Video Case Assignment 2/29/2021 6pm
Edward1111
Skill of the Consultant
and
Project Proposals
Appreciate the skills effective management consultants bring to the job
and in particular recognizes:
project management skills necessary to keep project on schedule and
on budget;
analysis skills needed to understand the client business; identify the
opportunities it faces and develop strategies to exploit them;
relationship-building skills needed to relate ideas to positively influence
decision makers and to make the project happen in real organizations.
Understand the selling process of a consulting project.
Recognize the key elements of the project proposal and how they may
be articulated in order to have an impact and to influence the recipient.
Overview
The consultant is often an outsider who brings benefits in having an outside
perspective; however, in order to succeed, they need to build relationships.
The consultant must develop
an ability to manage the consulting exercise as a formal project
an ability to manage the analytical skills necessary to gain an
understanding of the client business and the possibilities it faces
an ability to communicate ideas and positively influence others
The “Consultant”
Consultant
Client
A consulting project is a self-contained one.
Essential skills are the ability to define objectives, develop
formal plans and be able to sequence and prioritize tasks.
Important skills needed are the ability to manage finances,
recognize the expertise needed and manage one’s own
time.
Project Management Skills
Analysis skills
Consultants need to add some new insights through existing
information and using their own personal experience.
It is essential a consultants are able to process information and
draw conclusions, recognize the external opportunities and
challenges the business faces and finally assess the business’s
internal condition.
Identifying what information is available and what is needed,
assessing the business’s financial situation, evaluating the
business’s markets and analyzing the firm’s decision-making
processes.
Organizational Life Cycle
Embryonic Growth Shakeout Maturity Decline
Audience Early Adopters Mainstream Population Late Adopters Laggards
Market Small Growing Flattening Large Contracting
Sales Low Growing High Flattening Moderate
Competition Low Beginning Moderate High Moderate
Relationship-Building Skills
Getting ideas implemented from a consulting project relies on
relationship-building skills.
Essential ones are building rapport and trust with the client,
communicating ideas effectively and negotiating objectives
and outcomes.
Important skills are effective questioning, working
effectively as a team and demonstrating leadership.
The Consulting Selling Process
Identify potential targets.
Decide on the product offering
Conduct a competitive review
Promote your consulting services
Follow up resulting sales enquiries
Meet potential clients and discuss requirements
Prepare a project proposal
The Function of the Project Proposal
The proposal is designed to highlight the work that will be
undertaken and forms the basis of the commitment and
expectations from the client.
There is a balance between what is realistic and what the client
would like in an ideal world. Promising too much is as bad as
promising too little.
Early on the consultant has to understand the client’s needs and
expectations.
The Project Proposal
This should be a clear, well-structured business document
of as short a length as possible to provide the main ideas.
It should include at a minimum….
• title and executive summary
• the client’s requirements
• your team’s approach
• activity and time plan
• key personnel
• summary of relevant experience
• costings
Intuition
Data
Managing • Team
• Client
• Self
Analyzing • Framing
• Designing
• Gathering
• Interpreting
Presenting • Structure
• Buy-in
Problem Solution
McKinsey Model