Hier erfahren Sie, wie Sie dauerhafte Verbindungen zu Top-Führungskräften in Ihrem Beratungsunternehmen pflegen können.

I find when talking to the ExCo of a company for the first time, rather than trying to pitch what I do, it is much better to first listen to what they need. You should already have an idea of this from your research prior to the meeting, but often their pain points are not as obvious from their website, reports, and marketing material. Only then do I talk about what I may be able to bring to the table to support their growth. Sometimes I need to accept that I'm not the right person, but will then make sure to make introductions to people in my network that may be.

Relationships are not built in a day. It is a sustained process of providing honest and insightful service. Be transparent and call spade a spade, don't sugar-coat issues but clearly outline the solution. Your stakeholders should understand the pros and cons and then accept your direction. Work is collaborative and one should aim at achieving that level of trust to ensure continuity in relationships.

Establishing yourself as a trusted advisor is key here. Admit upfront what is outside your skillset, so that you can deliver within their expectations. If you have been asked to deliver a specific project, make sure you understand exactly what they are looking for, prepare an outline and share it, and only then do the deep dive. There is nothing worse for a client (or for a consultant) to have done huge swathes of work, when it is not at all what the client needs.

Cultivating lasting connections with top executives requires a strategic approach based on three pillars: relevance, impact creation, and consistency 1. Relevance: Address their evolving business needs effectively by offering tailored solutions that align with their goals. 2. Impact Creation: As a consultant, your role extends beyond mere agreement to actively challenging and refining their approaches. Pressure test their strategies, tactics and offer viable alternatives to help executives make impactful decisions that benefit the business. 3. Consistency: Build trust by aligning with their values, mode of operation, communication styles, and maintain consistency in your interactions to uphold credibility over time

Despite being a consultant, your value comes from actually caring about a company's success. Make sure to do what has been asked of you, but you don't need to stay purely in your lane. If you see other pain points and you can help, or you know others that can provide a solution, make an introduction. A senior stakeholder is always more likely to call you back if they know you care about the company's success, and aren't just there purely to collect a paycheque.