Welcome back to another exciting episode of Smart Consulting Sourcing, the podcast dedicated to consulting procurement. My name is Helene and I am your host today. We’re now entering the final stage of our journey on how to “Buy consulting services like a pro.” Today, we’ll delve into managing project performance and daily operations. But first, let’s recap what we discussed last week about the principles of good project management.
Stakeholder Management is vital in aligning and engaging key players right from the start. By effectively communicating the project’s objectives and benefits, addressing their concerns, and involving them in the process, you can foster buy-in and support for your project.
Project Management involves developing a detailed work plan that breaks down the project into manageable tasks and milestones. By monitoring progress and resource requirements and clarifying roles and responsibilities within both the client and consulting teams, you can ensure smooth project execution.
Governance is crucial for project success. Establishing governance bodies like the Steering Committee and Project Management Committee provides direction, support, and decision-making power. It’s important to strike the right balance, keeping the Steering Committee focused and involving relevant stakeholders without making it unwieldy.
Change Management is often underestimated but plays a critical role. Anticipating and addressing resistance to change requires understanding stakeholders’ concerns and anxieties. By developing strategies to address these concerns, maintaining effective communication, celebrating early successes, collaborating closely with the consulting team, and planning for sustainability, you can ensure the success of your project.
Now that we’re all caught up, let’s dive into the exciting world of managing project performance and daily operations. This is where the real action happens, and it’s crucial to stay on top of things to achieve your desired outcomes. So, buckle up and get ready for some valuable insights on how to drive performance and successfully manage the life of your consulting project.
Let me remind you that you can find this podcast on all the major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. So make sure to subscribe and never miss an episode. And if you’re looking for more in-depth content, head over to our website, consultingquest.com. In our thought leadership section, you’ll find a treasure trove of white papers, ebooks, and full transcripts of our podcasts.
And remember, sharing is caring! If you find value in this podcast, don’t hesitate to share it with your colleagues, peers, and anyone else who might benefit from it. Leave a review and hit that like button to show your support. Let’s continue building the community of consulting procurement enthusiasts together.
Managing Project Performance in Consulting
Last week we learned how to structure the project management of your project, but now let’s tackle how it really works. While having a solid structure is important, it’s the day-to-day operations that make the project come to life. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and explore the practical aspects of project management, starting with driving the performance of your project!
The role of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee plays a crucial role in not only making decisions but also ensuring that the project is on track in terms of timeliness and quality. Regular reporting from the consulting firm to the Steering Committee is essential to keep everyone updated on progress, challenges, and next steps.
Monitoring and Reception for Different Project Sizes
For shorter projects, monitoring and reception are often combined. But for larger projects, regular meetings can be used to check the delivery and involve stakeholders in measuring Performance.
Mismatched Expertise and Client Expectations
When it comes to low performance, there can be multiple factors at play, sometimes all at once. One common reason for dissatisfaction with consultants is a mismatch between their expertise and the client’s expectations. Clients may feel that the consultants don’t understand their business or haven’t tailored their approach to fit the company’s specific context. However, it’s important to remember that the reasons for low performance are rarely one-sided. The project’s context may have changed since it began, or unforeseen issues may have complicated the delivery. In such cases, it’s advisable to have an open conversation with the consultants and discuss potential changes to the contract if necessary.
Team-Related Issues
Sometimes, the problem lies with the team itself. Consulting is all about people and finding the right fit. The consultants may have difficulty interacting with your teams, or you may find their approach too aggressive or wishy-washy. It’s also possible that the consulting team is understaffed, which can pose challenges. Don’t hesitate to discuss these issues with the consulting firm and consider requesting a replacement, even for the partner, if needed.
Changes in the Project Context
Remember, the consulting firm has committed to delivering results, not just providing resources. That’s why it’s a good idea to include specific deliverables in the contract. Even if the pricing and proposal were based on a certain team composition, you could request changes if the delivery is significantly impacted in terms of time or quality. As a general rule, unless the project’s context or deliverables change, any movement in the consulting team should not impact the project’s price.
Managing Resources
Collaboration is a key success factor in consulting projects, both internally between different business lines and procurement when selecting a consulting firm and externally between your teams and the consulting team. It’s crucial to assemble a project team with the right talents, just as important as working with the right consultants. Your project sponsor needs to support the project and gain buy-in from other decision-makers, while your project manager should have the energy and credibility to drive the project toward its goals. When you have the right mix, your team, and the consulting firm will work together smoothly, resulting in high-quality outcomes.
The time you allocate to the project is also critical. It should have been discussed during the proposal stage, considering what contribution the consultants expect from your teams. However, it’s challenging to anticipate exactly how a project will unfold. If your team is understaffed or unavailable for the consultants, it can quickly become a bottleneck. Be clear with the different business lines involved in the project about the priority you give it. If your project is highly strategic, consider reallocating some of the project manager’s duties to someone else or reevaluating the project timeline if your teams have higher priorities.
By being proactive in addressing performance issues, fostering collaboration, and managing resources effectively, you’ll set your project up for success. Keep the lines of communication open, ensure the right fit between teams, and allocate resources wisely to achieve your desired outcomes.
Managing the Life of Your Project
Now let’s talk about managing the life of your project! Remember, project execution is not a straightforward process. As you go along, changes will occur that you didn’t anticipate in the beginning. It’s important to keep track of these changes and trace the most significant events.
Anticipating and Handling Changes
So, what kind of changes can happen? Well, there are scope changes, where new tasks may be added or some deliverables may need to be modified or dropped altogether. Then, there are staffing changes. Organizations are always evolving, and both your team and the consultants’ team may experience turnover, requiring adjustments and additional training. Timeline changes are also common because, let’s face it, initial estimates are not always spot on. And finally, unforeseen events can pop up, such as budget changes, project merges, or freezes, that can affect the project’s execution.
