00e9quipe des outils et des connaissances n\u00e9cessaires pour maintenir la dynamique du projet et atteindre les objectifs \u00e0 long terme.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":58917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"section\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" background_size=\"initial\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" custom_padding=\"|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.21.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/p>
Performance evaluation system for consulting is like a finely tuned symphony, requiring orchestration, precision, and dedication to maintain their harmony.<\/p>
\"Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.\" \u2013 Bruce Springsteen.<\/p><\/blockquote>
While The Boss wasn't talking about managing consultants, but he might as well have been. Securing top-notch consultants, fostering those oh-so-delicate supplier relationships, and convincing leadership to jump on board?<\/p>
It's a bit like herding cats. And not just the docile ones, but the feral ones that have had too much caffeine.<\/p>
You've been in the game long enough to know that starting a new initiative is a bit like a New Year's resolution \u2013 exciting at first, but oh the commitment it demands!<\/p>
Before we dive in and potentially scare you off with tales of consultant woes, let\u2019s lay the foundation. After all, a good story always starts at the beginning, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>
Why Implementing a Performance Evaluation System for Consulting Is Crucial?<\/strong><\/h2>We can always start with Peter Drucker: \u201cWhat\u2019s measured improves.\u201d Unless you put a system that captures the goods and bads of your projects, there is no way you can make sure your consulting sourcing process is efficient<\/a> or that your projects deliver the expected value.<\/p>Monitoring the relevant dimensions that a system produces will provide you with a wealth of inputs your firm can use to:<\/p>
Aim past the project. That will help begin to mark the right follow-up path.<\/p>\n
2. Plan the Transition from the RFP<\/strong><\/h2>\nRemember, the RFP<\/a> is all about procuring solutions, not just making a purchase. With that in mind, think long-term and include the ways to determine whether consulting project management goals were met and additional consulting support is needed once the consultant leaves.<\/p>\nKeep in touch. Executives and consultants should keep in touch to ensure that the consultant\u2019s recommended systems and ideas work to resolve the original issue.<\/p>\n
Yes, we\u2019re talking about data collection\u2014evidence that the new knowledge and systems work, fail, or result in zero changes that are meaningful. Build in the collecting of data points during the project for three to six months, or even a year afterward.<\/p>\n
The data points need to measure the extent to which the solution you were aiming for does exist. You or the consultant can analyze these data as a way to determine project success, failure, or status quo, as well as the next steps to take<\/p>\n
Include a compliance check within the RFP. Once the original project ends, the consultant should schedule a return visit to determine to what extent your team absorbed new lessons and how well new systems are being incorporated as intended.<\/p>\n
The last deliverable could actually be the proposed way forward.<\/p>\n
3. Decision Time: Figure Out Which Recommendations to Keep<\/strong><\/h2>\nJust because you paid a consultant to address a gap and offer a solution does not mean that your company needs to jump in blindly.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s senior executives can sift through the consultant\u2019s suggestions and cherry-pick the ones that are most likely to solve the issue at hand.<\/p>\n
Once that sifting occurs, meet with the consultant for feedback on what your team has chosen as the wheat and what\u2019s the chaff.<\/p>\n
After all, the consultant may have experience with what result can occur (positive or negative) if recommendation A is kept but recommendation B is tossed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4. Know the What, the How and the Who Before the Consultant Exits<\/strong><\/h2>\nClarity with regard to the next steps is key. Knowing what to do but not how to do it is a roadblock to success.<\/p>\n
Before the consultant departs, take the time to make sure that everyone affected knows what to do next, and how to do it and that the appropriate resources will be allocated.<\/p>\n
The combination of the\u00a0what to do<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0how to do it<\/strong>\u00a0makes the difference between a return on the consulting investment or a loss.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s not enough that employees just understand. The rubber won\u2019t meet the road if they can\u2019t also implement what they know they need to do.<\/p>\n
Plan ahead to build in ways to manage implementation and potential failures.<\/p>\n
\n- Who will be accountable for implementing the plan? How will the activity be steered?<\/li>\n
