By Martin H. Morrissette, Sirocco CMO – Book time with me
The right blend of in-house expertise and external consulting can be a powerful growth driver. You can unlock new possibilities and achieve lasting success by strategically integrating consultants into your team. Yet, to fully benefit, understanding the variety of consultants available – and how to manage each type effectively – can make all the difference in the outcomes you achieve.
Why the right consultant match matters
Selecting a consultant isn’t merely about sourcing skills; it’s about finding a partner who complements your in-house team and fills essential skill gaps. The most successful teams are often those with a diverse makeup, blending internal strengths with targeted external expertise. By creating such a team, you’re not just adding capacity—you’re building resilience and expanding your capabilities to adapt and grow. At Sirocco, we see the power of these strategic partnerships, where an infusion of specialist insight and experience drives innovation and measurable progress, all while reinforcing your team’s core strengths.
Understanding consultant profiles
To make the most of your consultant partnerships, it helps to recognise the unique profiles they bring. Each type offers distinct value, and managing them effectively ensures their contributions align with your organisational goals. The below is a simplified categorisation of course, but I’m curious to know what “profiles” we missed or which one(s) you recognise the most.
The Challenger
Challengers thrive on questioning the status quo, sparking new ways of thinking and re-evaluating existing approaches. While this can be invaluable for transformation projects, their approach needs careful focus to ensure it aligns with your priorities. By setting defined boundaries and tying innovation to actionable outcomes, you can harness their energy to propel meaningful change rather than allowing it to disrupt progress. These consultants work best alongside your strategic planners who can refine their ideas into structured solutions.
The Executor
Executors bring reliability and detail to their work, often thriving with clear instructions and a well-defined scope. Ideal for projects that require precision and consistency, executors can become even more valuable when they see the bigger picture. By helping them understand how their contributions feed into your broader objectives, they are more likely to adopt an adaptive approach that enhances their effectiveness.
The Wanderer
Wanderers are often creative and exploratory, contributing fresh ideas and new perspectives. However, without structure, their work may lack focus. To optimise their impact, provide specific goals and regular check-ins to channel their creativity into strategic areas. Wanderers thrive when paired with steady in-house partners who can help translate their innovation into practical, measurable actions.
The Invisible
These consultants prefer working quietly behind the scenes, often contributing in less visible but crucial ways. They may be dependable but need encouragement to share insights and take initiative. Building their confidence through regular feedback and providing them with opportunities to step forward can reveal untapped potential. Recognising their contributions can transform their role from supportive to impactful.
The Strategist
Strategists are high-level thinkers, invaluable for setting direction and shaping vision. However, they may need support to move from concept to execution. By pairing them with hands-on team members, you ensure that their ideas take form as actionable steps. Strategists are most effective when their insights feed directly into implementation, bridging the gap between thought and action.
The Talker
Talkers often excel at articulating ideas and framing concepts, making them engaging collaborators and effective in meetings or presentations. However, their strength in explaining can sometimes come at the expense of tangible delivery. Projects can stall when discussions overshadow execution, especially when action is urgently needed. To optimise their contribution, ensure that their explanations are tied to clear action items and measurable deliverables. Assigning them specific responsibilities with defined timelines can help strike a balance between their strength in communication and the need for concrete outcomes. Pairing them with task-oriented team members can also ensure that their insights translate into progress.
Beyond categories: The traits and skills of successful consultants
While we’ve outlined some common consultancy profiles you might recognise or come across, the reality of course is every consultant brings their unique blend of traits and skills. Traits such as analytical thinking, adaptability, strong communication, and resilience are often associated with effective consultants, enabling them to navigate complex problems and adapt to varied client needs. Many possess deep project management skills, an ability to interpret data, and solid business acumen, all of which allow them to provide informed, actionable insights. The most successful consultants are those who combine technical expertise with interpersonal skills, tailoring their approach to fit the unique context of each client. Recognising these broader qualities (and understanding how to integrate them into your team’s dynamic) can amplify their contributions and foster a truly collaborative environment.
Optimising your consultant engagements
To ensure your consultants add maximum value, a few foundational strategies can be particularly effective:
- Clearly Define Goals & KPIs: Establishing clear expectations and measurable outcomes is essential. By setting clear metrics for success, you ensure alignment and allow consultants to track their progress meaningfully.
- Assign a Strong Project Leader: A dedicated project leader can be pivotal in facilitating communication, ensuring consistency, and keeping consultants aligned with your broader objectives. This person serves as a bridge, integrating consultant insights into daily operations while maintaining focus on the project’s goals.
- Foster Collaboration and Open Feedback: Building a collaborative environment is key to optimising consultant engagements. Regular feedback sessions encourage knowledge sharing, foster strong working relationships, and ensure consultants remain in sync with in-house team members.
Sirocco’s approach to consulting partnerships
At Sirocco, we offer a distinctive approach to consulting through our insourcing model, seamlessly integrating consultants as members of your team. This approach goes beyond conventional consulting, combining the benefits of a flexible consultancy with the reliability and trust of a long-term partnership. By embedding our specialists within your organisation, we deliver tailored expertise while ensuring the continuity and cultural alignment that drive effective collaboration and lasting results. Understanding the unique strengths of different consultant profiles and applying targeted management strategies can unlock their potential, enhancing your team’s capabilities and driving meaningful outcomes. Sirocco is committed to helping you build strong, strategic partnerships that enable your team to achieve their best. Contact us today to explore how Sirocco’s insourcing model can elevate your team’s expertise and accelerate your organisational goals.
