Our business is an interesting one to say the least.
They say that the only thing constant is change. Every year we think of new ways, approaches, and frameworks to do the same thing.
One of the problems with throwing a lot of smart people at a problem is that everyone is always right. My dad, who is a professor, said something analogous to this. He said, "The problem with getting a bunch of PhD's in the room is that everyone thinks they are the smartest." In management consulting, the problem with getting a bunch of leaders in the room is that not only to they think they are the smartest, but with everyone being so Type A, everyone has to be right.
I personally dread the proposal or project that has 4-5 partners / senior managers running it because you spend 80% of the time getting them to compromise on different ways of delivering the same message.
I read a blog post by Darren Hardy that says the important job of a leader is to listen. I am not the most assertive person in the world and I get penalized for it. Right or wrong, the loudest and most opinionated person in the room can get recognized and get by simply because people remember them. Disregard digging through to another level and understanding how they manage people, how successful they are at delivering results, and how they truly lead. Where a lot of people like me struggle is that we don't say anything unless it's something meaningful to say. But the reality is that sometimes we need to say what's on our mind just to stay relevant and make sure that we are recognized as an authority figure in the room or meeting. And that could mean being Captain Obvious in certain situations.
My thoughts are this — business is about relationships, whether someone likes you, and whether you are memorable. You still have to be competent and known for something. But I think you can slip by for a few years if people like you and you are incompetent.
In certain situations (large meetings, board meetings, workshops / working sessions, etc...), you have to recognize your role and find the right balance of being assertive, filling in silence, and knowing when to say something meaningful. The sad part is that it shouldn't be like that. But in a business like ours where how you are evaluted is 95% subjective, being Captain Obvious can be what differentiates you from others.
They say that the only thing constant is change. Every year we think of new ways, approaches, and frameworks to do the same thing.
One of the problems with throwing a lot of smart people at a problem is that everyone is always right. My dad, who is a professor, said something analogous to this. He said, "The problem with getting a bunch of PhD's in the room is that everyone thinks they are the smartest." In management consulting, the problem with getting a bunch of leaders in the room is that not only to they think they are the smartest, but with everyone being so Type A, everyone has to be right.
I personally dread the proposal or project that has 4-5 partners / senior managers running it because you spend 80% of the time getting them to compromise on different ways of delivering the same message.
I read a blog post by Darren Hardy that says the important job of a leader is to listen. I am not the most assertive person in the world and I get penalized for it. Right or wrong, the loudest and most opinionated person in the room can get recognized and get by simply because people remember them. Disregard digging through to another level and understanding how they manage people, how successful they are at delivering results, and how they truly lead. Where a lot of people like me struggle is that we don't say anything unless it's something meaningful to say. But the reality is that sometimes we need to say what's on our mind just to stay relevant and make sure that we are recognized as an authority figure in the room or meeting. And that could mean being Captain Obvious in certain situations.
My thoughts are this — business is about relationships, whether someone likes you, and whether you are memorable. You still have to be competent and known for something. But I think you can slip by for a few years if people like you and you are incompetent.
In certain situations (large meetings, board meetings, workshops / working sessions, etc...), you have to recognize your role and find the right balance of being assertive, filling in silence, and knowing when to say something meaningful. The sad part is that it shouldn't be like that. But in a business like ours where how you are evaluted is 95% subjective, being Captain Obvious can be what differentiates you from others.
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