Life As a Consultant Behind The Curtain And Onstage

Being a consultant is an exciting and challenging profession that requires extensive knowledge, versatility, and excellent communication skills. It is a role that involves working behind the scenes to provide expert advice, support, and solutions to individuals, organizations, and businesses. However, being a consultant also involves stepping out from behind the curtain and taking the stage to present ideas, strategies, and recommendations to clients and stakeholders.

Behind the curtain, a consultant's work is characterized by research, analysis, and problem-solving. They spend countless hours diving deep into data, conducting interviews, observing processes, and studying market trends. Their goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current situation and identify areas for improvement. Armed with this knowledge, consultants then develop strategies, recommend solutions, and create plans tailored to the specific needs of their clients.

Behind the scenes, a consultant acts as a trusted advisor, providing guidance to their clients and helping them navigate through complex issues. They offer an outsider's perspective, bringing fresh ideas and alternative viewpoints to the table. They serve as a sounding board for their clients, listening attentively to their concerns and goals, and then offering expert advice and recommendations.

Life as a consultant – behind the curtain and onstage

by Hinrich Steffen (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3627 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	221 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Hardcover	:	215 pages
Item Weight	:	1.18 pounds
Dimensions	:	6.61 x 9.45 inches

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However, being a consultant is not only about hiding behind the curtain. It also involves stepping out onto the stage and showcasing expertise, knowledge, and professionalism. Consultants often find themselves in high-pressure situations, where they need to present their findings, recommendations, and strategies to clients and stakeholders. This is where their excellent communication skills and ability to captivate an audience come into play.

When consultants step onto the stage, they become the face of their work. They must confidently and convincingly present their ideas to clients, demonstrating the value and impact of their recommendations. This requires strong presentation skills, including the ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. Consultants need to be persuasive, using facts, data, and compelling narratives to engage their audience and gain their buy-in.

Consultants constantly strive to strike a balance between working behind the scenes to gather information and devise strategies, and stepping out onto the stage to present their findings and recommendations. This duality is what makes the life of a consultant so dynamic and fulfilling.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a consultant is witnessing the positive impact that their work can have on individuals and organizations. By providing expert advice and support, consultants help their clients overcome challenges, improve processes, and achieve their goals. They become change agents, driving transformation and growth.

Consultants often have the privilege of working with a variety of clients across different industries and sectors. This diversity allows them to constantly learn and broaden their knowledge base. Each project presents a new set of challenges and opportunities, keeping consultants engaged and motivated. It's a profession that demands continuous learning and adaptability.

Despite the many advantages of being a consultant, there are also challenges to overcome. The nature of consultancy work can be demanding, with tight deadlines, long hours, and high expectations. Consultants need to be prepared to handle ambiguity and navigate through complex and ever-changing environments. They must possess a strong work ethic, perseverance, and the ability to think critically and make decisions under pressure.

In , life as a consultant is a unique blend of working behind the curtain and stepping onto the stage. It requires a combination of research, analysis, problem-solving, and excellent communication skills. The ability to gather information, devise strategies, and develop expert recommendations is essential, as is the confidence and skill to present these findings to clients and stakeholders. Despite the challenges, being a consultant offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on individuals and organizations, constantly learn and grow, and thrive in a dynamic and ever-changing professional environment.

Life as a consultant – behind the curtain and onstage

by Hinrich Steffen (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3627 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	221 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Hardcover	:	215 pages
Item Weight	:	1.18 pounds
Dimensions	:	6.61 x 9.45 inches

FREE

There are great stories to tell about life as such ... But why write a book about life as a consultant? (Or read it, for that matter.) Well, the sheer market size of consulting exceeds the worldwide sales of Audi, BMW, Daimler Benz, and Porsche together, car brands very much liked by consultants. This alone makes the business something to wonder about. I think, it is a worthwhile attempt to rip away some of the fog and mystery still surrounding consulting as a global service industry, accounting for hundreds of billions of Euros in revenues.

But there are obvious questions to be answered like: What kind of people works in this business? How do they do what they do? Can consulting be studied? What services are delivered, and what benefits can be pinpointed? Who are the clients spending that amount of money? What has changed over the past decades? How does the inside world of consulting look? What is the role and influence of consulting in macroeconomics, ethics, and science?

This book is written from a very personal point of view. It reflects more than 30 years of experience in the business, nationally as well as internationally (but having a German bias). It deals with multinational, small and medium sized companies as well as with government agencies, with managers and entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries. I will try to give some understanding of what makes consultants tick. That might be helpful for clients not having had the experience of working with consultants yet. It may also give background information to young people interested in getting on this, without any doubt, very interesting and challenging carousel. It will be valuable for confirming experiences of other senior consultants. It might be good for people who just want to learn a little more about this type of business and even for people who want to support their existing (very often negative) opinions about consulting with facts.

The book deals with all relevant fields of management consultancy including market research. A number of info-boxes deliver useful background on several issues in condensed form (text and graph).

And now there is one book more dealing with consulting in the armada of books, articles, blogs and commentaries that, one should think, are already being spread around the world. Well, this armada equals more the small number of ships that escaped the English fleet and the stormy and dangerous seas. In a web blog I read: “this post is for an MBA Blogger who wanted to know what life is like as a consultant. I couldn't recommend a book to him, so this is my version of consulting life …”.

The book is in business English (different aspiration than expected from English or American literature), as it is fair to give a much broader audience (at least far more than a million consultants worldwide) the opportunity of reading it. It is the language used, understood and accepted in nearly every international project as far as I have been involved.

The book is inviting to explore the consulting scenery: behind the curtain and onstage.