Before we see what the key attributes of a good consultant are, it is important to know what is involved in a consulting job.
First and foremost, the consultant has to interact with the individuals or a group of individuals representing the customer. This interaction will result in the consultant understanding the nuances of the customer’s business. Often, these are either the business owners or the key decision makers.
What role does the consultant play here? The consultant’s role is to give the persons involved, guidance on business strategy, or new ways of doing the same tasks; which leads to some improvement in either one or more business parameters for the company. It could be the company’s operations, company’s image in the market, its product quality or its service quality.
In order to be highly effective in this role, consultant must possess following attributes:
- Ability to strike a rapport with the customer
- Relationship building and people skills
- Being a good listener
- Being truthful
- Projecting a winning image
- Building customer trust
- Projecting an image that matches the company’s image
- Business etiquette and social etiquette
- Developing a unique personal style
- Being knowledgeable
