Success in AEC hinges on guiding clients toward actions that align with their best interests.
Architects, engineers, interior designers, environmental scientists, planners, and land surveyors are all consultants. They provide advice. Each may have a design or technical discipline that they are knowledgeable in, but no client has to do what they advise them to do. To be successful in any of these fields requires an ability to get clients to do what is in their own best interests.
Some people are really good at getting clients to do what they advise them to do. They rise to the top of their fields, and they are generally happy and satisfied with their careers. People usually like something they are good at doing.
And others – well, they aren’t so good at this. They are quick to blame the client when they fail. These people go through a daily struggle to make a living and to motivate themselves to stay at their profession. They aren’t so happy because they aren’t very successful.
You may be asking by now – what qualities and practices make someone be the best consultant out there? Here are my thoughts:
- Keeping up to date with all you need to know. The best consultants stay up with what is happening in their discipline and much more. Knowing what is going on in the world. Knowing what is going on in the industries their clients work in. The best consultants are not out of touch with anything they need to stay abreast of.
- A “do it now” philosophy. The best consultants are all busy and testing the limits of their ability to juggle lots of balls simultaneously. They have a real sense of urgency because they know if they don’t have time now they won’t have it later. Plus, they don’t want to hold anyone up waiting for them.
- Knowing how to sell. The best consultants can sell their company and themselves to get the client and the projects they want. They know that selling is simply a matter of building trust and problem solving, and they are good at both of these things.
- Being calm. The best consultants stay calm under fire. They know things will go wrong with clients, contractors, and regulators, and expect to have problems so they don’t let anything rattle them.
- Knowing how to write and how to speak. The best consultants are good writers. They can write clearly and succinctly. They don’t make spelling errors and misuse the language. They are good verbal communicators as well.
- Having integrity and keeping promises. The best consultants are honest and do what they say they will. They don’t make promises on when something will be done that they cannot keep.
- Reading the room. Being a good student of human behavior. A truly outstanding consultant can tell how people are reacting to them when they are talking. That allows them to adjust their approach if needed. And sometimes it is!
- Not wedded to rigid process. The best consultants do not have a one-size-fits-all approach to how they do anything. They are flexible and open to changing their process if necessary to meet the needs of the situation. Every situation is different!
- Courageous. The best consultants are not afraid of anyone or anything. Angry client? No problem – let’s go see them. Client not paying their bills? No problem – let’s call them.
- Ability to say “no.” That means you can say no to a client who wants you to do something that won’t work, or is unethical or illegal, or is dangerous, or will hurt their business. They can also say no to a bad a client who wants to work with them.
I could probably add another 10 or even 20 points here if I had the space. The truly best consultants do so many things differently from the rest of the pack – it’s hard to name just 10!
Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.
