According to Wikipedia the definition of a consultant is: [A consultant is] usually an expert or a professional in a specific field and has a wide knowledge of the subject matter.
By that definition, my doctor, my plumber, my electrician, the guy at the Home Depot store that helps me all the time, my boss, my priest, my physical trainer, my wife and the guy, at work, that tells me that Denver Broncos are going to win Super Bowl this year, are all consultants.
I have another consultant in my life. Our son, the 10 month old, holds an expertise in being a 10 month old and does possess a wide knowledge in the field of being one.
So, how is it that I have so many consultants around me? Well, we all do. Think about it.
Anyone that we seek advice from, giving them the status of being an expert, becomes, by definition, a consultant for us.
Examples:
- Doctor: Health and/ or Wellness Consultant
- Plumber: House Plumbing Consultant
- Home Depot Store Person: Tools and Parts Consultant
- Physical Trainer: Fitness Consultant
- Wife: How-to-be-a-better-person-overall Consultant
- Priest: Faith/ Religion Consultant
- Guy-at-work: Football-team-to-follow Consultant
Consulting, globally, has taken the form of one of the most sought after professions in the world. The Harvard Business Review printed an article that suggested that a large number of its graduates want to get into consulting.
By the time they finish college, many top U.S. students answer, “A consultant.” At Harvard, according to its student newspaper, the Crimson, 16% of those in the undergraduate class of 2013 who had accepted job offers by graduation were bound for the consulting industry—putting it ahead of finance (15%) and technology (13%) as the most popular career choice. If you work for a consultancy’s client, you may soon see some fresh faces camping out in a conference room just down the hall. - Harvard Business Review
A variance is getting advice even when we don't ask for it. The driving thought behind this unsolicited advice: Quite simple. The expertise is still there, why not share it without being asked?
The thing with expertise is without results to support it, all of it is very theoretical. The only way that any consultant can really earn their pay or respect is if they have proved their expertise. Any advice, once followed, bearing positive results leads to the consultant's proverbial stocks going up. Trust will be earned only if true and tangible value-add is proven.
Let's just say that unlike the way I listen to my son, and the Home Depot guy, my wife and my trainer, I will only give credence to the guy at work if the Denver Broncos do win the Super Bowl this year!
Do you use consultants in your daily lives? What help do you usually seek from the experts?
Image: Flickr (ExitBusiness)
No comments:
Post a Comment