like many of us I am working harder, putting in more hours, taking more risks, earning less money, and on many ocassions achieving very little job satisfaction .... times are tough and getting tougher. And like everyone else I am constantly trying to improve my marketability and my prospects in this economy.
I bumped into Jason at the market on Sunday ... he was having coffee and eating a doughnut by the side of the road, dressed in his bikie uniform. He told me that he too had a slow start to the year, but things were steadying now. It was interesting that our observations aligned ..... businesses are not shutting the doors, but they are looking for value, and they are starting to discriminate between potential providers. Jason felt that the "economic crisis" might actually see quite a few companies going our of business ... but like 2001 and the internet bubble burst these organisations perhaps were simply riding a wave and were not really creating and delivering value to their customers.
The "thing" which I am most keenly focussed upon these days is creating value in my new venture First100Days (http://www.100days.com.au). As I go about the business of building this new enterprise I talk to a lot of people, and I have noticed that a "new" form of consulting business emerged over the past few years, one where the business was mostly focussed upon sourcing experience through independent contractors and the firm made little to no investment in intellectual property or even the infrastructure necessary to run a consulting business. These businesses call themselves Consultants, but in fact are mere shells which find contractors and send resumes to potential customers. Any profit is re-invested not in methods, procedures, training, or intellectual property. Profit from these endeavours goes into the recruiting process and towards polo ponies for the principals.
A consulting business, by contrast, invests in the creation of intellectual property which increases the value being delivered to the customer. Investments will go to methods, tools, training and resources which are focussed on improving the customers business.
This is true for the one-person firm, and it is true for the 100 person professional consulting practice. For the independent operator it is critically important to see oneself as a consultant and to do whatever it takes to create the intellectual property which will set you apart from the competition of run-of-the-mill contractors.
For the customer, it is just as critical to ensure that they are getting real value .... expenditure in these times is being scrutinised more closely. Business is about getting results, and you don't want to be paying contract rates for individuals who are not bringing something more to the table.
Good customers create great environments where significant outcomes can be achieved .... consultants need terrific customers, just as much as businesses need great consultants.
focus on what's important
Darryl Carlton
info@100days.com.au
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