How can Management Consultants maintain focus and productivity during uncertainty?

The High Ground is a military strategy to gaining control over the surrounding lands, and thus the Intellectual High Ground suggests an approach to gaining some control over other matters, e.g. uncertainty. Uncertainty pervades all business matters, and using the resources of a firm to identify sources of uncertainty for clients, is an effective business strategy for a management consulting firm. Strategic efficiency could then be attained by focusing either on a type of risk, a risk affecting a particular activity of an organisation, e.g. the risks affecting procurement, or the risks affecting a particular sector. The by product is that increased awareness of risk within a firm, helps the firm plan for its own risks.

In fact, during uncertainty one should be open to all options rather than having a fixed agenda. Our objective should be to be shaped based on how scenario unfolds. We might face harder times if our agenda lacks flexibility. The ultimate objective should be to make the most & the best under the given situation. Maintaining a low profile during uncertainty would certainly help. One can then wait for the right opportunity and jump on it at the right time. Objectives are for short term hence they can differ in uncertain times.

Trabalhando com consultoria há mais de 20 anos e ajudando mais de 50 empresas de diferentes segmentos, percebo que a definição de metas claras e realistas é a força motriz do aprendizado, que guiará as organizações em períodos de turbulência e incertezas. A partir de metas claras saberemos exatamente o que precisa ser alcançado, quais são as prioridades e relevâncias daquela organização e conseguiremos medir de forma transparente o progresso do alcance do resultado. Importante salientar também que metas claras, e principalmente realistas, trazem motivação e engajamento ao time, coerência nas decisões tomadas e um ambiente de clareza e que reduz a ansiedade e confusões geradas em períodos de incerteza.

The best time during VUCA periods for management consultants is to invest in research, self learning and in planning the next set of goals.

During the uncertainty, there two things that should be considered by top leaders: (1)- stabilize people's emotion and (2) - Shaping people's mind to challenge the possible solutions through learning & engaging.

Il faut « sanctuariser » des temps de réflexion, s’isoler dans un endroit calme qui nous convient, coupé de toutes interférences technologiques. À côté de cela, il faut « aérer » son esprit en développant parallèlement une aptitude personnelle, qu’elle soit sportive ou artistique.

The Power of Collaboration Platforms Physical meetings have their place, but they can also be time-consuming and hard to schedule. This is where collaboration platforms come into play where teams can collaborate in real time, regardless of their physical location. The advantages are: - Flexibility: Team members can engage with tasks and discussions on their own time. - Efficiency: Rather than waiting for a scheduled meeting to discuss progress or roadblocks, team members can raise and address issues via the platform. - Documented Discussions: Discussions on these platforms are documented and searchable, making it easier to revisit decisions. - Integration: These platforms integrate with other tools application thus streamlining processes.

If you have a bit of work downtime, help others. Volunteer to help a high schooler with homework, read to kids at the library, walk dogs for the pet shelters, grocery shop for an elderly neighbor…..

Managing time and energy sometimes feels like herding cats – you have a plan, but those mischievous feline distractions (or unexpected tasks) keep popping up. It’s like trying to stick to a schedule while dodging surprise ninja kittens! And energy management? Well, it’s a bit like charging a phone – you start the day at 100%, but after dealing with a demanding client or navigating a complex problem, you find yourself desperately searching for the energy charger, only to realize it’s labeled “coffee”! In this chaotic yet comical world of time and energy management, embracing the unexpected quirks and finding humor in the process can be the secret sauce to staying sane and productive.

Open and transparent communication is key during uncertain times. Foster collaboration within the consulting team and with clients. AI-powered communication tools can facilitate seamless interactions, ensuring everyone is on the same page, leading to more effective problem-solving and decision-making.

People under estimate the importance of communication. In times of uncertainty the need is even greater. Little and often communication is needed to maintain trust and show the ability to listen to concerns at the same time. As people gain confidence you can scale back, but taking the time to communicate at the peak of any business change is absolutely essential

I would point out to getting back to the basic and essential 4Cs to effective communication, that are: 1. Clear 2. Concise 3. Complete 4. Consistent. In an era of increased uncertainty, I believe most leaders and managers would agree that the above are even more essential now than ever. Especially about clarity. Being clear with the client and making sure client's needs and expectations are entirely understood by the team and reconfirmed by the client's decision maker. Those are totally very important to achieve very early and upfront, even before rushing forward with the subsequent consulting processes, no matter pressing is the timeline.

Communication is critical but more critical is to identify the relevant stakeholders for communication and collaboration. I love the Amazon analogy of 2-pizza teams. If the project team can be divided into 2-pizza team chunks, then it can keep line of communication focussed and meaningful. *2- pizza team concept is that project team should consist of number of people you can feed with 2 large pizzas at a time.

When faced with uncertainty, the only way to overcome issues and find the path to deliver is communication. Setting touch points, creating a dependency map, blockers and needs, will help shaping a solution for the future. Nothing like asking questions and getting answers and support, to better identify common goals, targets and solutions for the future.

