For a consultant, it can be almost impossible to sell a solution to a strategic issue to a client focused only on specific tactical issues. If your client is not ready to look at the systemic issues straight in their face, you will have to give her/him time to mature. Hopefully, they will realize the problem before it’s too late.
As a consultant, I learned never to attempt to solve a problem a client is unaware of or doesn’t want to admit.
In my professional experience, I learned that trying to “educate” a “blind” client focused on a specific issue rather than broader strategic ones is a very risky business for a consultant. It might require a lot of unpaid time and energy to create awareness. In the worst case, it can even backfire, shifting the job to a more complacent consultant.
I still have the scars from a few clients who were really upset with me for pointing out their company and organization’s strategic, deep issues and not buying into their tactical interpretation of the list of symptoms, which, in reality, were simple excuses.
Key Principles of the Golden Rule
- Solve Admitted Problems: Avoid educating a “blind” client on deeper, strategic issues they are not ready to face, as this often leads to conflict.
- Empathy and Trust: Act with integrity by putting yourself in the client’s shoes, prioritizing their needs, and acting as a trusted, honest guide.
- Avoid Fear and Opportunism: Focus on being honest about what you know, even if it is difficult to hear, rather than just telling them what they want to hear.
- Ensure Alignment: Focus on the “picture on the box”, the agreed-upon goal, before diving into technical solutions.
And the final rule that is mandatory before applying the previous ones:
You can say whatever you want, but you can’t always say it the way you want!
The CMO Interview That Taught Me the Golden Rule
I vividly recall an interview I had years ago for the Chief Marketing Officer position at a small but promising company located south of San Francisco. I was not yet a consultant; I was looking for a regular job. At the time, I was rather naive and arrogant. I showed up with an unrequested report analyzing their disorganized pricing strategy across various channels and claiming that it was the most pressing issue to address, as it was undermining both the company’s profitability and the perceived value of their excellent products.
The executive who interviewed me appeared quite unsettled by my findings and my confidence. Instead of engaging further on that subject, he shifted the conversation to a topic more comfortable for him, asking me to demonstrate live on the projected screen how to create a pivot table in Excel. A test usually reserved for more junior positions. Being a spreadsheet fan, I completed the task flawlessly while he nervously browsed my pricing strategy report.
After the interview, I never heard back from them again. And I learned my lesson.
Bonus Rules for Consultants
Beyond client empathy, several other rules are considered “golden” for a successful career as a consultant:
- The Rule of Three
- When presenting arguments or solutions, limit yourself to the three most important reasons to maintain focus and impact.
- The “Silence” Rule
- Only speak if it “improves the silence”, meaning every contribution should add clear value rather than just filling space.
- Single-Message Slides
- Every slide in a presentation should convey exactly one core message supported by data.