- Who will be responsible for correcting implementation issues? How often and by what method will that person be accessible?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Plan to Retain Learned Knowledge and Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhether it\u2019s staff turnover or vacation time, new skills can get lost in life\u2019s shuffle. You need a plan to keep that new information at the forefront of employees\u2019 work.<\/p>\n
\n- Is transferring knowledge explicitly part of the mandate?<\/li>\n
- Will you offer annual refresher courses? Online manuals? Access to the consultant via email or web forum? All of the above?<\/li>\n
- Will there be a mentoring relationship for an extended timeframe once the project ends? Mentoring often makes the difference between long-term ROI or loss on consulting investments. Just be sure to structure the arrangement with a timeline and clear data points for ending the mentorship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. Keep the Door Open to Transformational Ideas.<\/strong><\/h2>\nYou know what often happens when you focus for a time on a project and then step away. New, perhaps even transformational ideas may pop up unexpectedly.<\/p>\n
Depending on how your company is structured in terms of consulting project management, novel ideas can float up to your senior team or through your project team. Or perhaps the consultant experiences a couple of brainstorms once the project has ended.<\/p>\n
You will want access to these raw new ideas. Coming on the heels of intense project focus, they may contain just the right germ of an idea that, when shaped and cultivated, can provide an unforeseen breakthrough that boosts your competitive edge.<\/p>\n
Explicitly create the potential for following up with the consultant on promising innovative ideas and approaches after the initial project ends.<\/p>\n
7. Build in Check-ins as a Forcing Function<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, assuming that you found the consulting team<\/a> helpful, build in check-ins at the frequency that matches your business tempo to take a fresh look at what was accomplished and perhaps what needs to be tweaked now to continue to optimize the original investment.<\/p>\nThese build-in check-ins as forcing function will also prevent business as usual from taking over. Procuring the consultant and working through the project aren\u2019t the goals. Sustainable solutions that boost your competitive edge are the goals.<\/p>\n
Meeting those goals requires you to lead the company through a follow-up phase once the consulting team leaves to ensure the highest return on your consulting investment.<\/p>\n
In Conclusion: Planning for Goodbyes Should Begin at Hello<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhen the curtain falls on a consultant’s project, it’s not uncommon to find both parties exchanging courteous handshakes and pleasantries, with the underlying sentiment being, “Well, that was fun.<\/p>\n
Now, what next?” Unfortunately, too many projects go adrift post-consultation, largely due to a failure in foresight. For consultants, it’s not too surprising.<\/p>\n
After all, leaving room for encore performances\u2014subsequent projects to address issues ‘discovered’ along the way\u2014might be part of their playbook. And can we blame them? Their business thrives on repeat engagements.<\/p>\n
But for the client? This oversight is more like shooting oneself in the foot. Not intentionally, of course, but the result is just as painful. Post-project missteps can diminish, if not nullify, the benefits reaped from the consultation.<\/p>\n
To dodge this pitfall, start laying the bricks for the project’s conclusion right at its commencement. Plant the seeds of sustainability in the fertile ground of the RFP phase.<\/p>\n
After all, if you\u2019re going to invite a consultant to the dance, make sure you\u2019ve also planned for the music that’ll play when they leave the floor.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Keywords” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_font_size=”0px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”how-conpulse” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”How Consource Can Help?” image=”https:\/\/consource.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/lightbulb.png” image_icon_width=”60px” module_class=”b3_blurb_3″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|||on|||||” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”40px|40px||40px|false|false” border_color_right=”#ff7700″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\nNavigating the twists and turns of consultancy can be a breeze. With Consource<\/a>‘s RFP and SOW wizards at your fingertips, ensure that you’re planning for success right from the outset. Start smart, finish stronger\u2014choose Consource.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_text=”Book a demo” button_alignment=”center” admin_label=”Book a demo” module_class=”btn-primary btn-icon” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” button_use_icon=”on” button_icon=”||fa||400″ button_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” button_icon_placement=”left” custom_margin=”||40px||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|10px||10px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”width:280px;” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
