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![]() Fire Your Consultant
Do your consultants have a interest in your long-term success, or just the short-term check? Know before you go forward.
By Johnny Duncan
"All too many consultants, when asked, 'What is 2 and 2?' respond, 'What do you have in mind?"
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There is a often repeated story of the consultant that was hired to fix a piece of machinery in a factory. When he arrived, he took a hammer and tapped twice on the machine and it started running. A week later the CEO received an invoice for $1,500. The CEO called to complain and demand a breakdown of the invoice and stated, "All you did was hit the machine with a hammer." The consultant kindly responded that the cost for hitting the machine was only $1, the remainder of the invoice was for knowing where to hit. Though an interesting story, and many consultants use it as a defense for justifying their charges, what the story lacks is commitment from the consultant. You see, he uncovered the problem and provided a solution... for now. If you've retained a consultant and he or she is not committed to your business, the best you can do for your business is to fire them and do so today. Fixing a problem without commitment is what a plumber does. Nothing wrong with this approach, at least for the plumber. But when you hire a consultant, you want to at least know that they have your long-term interest at heart.
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Here are three key factors that the consultant you hire should have in order to help your business succeed. They should:
Your business is too precious to allow an outsider with no blood in the game to come in and tinker with. If your consultant doesn't feel your pain, own the problem and then follow-up with you long after the invoice is paid---fire them. Though rare, you can find those who will possess these three qualities and walk with you through the trenches providing solutions along the way. Johnny Duncan, President of Duncan Consulting, Inc., is a business writer and consultant partnering with business leaders to provide workforce management solutions including leadership coaching, customer service training, people-to-job matches, copywriting, and conflict resolution. He can be reached at johnny@duncanconsult.com or by calling 407-739-0718. Get free tips and information at HRVitamin.com
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