The Evolution of Our Purpose and Direction
Our history is short, but eventful.
When we started Consulting Stance in the fall of 2008, our purpose was simple. We had written a book about basic consulting skills that had received a lot of publicity and our readers (consultants and consulting managers) then asked for classes that would build on that foundation. Our purpose was to give them what they wanted. We did what consultants do: we listened to the customers' requirements and created a solution that fulfilled those requirements.
And the customers did what customers do: they changed the requirements before we even finished building Version 1. Circumstances changed. The economic environment changed. Our customer changed.
In the first two quarters of 2009, consulting firms saw a drop in their client activity and were forced to reduce headcount. In some cases, we were surprised to see that it was the more experienced consultants who were laid-off, while new consultants kept their jobs. There are often good reasons for this, but the immediate result was a seismic shift in our market. The practice manager who couldn't possibly mentor 40 consultants could easily manage ten. The consulting firms didn't need us anymore and they weren't willing to spend money on training anyway. (We're delighted to see that this trend is reversing and even boutique firms are investing in skills development again.)
The experienced consultants started asking themselves if they wouldn't be better off working independently. If they worked directly for the client, they would make more money and could actually charge lower rates. They know how to do the work, but they don't know how to turn themselves into a business.
During the same period, an enormous number of highly-skilled, highly-experienced professionals lost their jobs and began to consider independent consulting as an alternative. These folks know how to do their work and there is work for them to do. They do not need re-training in the traditional sense of the word. They just need to know how to turn themselves into a business.
Because of our experience in this area, we found ourselves teaching much more than consulting skills. We would hold a public workshop to teach advanced consulting skills and each Q&A session would be filled with questions about how to structure a business, find clients, write proposals, set rates...the list was endless. Our one-day class in building relationships and getting stuff done quickly evolved into a three-day class in starting, building and running an independent consultancy. The words "If you build it, they will come," have never felt more true.
We watched as the individuals in our classes formed tiny support groups to help each other through the material, and some of those groups continued to meet informally in the weeks and months following the class. They share experiences, draw on each other's expertise to solve problems, and avoid the isolation that often accompanies self-employment. A community was evolving.
Consultants often think of themselves like gunslingers in the Old West. They show up, do their jobs, solve the problem, and then ride off into the sunset alone. The problem is that not everyone is suited to that kind of solitary life, and today's gunslingers and consultants have to issue invoices, pay taxes, compete with other gunslingers for the next gig, and keep their skills updated in their spare time.
And so our purpose has evolved yet again. We continue to serve our client base of consulting organizations with skills development training and have even added to our offering as new topics are identified and new skills are required. But we want to serve the gunslinger, too. We are building an online community to support the offline communities that continue to form all over the world. For some, Consulting Stance will continue to be the people who taught the class that gave them the initial jumpstart they needed, and nothing more. For others, it will be their online resource for solutions and ideas, tools and templates, fellowship with other independent consultants, and continuing education.
At the same time, we have expanded the definition of consultant to include those employees inside our client corporations who serve an internal customer, providing advice and services that require the same skills an external consultant needs. The business landscape has changed a bit, but the skills required for success are the same: accomplish your objectives, build influential relationships and establish your authority with your customer.
Our purpose is still to equip consultants. Who, what, where, when and how have changed and may continue to change because we are consultants and our job is to understand the requirements and craft solutions that fulfill those requirements.