A lot of the management consulting experts might actually be novices. In fact, even a number of experience ones, struggle at first when they encounter a totally new project. There is nothing unusual about this, due to the sheer diversity of the tasks at hand. As a result, consultants need to quickly imbibe as much knowledge about their new client and the client’s broader industry, while maintaining an outward image of being an expert. To do this, consultants need to be clear that their work is like a performance, not too dissimilar to theatre. They encounter three major kinds of threats at their work. These are competency, acceptance and productivity threats. Some common tactics have been adopted by consultants universally to face up to such threats. For a start, one needs to craft relevance so that they seem competent while actually learning on the job. Resonance is crafted by recycling insider knowledge. Knowledge objects meanwhile, may be created by crafting substance. Similar kinds of learning- credibility tensions also exist in some other work profiles, but one needs to find the right balance to mask the flaws, while not disturbing productivity.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/07/how-consultants-project-expertise-and-learn-at-the-same-time

Uploaded Date:16 August 2019