It can often be difficult as a management consultant. Most of the time, the reason you are hired in the first place is because things are not running how they should and a lot of pressure is placed on you, the consultant, to fix everything. It is very important that, from the onset, you discuss with the team that hired you, exactly what they expect to accomplish with your services. Establish whether they need a more structured work environment, custom processes created for a unique task, or just general project management skills.

Whatever the case, it will allow you to operate more efficiently if you as a management consultant know exactly what the end result is expected to be. Often times, consultants will work hard to come up with a plan of action, only to find that the action items do not line up with the overall goals of the company. Not only is this a waste of your valuable resources, it is a waste of your client’s time as well, and you might not get a second chance to prove your worth to them.