D\u00e9couvrez les aspects essentiels de la gestion de projets de conseil qui garantissent une transition en douceur lorsque les consultants se retirent. Cet article pr\u00e9sente des strat\u00e9gies \u00e9prouv\u00e9es pour doter votre \u00e9quipe des outils et des connaissances n\u00e9cessaires pour maintenir la dynamique du projet et atteindre les objectifs \u00e0 long terme.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":58917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"section\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" background_size=\"initial\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" custom_padding=\"|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.21.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/p>
Performance evaluation system for consulting is like a finely tuned symphony, requiring orchestration, precision, and dedication to maintain their harmony.<\/p>
\"Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.\" \u2013 Bruce Springsteen.<\/p><\/blockquote>
While The Boss wasn't talking about managing consultants, but he might as well have been. Securing top-notch consultants, fostering those oh-so-delicate supplier relationships, and convincing leadership to jump on board?<\/p>
It's a bit like herding cats. And not just the docile ones, but the feral ones that have had too much caffeine.<\/p>
You've been in the game long enough to know that starting a new initiative is a bit like a New Year's resolution \u2013 exciting at first, but oh the commitment it demands!<\/p>
Before we dive in and potentially scare you off with tales of consultant woes, let\u2019s lay the foundation. After all, a good story always starts at the beginning, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>
Why Implementing a Performance Evaluation System for Consulting Is Crucial?<\/strong><\/h2>We can always start with Peter Drucker: \u201cWhat\u2019s measured improves.\u201d Unless you put a system that captures the goods and bads of your projects, there is no way you can make sure your consulting sourcing process is efficient<\/a> or that your projects deliver the expected value.<\/p>Monitoring the relevant dimensions that a system produces will provide you with a wealth of inputs your firm can use to:<\/p>
Keep in touch. Executives and consultants should keep in touch to ensure that the consultant\u2019s recommended systems and ideas work to resolve the original issue.<\/p>\n
Yes, we\u2019re talking about data collection\u2014evidence that the new knowledge and systems work, fail, or result in zero changes that are meaningful. Build in the collecting of data points during the project for three to six months, or even a year afterward.<\/p>\n
The data points need to measure the extent to which the solution you were aiming for does exist. You or the consultant can analyze these data as a way to determine project success, failure, or status quo, as well as the next steps to take<\/p>\n
Include a compliance check within the RFP. Once the original project ends, the consultant should schedule a return visit to determine to what extent your team absorbed new lessons and how well new systems are being incorporated as intended.<\/p>\n
The last deliverable could actually be the proposed way forward.<\/p>\n
3. Decision Time: Figure Out Which Recommendations to Keep<\/strong><\/h2>\nJust because you paid a consultant to address a gap and offer a solution does not mean that your company needs to jump in blindly.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s senior executives can sift through the consultant\u2019s suggestions and cherry-pick the ones that are most likely to solve the issue at hand.<\/p>\n
Once that sifting occurs, meet with the consultant for feedback on what your team has chosen as the wheat and what\u2019s the chaff.<\/p>\n
After all, the consultant may have experience with what result can occur (positive or negative) if recommendation A is kept but recommendation B is tossed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4. Know the What, the How and the Who Before the Consultant Exits<\/strong><\/h2>\nClarity with regard to the next steps is key. Knowing what to do but not how to do it is a roadblock to success.<\/p>\n
Before the consultant departs, take the time to make sure that everyone affected knows what to do next, and how to do it and that the appropriate resources will be allocated.<\/p>\n
The combination of the\u00a0what to do<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0how to do it<\/strong>\u00a0makes the difference between a return on the consulting investment or a loss.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s not enough that employees just understand. The rubber won\u2019t meet the road if they can\u2019t also implement what they know they need to do.<\/p>\n
Plan ahead to build in ways to manage implementation and potential failures.<\/p>\n
\n- Who will be accountable for implementing the plan? How will the activity be steered?<\/li>\n
