At some point in the life of your business you will hire a consultant.

Understand the difference between a consultant and a contractor

A contractor is hired to get something done that you do not have time for or not enough work for a full-time employee.

In my opinion a consultant is someone you hire to share his or her knowledge and expertise with you. In a sense they teach you what they have taken years to learn.

If a consultant has 25 years experience and they write a book sharing that knowledge and expertise, you buy the book AND read it. You will leverage that persons knowledge and compress in into the time it takes you to read and APPLY what you learned.

The same should be true of the consultant you hire. They should have the ability to teach, coach and provide leadership. In other words, transfer their knowledge and skill sets to you.

How to get maximum value when to hire a consultant

1) Be realistic with your expectations. In my opinion, the main reason for hiring a consultant is to gain a new perspective, plus access knowledge and expertise not readily available. Therefore, it is important the consultant has the ability and willingness to transfer skills and expertise.

2) Remember that you own the business. You are the only one who can make a decision, and you are the one who will be left holding the bag at the end of the day. The consultant is not there to make decisions for you, but to provide perspective, information and observations. They are also there to train you.

3) Listen to the consultant. Hear them out - ask them questions. Do not be afraid to say you do not understand what they are saying. Take in the information, ask for guidance on how to apply the information and make your own decision.

4) Provide the consultant with feedback. Let them know what you like and what they could improve on.

5) Ask the consultant to agree to identify measurable standards of performance as part of the contract. In other words, how will you be able to measure success? How will you know if you are making progress by hiring a consultant.

6) Give the consultant permission to speak his mind and tell you the truth. You do not need someone to 'tickle' your ears. You do not need a 'yes' man. The consultant should have the confidence and communication skills to challenge you.

If you do all these things and hire someone you trust and respect you will have a great experience. Most importantly, you and the business will be better off.

Start by talking to other business people who you know and respect. Ask them who they would recommend. Try your local chamber of commerce or economic development authority.

Sincerely,

Greg Balanko-Dickson
Live Large! Shrinking does not become you.