Hope you’re enjoying the summer – full of beaches, lakes, friends, and food. As consultants, it’s often hard to stay “aware” and “fresh”. In reality, the travel and the clients can be a bear. Same hotel concierge lounge, same salmon with capers, same client parking lot. They say that consulting gives your 3x the experience, and well, sometimes, you feel like you are growing old at 3x the rate. Professionalism is a big GMAT word, that honestly, is hard to live out.
I hear you.
Been blogging for 10+ years, and the hands-down, most common writing topic is professionalism. Why? It’s what makes us valuable, proud of our work, motivates us to be better managers, and forces us to eat our own dog food.
Wisdom is taking your own advice – Sam Harris
Dude, is that the truth or what.
A couple of thoughts to help power you through these summer months. NB: This is all great wisdom that I am struggle with daily too.
- Good is predictable, great varies: once you have the basics (read: manager), time to specialize. Be a better you. Be a mini-expert. Cannot FOMO your way to success. Strategy = creating a unique set of self-reinforcing activities that creates an economic moat. No two castles are the same.
- There is no substitute for work: So true. Doesn’t it seem like we are all just getting lazier every year. Not a good sign. Gotta ask ourselves, did I have a $10,000 day? Am I creating massive value for my clients?
- Deliberate practice, not random busy-ness. More is not better. Better is better.
- Don’t over-manage your career: There are times when you should be thoughtful, wound-up, and OCD about your career. However, that’s probably 3% of the time. . . not all day, every day. That will drive you crazy. Chill out, invest in people, get better at your craft, stop keeping score, and do the work.
- Be like John Stockton: Make other people successful. BOOM.
- Begin with the end in mind: Steven Covey passed away 6 years ago this week, right around the time I was starting this blog. Time flies my friend. Begin with the end in mind.
What’s the advice you give junior consultants, that you yourself, try / struggle / fail to implement in your own professional life? Come-on, don’t be shy. . . .
Adding new comments from the community:
- When with clients, how much time did 1) YOU spend talking vs. 2) CLIENT spend talking. In relationships, 2 is always greater than 1 (hat tip: BR)
- My two guiding principles: 1) Be the wizard behind the curtain (similar to “make other people successful”), and 2) ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WORD, do whatever it takes. Both of these contribute to a sterling reputation, referrals and repeat business. (hat tip: LS)
- Consistency. When you say “good is predictable, great varies”, I would add “great = good + time”. I see people getting big applause for one good shot, but I focus on the colleagues who deliver high quality over a long period of time. I like people who go the extra mile, who sit down and make an already existing, good slide just beautiful. (hat tip: BD)
My two guiding principles: 1) Be the wizard behind the curtain (similar to “make other people successful”), and 2) ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WORD, do whatever it takes. Both of these contribute to a sterling reputation, referrals and repeat business. 🙂
Awesome, adding into the post.
As it the time of the year starts, where career decisions are prepared, I exactly tell them “Don’t over-manage your career”. It really drives young folks crazy and they follow absolutely stupid tips to jump to the next level at any cost.
The second thing is consistency. When you say “good is predictable, great varies”, I would add “great = good + time”. I see people getting big applause for one good shot, but I focus on the colleagues who deliver high quality over a long period of time. I like people who go the extra mile, who sit down and make an already existing, good slide just beautiful. It is easy to promote people with high visibility – the job of a good team lead is to promote the people with high consistency in quality!
Love the second point. Totally deep. Really challenging the way I think about great. Great = good + time. Deep.