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Working with an IT Consulting Firm-Selecting the Right Partner

This is the first in a series of posts on effectively selecting, working with, and wrapping up an engagement with an IT consulting firm. While I’ll reference Intertech in some examples, this is not an advertisement… I promise.

When selecting a partner, use the following questions and ideas to choose the best fit:

How long has the firm been around? Look for a long-term proven track record demonstrated by high customer satisfaction and repeat clients.

How does the firm hire? A stringent hiring process ensures better talent. We have eight discrete steps in our interview process and hire one out of 20 candidates who apply for a position.

How does the firm ensure expertise? Look for consultants with a long work history, re-engagement with clients over time, and formal training and certifications.

Proof of expertise. If the group has expertise in the area(s) where you need help, do they blog, offer whitepapers, webinars, or have other public proof of their expertise?

How will the firm leave your team? Your internal team, through training, mentoring, and improved processes and procedures should be technically stronger at the end of the engagement than at the start.

How quickly can they spin up on your business domain? It’s common that the firm will not know your internal systems and domain (because they’re outside consultants). So, ask for examples of how they’ve worked with similar organizations.

Is the consultant or team working on your project full-time employees, sub-contractors, or a mix? Full-time employees who’ve been with the consulting firm for a while will be more consistent and representative of what the firm’s delivered in the past. In larger project teams, it’s common that the team will be a mix with the leadership and key technical positions provided by the firm’s full-time staff.

Meet the specific consultants for your engagement. Avoid bait-and-switch. Don’t get sold by a senior consultant only to have the work done by a junior consultant.

Remember you’re paying for work from the neck up. Cheap is good if you’re looking for someone to rake your lawn. Research shows us in software development the productivity of a top performer is 10X more productive than a bottom performer.

Up next… how to setup an engagement for success

Lessons I’d Wish I’d Known: Unsung Skills for Keeping a Business on Track

ExecBlueprints My thanks to Aspatore Books and my co-authors Marissa Levin, Founder and CEO of Successful Culture, and Joseph Hoffman, CEO of United Commercial Travelers , for publishing the short book “Lessons I Wish I’d Known: Unsung Skills for Keeping a Business on Track.”

The book is available now on Books24x7.

Increasing Productivity and Profits with Employee Engagement

What if you could increase productivity, decrease absenteeism, and outperform your competitive set by over 2X? Not only is it possible, it’s proven! In this session that I delivered at the Entrepreneur Organization’s Thrive event, I share practical, actionable ways to increase employee engagement from building trust with co-workers to helping employees feel valued and understand how they fit in the big picture.

Trick or Treat! The Leadership Lucky 13

With the leaves changing and my kids asking to try out their costumes, it can only mean Halloween is just a short few weeks away. Whether or not you’re not superstitious, here’s my Leadership Lucky 13:

Think and act positively. Earle Nightingale said we become what we think about.
Match words and actions.
Plan goals. “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road can take you there.” –Lewis Carroll
Insist on results. I remember an Intertech board meeting where I was going through a litany of accomplished “to-do’s” for the past quarter. A board member stopped me and said, “I don’t care what you do. I care what you delivered.”
Solve problems. I’ve not seen a dedicated course on solving problems. The closest I’ve seen is in a Dale Carnegie leadership course where a section was focused on a problem statement… “In what ways can I solve [enter problem here]”, sort worst to first, then get going on execution.
Delegate. I used to take pride in arriving early, staying late, and doing it myself. Now I realize delegation is a key part of leadership. As Tina Fey said, the job of a good leader is hiring the right people and getting out of their way.
Give away credit. Jim Collins stated “Leaders look out a window when there’s problems and in a mirror when there’s success.”
Correct, correctly. In private. With clear examples and not sandwiched between praise.
Care. In Rudolph Giuliani’s book on leadership he shares “Weddings are optional. Funerals are mandatory.” I’ve rescheduled sales calls, business meetings, and vacations to be available or present for those going through a rough patch.
Accept the importance of communication. When in doubt, over communicate. You can’t hold someone accountable for something you’ve never communicated.
Give meaningful feedback. “You did a good job” isn’t impactful. Meaningful feedback is specific and shares what it means to you specifically.
Tell the truth. My dad told me, “Tom, you’re not smart enough to remember two stories. Tell the truth.” It also makes life a lot simpler.
Listen. I asked a board member for the one piece advice to follow in business and life, he paused and said, “Seek first to understand… things aren’t always what you think.”

Tip a hat or raise a glass… here’s to The Lucky 13.

Increasing Productivity and Profits with Employee Engagement

What if you could increase productivity, decrease absenteeism, and outperform your competitive set by over 2X? Not only is it possible, it’s proven!

I’ll be speaking on employee engagement at the EO Thrive event on Thursday, October 29th. Check out the conference and register here.

In my session, I’ll share practical, actionable ways to increase employee engagement from building trust with co-workers to helping employees feel valued and understand how they fit in the big picture.