Introduction

What makes a good consultant, well that really depends on how you would define good wouldn't it?

In the article about "The Lost art of Consulting" the independent consultant as such was declared dead and replaced by a new breed seeking to extend the engagement with the client rather than getting the job done and move on.

This of course is a rude generalisation but never the less is holds some amount of truth. Most people who have worked in the consulting businees will know that the ability to produce billable hours has become the prime mantra.

Psychology is a wierd thing and customers seem to accept the fact that an expensive consultant by defalt also is good. It's the thing about luxury brands that take over here. Just provide some fancy wrapping and you're in business. No matter what the product actually is as long at the bill is large enough, it has to be good. But what does the client really get for all this money? What do you actually bring into the business that justifies the size of the bill?

Let's try and look at from a entirely different angle. Why not putting some good old virtues to work while your supporting a client?

A Look At Virtues (Classic)

There are many definitions of virtues around and in most cases they are generally accepted to be eternal truths. You could start by naming the Cardinal Virtues:

• prudence
• justice
• fortitude
• temperance

• Prudence: Working as a consultant you are probably invited to assist becaus you have a specific skill that is required. This gives you an advantage and you are likely to be able to identify problems and define solutions a long time before the client even has an inkling of what is going on.
  As a consultant you only have to worry about you clients best interests. Applied strictly it may rule out that you produce more billable hours. You do not attempt to stay on until the client has worked the thing out and just keep billing numerous hours without end.
  This is where prudence makes a difference. You use your wisdom to support your client and you help the client to weigh the options at hand and let your client to choose the right one.
• Justice: A simple example: Have you ever worked for a client and found out that you actually needed some more knowledge to perform the task?
  Who did you bill for the additional acquisition skills - your client or your firm? If you billed the client;
  who came up with the idea that the client should pay for your lack of knowledge? Right, your client simply said: 'I hired you for this job because I knew you didn't know a thing about it!".
• Fortitude: There is a slight difference between fortitude and shear stupidity. Suppose a client has hired you to run as sensitive project with strong internal opposition. Fortitude does not imply that you should burst through the organisation like a bulldozer on the loose. Be prudent, be just and be firm.
  Support you client against internal opposition and use your other virtues to succeed.
• Temperance: The obvious here is of course how you calculate the ours you actually work for your client.
  That's probably too easy and most decent people, even consultants, should be able to figure that one out if they try. Temperance may also apply when you interpret the findings of your work and present it to your client. Do not seek to produce sensations at all costs. Sometimes the client may be completely happy to hear that all actually is well.

Why do we need this stuff about virtues when most modern organisations have corporate values? Because you need some values that go beyond your organisation and sets the aim a bit higher that just "always exceed - alway excel" values. Most company values are pretty close to nonsense.

Having worked through the Cardinal Virtues, try these for homework, they are called the Capital Values. Try these for yourself - perhaps you may choose to implement one of them at a company in your neighbourhood:

• humility
• liberality
• brotherly love
• meekness
• chastity
• temperance
• diligence