The Good Consultant

Hello People,

I appreciate that in the Cisco Consulting world, we all need to have the technical ability - that's a given. But what about the soft skills? What about knowledge of products, what about understanding the customers business requirements, what about understanding the customer as a person and what about taking the time to really listen and understand?

These are the sort of qualities that can't be learnt overnight, but take many years of practice to hone to a fine art. It's a case of looking at a router or switch or phone system and not seeing it as a box with flashing lights and a Cisco badge on, but realising that each flash of an LED is someone receiving an important email, an important document being opened, a vital call being placed.

Yes to you and me it may well be a flickering light and a user clogging up our beautifully designed and implemented network, but to the end users this is what they do. And The Good Consultant helps them to do it.

This sort of thinking, and reading many of the posts from this forum has led me to question what makes The Good Consultant. What makes The Good Consultant tick, what motivates them, how do they keep motivated and (most importantly) how do they deliver exactly what the customer is after.

I'm compiling a list of tales and anecdotes the help describe what is expected of The Good Consultant.

This leads me to my first question to the group:-

What makes The Good Consultant?

I'd like to hear from End Customers who have had Consultants come in and do work or help on projects - What things did the Consultant do that made you happy? What did they do that made you think they truly know what they were doing enough for you to let them alter your infrastructure? Do they appreciate that it's not just their reputation on the line, but also yours? Perhaps more importantly - what did they do (or not do) that left you unhappy?

I'd also like to hear from Consultants. What makes you tick? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Why do you do the job that you do? It's not an easy life as a Consultant, especially as The Good Consultant. How do you keep on top of your game? What tales can you share of Good Consultancy for the Masses?

Comments from Managers and Wannabe Consultants are also welcome. I'd like to get all angles on what makes The Good Consultant. Managers - what do you expect from your Consultants? What goals do you set for them in reviews? How do you keep them ticking and performing at their best? Wannabe Consultants - Why do you want to be Consultants? What values do The Good Consultants that you look up to posses? Which of the skills and the abilities would you like to build up? What do you think will make you The Good Consultant?

Recruiters - There's plenty of you on here and you have a finger as close to The Good Constant pulse as anyone. What makes The Good Consultant? Your hearts can flutter reading a good CV, but when you speak to the people what makes you think "This is the One"? What qualities do you look for in The Good Consultant? What would The Good Consultant have to be capable of to get you jumping for joy?

Ladies and Gentlemen, this (I hope) is the start of a a long discussion that will undoubtedly lead to people agreeing, people disagreeing, but above all I want to find some shining examples of what The Good Consultant can do and what they have done. This is not intended as a manual, but rather pointers in the right direction of what is done, what is expected and what is possible.

The Good Consultant would expect nothing less of themselves.

Please reply and get involved. This is a discussion for us all and I'll be posting the wiser lessons that The Good Consultant should learn.

Best Regards,

Leigh H

PS. Before any of you ask "Why not The Great Consultant?" or "Why not The Brilliant Consultant?" The Good Consultant is modest and would never suggest such a thing ;-)