- Who will be responsible for correcting implementation issues? How often and by what method will that person be accessible?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Plan to Retain Learned Knowledge and Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhether it\u2019s staff turnover or vacation time, new skills can get lost in life\u2019s shuffle. You need a plan to keep that new information at the forefront of employees\u2019 work.<\/p>\n
\n- Is transferring knowledge explicitly part of the mandate?<\/li>\n
- Will you offer annual refresher courses? Online manuals? Access to the consultant via email or web forum? All of the above?<\/li>\n
- Will there be a mentoring relationship for an extended timeframe once the project ends? Mentoring often makes the difference between long-term ROI or loss on consulting investments. Just be sure to structure the arrangement with a timeline and clear data points for ending the mentorship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. Keep the Door Open to Transformational Ideas.<\/strong><\/h2>\nYou know what often happens when you focus for a time on a project and then step away. New, perhaps even transformational ideas may pop up unexpectedly.<\/p>\n
Depending on how your company is structured in terms of consulting project management, novel ideas can float up to your senior team or through your project team. Or perhaps the consultant experiences a couple of brainstorms once the project has ended.<\/p>\n
You will want access to these raw new ideas. Coming on the heels of intense project focus, they may contain just the right germ of an idea that, when shaped and cultivated, can provide an unforeseen breakthrough that boosts your competitive edge.<\/p>\n
Explicitly create the potential for following up with the consultant on promising innovative ideas and approaches after the initial project ends.<\/p>\n
7. Build in Check-ins as a Forcing Function<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, assuming that you found the consulting team<\/a> helpful, build in check-ins at the frequency that matches your business tempo to take a fresh look at what was accomplished and perhaps what needs to be tweaked now to continue to optimize the original investment.<\/p>\nThese build-in check-ins as forcing function will also prevent business as usual from taking over. Procuring the consultant and working through the project aren\u2019t the goals. Sustainable solutions that boost your competitive edge are the goals.<\/p>\n
Meeting those goals requires you to lead the company through a follow-up phase once the consulting team leaves to ensure the highest return on your consulting investment.<\/p>\n
In Conclusion: Planning for Goodbyes Should Begin at Hello<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhen the curtain falls on a consultant’s project, it’s not uncommon to find both parties exchanging courteous handshakes and pleasantries, with the underlying sentiment being, “Well, that was fun.<\/p>\n
Now, what next?” Unfortunately, too many projects go adrift post-consultation, largely due to a failure in foresight. For consultants, it’s not too surprising.<\/p>\n
After all, leaving room for encore performances\u2014subsequent projects to address issues ‘discovered’ along the way\u2014might be part of their playbook. And can we blame them? Their business thrives on repeat engagements.<\/p>\n
But for the client? This oversight is more like shooting oneself in the foot. Not intentionally, of course, but the result is just as painful. Post-project missteps can diminish, if not nullify, the benefits reaped from the consultation.<\/p>\n
To dodge this pitfall, start laying the bricks for the project’s conclusion right at its commencement. Plant the seeds of sustainability in the fertile ground of the RFP phase.<\/p>\n
After all, if you\u2019re going to invite a consultant to the dance, make sure you\u2019ve also planned for the music that’ll play when they leave the floor.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Keywords” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_font_size=”0px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”how-conpulse” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”How Consource Can Help?” image=”https:\/\/consource.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/lightbulb.png” image_icon_width=”60px” module_class=”b3_blurb_3″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|||on|||||” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”40px|40px||40px|false|false” border_color_right=”#ff7700″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\nNavigating the twists and turns of consultancy can be a breeze. With Consource<\/a>‘s RFP and SOW wizards at your fingertips, ensure that you’re planning for success right from the outset. Start smart, finish stronger\u2014choose Consource.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_text=”Book a demo” button_alignment=”center” admin_label=”Book a demo” module_class=”btn-primary btn-icon” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” button_use_icon=”on” button_icon=”||fa||400″ button_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” button_icon_placement=”left” custom_margin=”||40px||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|10px||10px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”width:280px;” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
