This must be one of the most blatant and straightforward titles I've ever put forth, but after thinking back and forth and flipping left and right, there doesn't seem to be any other way to present it as what it is up there.
So that's how it is, as plain as it can be: How to Choose a Strategy Consultant.
There are many, many consultants out there. Same way that there are many, many lectuters, mentors and trainers. The education market is a rife one in Singapore and a good number of people I meet are in this sector, or have been in this sector, one way or another.
The question that arises thus is this, how then, does one choose the right mentor? How does one know whether theyre invested in the right mentor, or is the guy simply blowing them off their wallet and their time?
Honestly, offhand, I can't tell you. No one can. Even if you did find someone who has come highly recommended by another, that mentor might be suited for that person, but not for you. Let's just say that it is a risk that one has to take, and it can be a hit and miss sometimes.
What helps, though, would be a general guideline that forms a basic foundation of what a consultant, or a mentor would be. Notwithstanding the presence of qualifications and the absolute necessity of experience, of course. I find experience more critical than qualifications, because practical problems call for practical solutions, and I've discovered that whilst paper qualifications grant the working ideas and the theories and the jargon, it is the first-hand experience that makes the man.
So that's how it is, as plain as it can be: How to Choose a Strategy Consultant.
There are many, many consultants out there. Same way that there are many, many lectuters, mentors and trainers. The education market is a rife one in Singapore and a good number of people I meet are in this sector, or have been in this sector, one way or another.
The question that arises thus is this, how then, does one choose the right mentor? How does one know whether theyre invested in the right mentor, or is the guy simply blowing them off their wallet and their time?
Honestly, offhand, I can't tell you. No one can. Even if you did find someone who has come highly recommended by another, that mentor might be suited for that person, but not for you. Let's just say that it is a risk that one has to take, and it can be a hit and miss sometimes.
What helps, though, would be a general guideline that forms a basic foundation of what a consultant, or a mentor would be. Notwithstanding the presence of qualifications and the absolute necessity of experience, of course. I find experience more critical than qualifications, because practical problems call for practical solutions, and I've discovered that whilst paper qualifications grant the working ideas and the theories and the jargon, it is the first-hand experience that makes the man.
I suppose I could go on and on about how we do it, but that would make this article an elevator pitch longwinded style, and I don't quite like to do that, so I'll just stick a couple of questions here and let them be the guiding points. :)
1. What is the real specialization of the consultant?
2. Has the consultant walked in your shoes, or is at least willing to try?
3. Does the consultant have a solution focused mentality?
4. Are the solutions that the consultant suggests pragmatic ones?
5. Does the consultant prove his ability to adapt?
We formulated these questions about two years back when the consultancy was formed as an offshoot of the animation studio. That was the time when we were pretty convinced that the pure consultancy route was the way to go.
We've pivoted since then, because one of the core beliefs is that a consultant has got to be practical and solution focused, and we realized that handing out theories on a platter over a cup of coffee wasn't presenting our clients with pragmatic, practical solutions that they could use.
It didn't take us very long to realize that whilst there were prospects who understood what we were all about, and some of them were very enthusiastic about the concept, they didn't know how to go about it. We realized that they needed to see exactly what could be done and what couldn't be and that they needed solutions that could be implemented with results they could expect to foresee.
It didn't take us very long to realize that whilst there were prospects who understood what we were all about, and some of them were very enthusiastic about the concept, they didn't know how to go about it. We realized that they needed to see exactly what could be done and what couldn't be and that they needed solutions that could be implemented with results they could expect to foresee.
So we incorporated the consultancy part into the game of licensing where we'd be able to provide entertainment solutions, dig up entertainment data, talk about broadcast distribution partners and communication channels whilst addressing the business and marketing parts and integrating them into the entertainment solution. This way, we figured, we'd at least have a productive meeting where we'd be doing more than just a sharing of "what do you do?"
In short, we analyse, we summarize, we suggest, we implement.
After all, there really are many, many consultants out there who claim that they have all this expertise, but stumble and throw out useless solutions when they're presented with a very present problem. And I've met a few who tell me that they're experts in this field and that, but when tossed with a situation that demands a solution beyond their theories, they either fling out a wishy-washy reason, or they get illogically defensive with no substantial data.
Having no data to substantiate your solutions is a sure fail. We don't do that. We can't. Like I told someone recently, you have your data, we have ours. Admittedly some of our numbers are a bit hard to understand, but we're from the entertainment industry, and so our data comes from there, and trust me, their numbers can be quite ballistic- meaning that the foundation goes by the minimal of five figures all the way up to the millions.
These five questions are in no way comprehensive, of course, but I think they're sufficient enough to decide whether you want to take the meeting further and whether the person you're meeting, or going to meet, will be worth your time and your cup of coffee. If not, there's no point.
That being said, if you were to ask me what the anchor question was to make sure, I'd suggest that it be Number 3. Because the only reason you're talking is because you need solutions, and if the suggestions made are not addressing the primary problem you have, or if the consultant is asking you to go figure it out yourself based on his theory, then that's a tough call, don't you think?
That being said, if you were to ask me what the anchor question was to make sure, I'd suggest that it be Number 3. Because the only reason you're talking is because you need solutions, and if the suggestions made are not addressing the primary problem you have, or if the consultant is asking you to go figure it out yourself based on his theory, then that's a tough call, don't you think?