Knowledge

Getting the Best Value for your Consulting Money

The man to his wife: “Darling, we had a great time last year vacationing together. I’d like to do it again. So I am going to organise a beauty contest with a few women in the neighbourhood to select the one that will accompany me this time. I don’t exclude to select you, sweethaert, but you’ll have to convince me about your added value compared to your competitors. But don’t worry, if I don’t pick you this time, you still have your chances next summer.” 

To some men this could seem a dream scenario, but I am not sure the wife you feel the same way, nor actually any woman with basic self-esteem. So eventually, the man may end up vacationing alone or in the company of women with lower self-esteem, which may not be the most interesting option.

This is simply not the way relationships work. It may well work if you want to buy a car or an airplane ticket, but when it comes to buidling a meaningful relationship, other rules apply. Many men like to keep their options open and be free, I know, I have been there, but, hey, let’s face it, this is not how we build strong relationships, is it? Like grandma used to tell, there must be some commitment at some point if you want to make it work, like a long-term vision (whether long-term means three months or 50 years is another question).

Some clients apparently believe they will be better served by their counselors if they keep their options open, organise a beauty contest for each assignment, constantly put competition pressure, and never commit for the long-term. They are unable or unwilling to switch to the relationship mode with their counselors. And they believe they are better off. There are not. They are actually losing a lot. How do you think your counselor will feel and perform if every six months you ask him to respond to a request for proposals and so put the relationship into question? Do you really believe that this is the way to create commitment, loyalty, enthusiasm, cost-effectiveness and therefore improved performance? How does it feel when YOU are treated that way? 

The morale of the story is clear: if you want loyal, value-adding, creative, cost-efficient advisors and counselors, do not treat them like the commoditised wife in the story. Make an explicit COMMITMENT and INVEST in the relationship with them. This is how you are really going to get best value for you money.

Antoine Henry de Frahan | 19 November 2006 |