D\u00e9couvrez les aspects essentiels de la gestion de projets de conseil qui garantissent une transition en douceur lorsque les consultants se retirent. Cet article pr\u00e9sente des strat\u00e9gies \u00e9prouv\u00e9es pour doter votre \u00e9quipe des outils et des connaissances n\u00e9cessaires pour maintenir la dynamique du projet et atteindre les objectifs \u00e0 long terme.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":58917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
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Performance evaluation system for consulting is like a finely tuned symphony, requiring orchestration, precision, and dedication to maintain their harmony.<\/p>
\"Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.\" \u2013 Bruce Springsteen.<\/p><\/blockquote>
While The Boss wasn't talking about managing consultants, but he might as well have been. Securing top-notch consultants, fostering those oh-so-delicate supplier relationships, and convincing leadership to jump on board?<\/p>
It's a bit like herding cats. And not just the docile ones, but the feral ones that have had too much caffeine.<\/p>
You've been in the game long enough to know that starting a new initiative is a bit like a New Year's resolution \u2013 exciting at first, but oh the commitment it demands!<\/p>
Before we dive in and potentially scare you off with tales of consultant woes, let\u2019s lay the foundation. After all, a good story always starts at the beginning, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>
Why Implementing a Performance Evaluation System for Consulting Is Crucial?<\/strong><\/h2>We can always start with Peter Drucker: \u201cWhat\u2019s measured improves.\u201d Unless you put a system that captures the goods and bads of your projects, there is no way you can make sure your consulting sourcing process is efficient<\/a> or that your projects deliver the expected value.<\/p>Monitoring the relevant dimensions that a system produces will provide you with a wealth of inputs your firm can use to:<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/consource.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Consultants-exit-consulting-project-management.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nClarity with regard to the next steps is key. Knowing what to do but not how to do it is a roadblock to success.<\/p>\n
Before the consultant departs, take the time to make sure that everyone affected knows what to do next, and how to do it and that the appropriate resources will be allocated.<\/p>\n
The combination of the\u00a0what to do<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0how to do it<\/strong>\u00a0makes the difference between a return on the consulting investment or a loss.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not enough that employees just understand. The rubber won\u2019t meet the road if they can\u2019t also implement what they know they need to do.<\/p>\n Plan ahead to build in ways to manage implementation and potential failures.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s staff turnover or vacation time, new skills can get lost in life\u2019s shuffle. You need a plan to keep that new information at the forefront of employees\u2019 work.<\/p>\n You know what often happens when you focus for a time on a project and then step away. New, perhaps even transformational ideas may pop up unexpectedly.<\/p>\n Depending on how your company is structured in terms of consulting project management, novel ideas can float up to your senior team or through your project team. Or perhaps the consultant experiences a couple of brainstorms once the project has ended.<\/p>\n You will want access to these raw new ideas. Coming on the heels of intense project focus, they may contain just the right germ of an idea that, when shaped and cultivated, can provide an unforeseen breakthrough that boosts your competitive edge.<\/p>\n Explicitly create the potential for following up with the consultant on promising innovative ideas and approaches after the initial project ends.<\/p>\n Finally, assuming that you found the consulting team<\/a> helpful, build in check-ins at the frequency that matches your business tempo to take a fresh look at what was accomplished and perhaps what needs to be tweaked now to continue to optimize the original investment.<\/p>\n These build-in check-ins as forcing function will also prevent business as usual from taking over. Procuring the consultant and working through the project aren\u2019t the goals. Sustainable solutions that boost your competitive edge are the goals.<\/p>\n Meeting those goals requires you to lead the company through a follow-up phase once the consulting team leaves to ensure the highest return on your consulting investment.<\/p>\n When the curtain falls on a consultant’s project, it’s not uncommon to find both parties exchanging courteous handshakes and pleasantries, with the underlying sentiment being, “Well, that was fun.