Chapter 4
Evolving into the Role of Consultant
Throughout life, people face big decisions that are outside their usual realm of expertise—how to pay for their kids' schooling, where to buy a house, which medical procedure is best for addressing a health concern. At those times, many of us reach out to someone with more knowledge than we have, whether it's a financial planner, a Realtor, or a doctor.
Think of the qualities you look for in the person you ultimately want to engage with: Expertise, certainly, but you might also want someone who really listens, who takes the time to understand your desires, concerns, and goals who can explain things in a way you understand and whom you can trust to have your best interests in mind.
What you're looking for is a consultant, someone with whom you can enter into a partnership that allows you to enrich your own perspective with his experience. It would be foolish to try to embark on really complex and important decisions or projects without the help of such a person.
My 25 years of experience in consulting with and for organizations has shown that unfortunately, that's not what happens in corporate America every day when the time comes to make important technology investments. When business departments embark on new strategies or seek better ways of doing their jobs, they almost always require technology expertise to reach those goals. But to whom do they turn for that expertise? Time and time again, across every industry I've consulted ...