Part of learning is always through chance and circumstance, however, wherever possible leaders should promote growth through a culture of learning. Even in nature, growth is only through the new day's sun and rain! As leaders of nature's dominant species, we should be less passive, and actively promote a working culture that creates, captures, and couples learnings. That culture starts with recruiting people whose characters are to cooperate, communicate, and can conceive of ideas - that lead to growth and development. In conclusion, we have a 7C framework for Active Learning and Growth: Create: Capture: Couple: Character; Cooperate; Communicate; Conceive.

Consulting problem statements are never repeated, are almost never even similar to each other. Each client is different, their business is different, their problems are different. Learning comes with every new case, and it's not learning on the job, it is learning from the ecosystem - client, their employees, your consulting colleagues, your project leaders, subject matter experts and also most importantly new text/ books/ articles and subjects one has to absorb. Learning is the only constant for growth as a consultant.

This is the time for learners. The amount of change is staggering. Without the SPEED LEARNING skills, you will not survive this decade. It’s not SPEED READING anymore, but speed learning. As Alvin Toffler says “The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Now go learn how to learn!

As management consultants, finding time for professional development amidst project commitments can be challenging. Below are some approach I have adopted: - Integrate Learning into Daily Workflow: Learn with your task needs, so that the learning is applicable immediately. - Leverage Online Learning Platforms: Going for physical class consume time and some of the content, we might be already familiar, thus an elearning format is best, allowing flexibility in the learning schedule and choice of content. - Join Professional Networks: Interacting with others helps to be updated on challenges faced.

Uncertainty can refer to an almost irrational fear of the unknown, to a particular or sequence of events. In order to be resilient and flexible, we must attain an adaptable state. In nature, it is not the solid oak that is the most resilient during a sudden gail, rather, its the reed that flexes and adapts to the wind. Similarly, consultancy firm would want first to institute its own organisational adaptability to uncertaintly, remove its own irrational fear, and second, productise that adaptability as billable services to its clients. Therein, consultants arrive with conviction at their clients, ready to evangelise and deliver uncertainty adaptability training, having learnt and embraced it during their own daily work.

Adapting to uncertainty is far from comfort zone of people and hence, the answer seems straightforward but requires a lot of dedication to implement. We must understand that our clients are also in similar situation so my biggest advice is to invest in client relationships and stay very close and in contact to support our clients. Management consultants can maintain focus and productivity during uncertainty by establishing a structured daily routine to provide stability and by regularly reassessing priorities to adapt to changing circumstances swiftly. Additionally, fostering strong communication within the team and with clients helps ensure alignment and quick responses to emerging challenges.

There is only one thing that is certain and this is that there is always going to be uncertainty. For there is always going to be accelerating change. One should accept this fact as a first step. Resilience and controlled optimism are the required qualities one has to develop.

Be quietly self -assured Sleep well. Read widely. Spend time with friends who’ll support you. Spend time with friends who’ll challenge you. Step back. Look forward. Prepare every report and presentation well in advance. Then let it rest and rewrite it. Don’t be smart, be humble. Respect your client - he needs your help, not your condescension. Sleep well.

As a consultant sometimes you feel like it is your job to know everything. This is misguided (nobody can know everything) and is bad for your mental health. Given that you don't know everything, maintain communication with stakeholders and your team, continually revisit assumptions and revalidate the next items on the plan. This is your early warning system. Don't be without this. Be humble and get input from everyone. Issues are easier to solve when you find them early and they are small. Issues typically never get smaller with time.

This is a counterintuitive response but anyone who has done serious consulting knows that uncertainty is a good consultant's best friend. It creates new opportunities for consultants because in uncertain times, clients need someone who can bring clarity. Consultants are the masters of this game. Yes, client budgets get reduced during uncertain times but there is always money on the table for relevant advice and execution. Consultants tap into this budget by: 1. Staying close to their clients and keeping their trust 2. Continuously scanning the environment for what's coming next and what this might mean for their clients 3. Being super agile in coming up with new and relevant offerings

It is critical to have a clear understanding of “impact”. A case team must have clarity on what impact they are looking to achieve at the end of 6 weeks or 8 weeks. A 80 page deck does not = impact !!

It’s essential to cultivate a supportive network both within and between organisations. This hinges upon fostering open communication, mutual respect, and collaboration. Establishing shared goals and values can align efforts and deepen connections. Emphasizing teamwork and celebrating collective achievements reinforces a sense of community and belonging. Regularly engaging in joint initiatives can strengthen relationships and promote knowledge exchange. Recognising and valuing diverse perspectives enhances creativity and problem-solving. Together, we create an environment where every voice is heard, every contribution valued, and united, we pave the way for groundbreaking achievements and enduring partnerships.

Actually times of uncertainty are terrific opportunities to develop both short and long term pipeline. Typically clients also have uncertainty and while that may reduce discretionary spending in the short run, it also focuses their mind on short term fixes and long term options and changes and therefore investing in and being open minded in a lot of conversations is a good strategy to understand and cater to those needs

Basically, the work of management consultants is to create value based on asking detailed questions and providing context for the answers, not producing rusty reports and beautiful and eye-catching charts. One of the examples of this kind of work is guiding the managers in the direction of the main values and goals of the business, which is actually negating the marginal issues and guiding the managers to move towards the realization of the big goals.