<\/p>\n Now, what next?” Unfortunately, too many projects go adrift post-consultation, largely due to a failure in foresight. For consultants, it’s not too surprising.<\/p>\n After all, leaving room for encore performances\u2014subsequent projects to address issues ‘discovered’ along the way\u2014might be part of their playbook. And can we blame them? Their business thrives on repeat engagements.<\/p>\n But for the client? This oversight is more like shooting oneself in the foot. Not intentionally, of course, but the result is just as painful. Post-project missteps can diminish, if not nullify, the benefits reaped from the consultation.<\/p>\n To dodge this pitfall, start laying the bricks for the project’s conclusion right at its commencement. Plant the seeds of sustainability in the fertile ground of the RFP phase.<\/p>\n After all, if you\u2019re going to invite a consultant to the dance, make sure you\u2019ve also planned for the music that’ll play when they leave the floor.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Keywords” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_font_size=”0px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=”how-conpulse” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”How Consource Can Help?” image=”https:\/\/consource.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/lightbulb.png” image_icon_width=”60px” module_class=”b3_blurb_3″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|||on|||||” background_color=”#e1e1e1″ custom_padding=”40px|40px||40px|false|false” border_color_right=”#ff7700″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Navigating the twists and turns of consultancy can be a breeze. With Consource<\/a>‘s RFP and SOW wizards at your fingertips, ensure that you’re planning for success right from the outset. Start smart, finish stronger\u2014choose Consource.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_text=”Book a demo” button_alignment=”center” admin_label=”Book a demo” module_class=”btn-primary btn-icon” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” button_use_icon=”on” button_icon=”||fa||400″ button_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” button_icon_placement=”left” custom_margin=”||40px||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|10px||10px|false|false” custom_css_main_element=”width:280px;” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" D\u00e9couvrez les aspects essentiels de la gestion de projets de conseil qui garantissent une transition en douceur lorsque les consultants se retirent. Cet article pr\u00e9sente des strat\u00e9gies \u00e9prouv\u00e9es pour doter votre \u00e9quipe des outils et des connaissances n\u00e9cessaires pour maintenir la dynamique du projet et atteindre les objectifs \u00e0 long terme.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":58917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" [et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"section\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" background_size=\"initial\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.16\" custom_padding=\"|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.21.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/p> Performance evaluation system for consulting is like a finely tuned symphony, requiring orchestration, precision, and dedication to maintain their harmony.<\/p> \"Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.\" \u2013 Bruce Springsteen.<\/p><\/blockquote> While The Boss wasn't talking about managing consultants, but he might as well have been. Securing top-notch consultants, fostering those oh-so-delicate supplier relationships, and convincing leadership to jump on board?<\/p> It's a bit like herding cats. And not just the docile ones, but the feral ones that have had too much caffeine.<\/p> You've been in the game long enough to know that starting a new initiative is a bit like a New Year's resolution \u2013 exciting at first, but oh the commitment it demands!<\/p> Before we dive in and potentially scare you off with tales of consultant woes, let\u2019s lay the foundation. After all, a good story always starts at the beginning, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p> We can always start with Peter Drucker: \u201cWhat\u2019s measured improves.\u201d Unless you put a system that captures the goods and bads of your projects, there is no way you can make sure your consulting sourcing process is efficient<\/a> or that your projects deliver the expected value.<\/p> Monitoring the relevant dimensions that a system produces will provide you with a wealth of inputs your firm can use to:<\/p>\n
5. Plan to Retain Learned Knowledge and Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
6. Keep the Door Open to Transformational Ideas.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
7. Build in Check-ins as a Forcing Function<\/strong><\/h2>\n
In Conclusion: Planning for Goodbyes Should Begin at Hello<\/strong><\/h2>\n
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management
consulting project management consulting project management consulting project management<\/p>\nWhy Implementing a Performance Evaluation System for Consulting Is Crucial?<\/strong><\/h2>