How to be a successful consultant

How to be a successful consultant

Consultants play an important role in the successful execution of projects. Adegboyega oyenuga writes on the essential traits of the professional consultant

The consultancy business has grown in size and reputation over the years and this is evident in the rising demands for professionals in this field.

Research has shown that this business absorbs more graduates than any other sectors of the economy, thereby creating self employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Moreover, its viability was confirmed   by the first quarter Nigerian Gross Domestic Product report which notes that the services sector recorded a growth rate of 7.20 per cent during the first quarter of 2014, followed by agriculture at 5.53 per cent and industry at 4.84 per cent.

As a result, successful consultants have identified characteristics consultants need to possess for excellent service delivery.

Acquire adequate knowledge

Experts say a clear understanding of the clients’ business towards providing appropriate advice based on the issues affecting their businesses is the cornerstone of good management consulting.

According to them, consultants must have specific expertise usually resulting from an in-depth knowledge of a particular industry, function or technique.

Professionals say that most big organisations have limited time to solve certain problems or implement some projects that are not part of their core functions. Therefore they expect consultants to have more expertise than the organisation’s internal resources.

Consultants are expected to know when to ask questions and where to research to find solutions to challenges. They need to be abreast of issues by reading journals, magazines, informative websites and networking with fellow consultants.

The Chief Executive Officer of BDO Consulting, Dr Joshua Olagbaju, declares that to gain the confidence of clients and keep them, consultants need to develop an area of concentration, create a niche for themselves, demonstrate their expertise in that area, and focus on the clearly defined area so that you can be reckoned with.

In addition he says a wide knowledge of accounting, the market and competitor knowledge, and company knowledge is crucial.