In the management consultant profession, consultants are paid for 1 of 2 things: to solve problems; or do something that clients don't have the resources or capabilities of doing themselves.
If you stay in the profession long enough, you begin to develop a false sense of confidence -- something along the lines of, "whatever your problem is, I'm sure that I'll find a way to solve it -- I'm THAT smart."
After all, who wants to go the consultant that says, "I don't know."
Sometimes, as consultants, it's actually in our best interest to say, "I don't know." The alternative is that we provide our clients with a half-baked answer that that ends up making a client's situation the same or worse, rather than better.
It's like asking your family doctor to solve an eye problem when the best recommendation would have been to send you to an ophthalmologist.
As you progress though the consulting profession (or probably any profession that involves moving up a hierarchy) it comes even more important to become self-aware.
Understand what you know.
Be clear on what you are good at.
Definitely know what you need to work on.
Be crystal clear as to how others perceive you.
It will benefit you, and your clients more than you think.
If you stay in the profession long enough, you begin to develop a false sense of confidence -- something along the lines of, "whatever your problem is, I'm sure that I'll find a way to solve it -- I'm THAT smart."
After all, who wants to go the consultant that says, "I don't know."
Sometimes, as consultants, it's actually in our best interest to say, "I don't know." The alternative is that we provide our clients with a half-baked answer that that ends up making a client's situation the same or worse, rather than better.
It's like asking your family doctor to solve an eye problem when the best recommendation would have been to send you to an ophthalmologist.
As you progress though the consulting profession (or probably any profession that involves moving up a hierarchy) it comes even more important to become self-aware.
Understand what you know.
Be clear on what you are good at.
Definitely know what you need to work on.
Be crystal clear as to how others perceive you.
It will benefit you, and your clients more than you think.
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