The Importance of Change Management
To make sure these changes don’t derail your project, change management is crucial. When significant changes impact the scope and deliverables, it may be necessary to amend the contract. For other cases, the minutes of the Steering Committee where decisions were made should be sufficient.
Documentation and Transparency
It’s also important to document your interactions with the consultants, especially when their performance is not up to par. Keep detailed meeting minutes and share them with the consultants in a timely manner. Transparency is key to resolving any issues and keeping everyone on track.
For long projects lasting more than three months, we recommend organizing a mid-assignment review. This is like a pit stop in the middle of the race, where you and your consultants assess the project’s progress, review the scope and deliverables, and ensure they’re still aligned with the objectives and the current business environment. Before the review, gather feedback from key stakeholders and prepare a summary to share with your consulting providers. This feedback should cover traditional project management aspects like completion and planning, as well as more qualitative aspects like behavioral dimensions, impact, and skills adequacy.
While it’s important to stay focused on the details, don’t get too caught up in minutiae that won’t significantly impact the overall success of the project. The mid-assignment review allows you to address any potential tangents that could endanger the timeline and success of the larger project.
Managing Relationship With Consulting Firms
When managing the relationship with the consulting firm, collaboration is key. It should be a mutually beneficial partnership where both parties work together for success. Avoid short-term attitudes that can damage the relationship. Treat the consulting firm as a partner, expecting them to deliver their work on time and with quality. Provide feedback, whether it’s positive or constructive, and maintain transparency when it comes to payments. Treat them fairly and with respect, and they are likely to do the same.
Remember, the goal is to have a dynamic and flexible relationship throughout the project rather than treating it as a one-time transaction. By nurturing a strong partnership, you and your consultants will both benefit and improve your business practices.
So, keep an open line of communication, expect quality work, and give feedback. Find the balance between being thorough and micromanaging. Trust and collaboration are the foundation for a successful consulting partnership. For a quick review of the subject, consider watching this webinar, How to Partner with Your Consulting Suppliers?
Alright, let’s take a little breather here, shall we? We’ve covered a lot of ground in our last two episodes, focusing on internal clients, stakeholders, and business lines. Now, you might be thinking, “Why should I care about all of this? It’s not my responsibility.” And sure, that’s a valid point. But let me reframe the issue for you. Who do you think will be held accountable if the consulting firm fails to deliver? Yep, you guessed it—procurement. They’ll be the ones catching the blame, whether it’s because they didn’t select the right consulting firms, they negotiated a high price, or failed to achieve the expected value.
Is it fair? Well, not really. The truth is, buying consulting services is a team effort. Procurement should act as the facilitator, the gamekeeper, if you will. Your role is to ensure the right processes are in place, the right consultants are selected, and that value is maximized. However, it’s not always an easy task to assert your views, especially when your stakeholders hold higher positions within the company. There can be challenges in aligning everyone’s expectations and navigating internal dynamics.
So, what can you do in this situation? Well, remember what we discussed a few episodes back? That’s right when we talked about governance, milestones, and all those important aspects of the consulting agreement. This is where you can take action and initiate the necessary steps.
Sit down with your stakeholders and have an open discussion about how they envision managing the project. Listen to their perspectives and ideas, and then work together to articulate those expectations into the contract. This approach allows you to make things clear without imposing your views and fosters a collaborative environment. It’s all about influence, which is a crucial skill for consulting procurement leaders. By effectively influencing the process, you can align everyone’s interests and ensure a successful outcome for the project.
As We Conclude Today’s Episode, Let’s Recap the Key Takeaways:
Driving the performance of your project requires active monitoring and reporting to the Steering Committee. Keep stakeholders informed, address performance issues promptly, and use regular meetings to check delivery and involve stakeholders in measuring progress.
Low performance can stem from a mismatch between consultants’ expertise and client expectations. Have open conversations with consultants and consider contract changes if needed. Additionally, team dynamics and staffing adequacy can impact performance, so don’t hesitate to discuss replacements if necessary.
Collaboration is vital in consulting projects. Build a strong project team with the right talents, gain support from decision-makers, and maintain clear communication. Allocating sufficient time and resources is crucial for project success.
Managing the life of the project requires tracking and tracing changes. Be prepared for scope, staffing, timeline, and unforeseen event changes. Change management ensures project continuity, and documenting interactions and decisions is essential for transparency.
Conduct mid-assignment reviews for long projects. Assess progress, review scope, and gather stakeholder feedback to realign objectives if necessary. Balancing attention to detail with the overall project’s success is key during the review process.
Foster a collaborative relationship with the consulting firm. Treat them as partners, provide feedback, and maintain transparency. Collaboration, trust, and respect are the foundation for a successful consulting partnership.
Remember, consulting procurement is a team effort. While it may not be your sole responsibility, taking the lead in facilitating the process and influencing key decisions can ensure project success and avoid blame falling solely on procurement. By aligning expectations, articulating them in the contract, and fostering collaboration, you can drive the project toward a positive outcome.
So, take charge, influence the process, and leverage your skills as a consulting procurement leader to set the stage for a successful project journey.
In our next episode, we’ll delve into the crucial topic of preparing for the transition when the consultants depart. While consultants bring valuable expertise and support to the project, their involvement is temporary. As the project nears its conclusion, it’s essential to plan for a smooth handover and ensure the sustainability of the project’s outcomes.
We’ll explore the role of procurement in this transition phase and discuss practical steps you can take to facilitate a seamless transfer of responsibilities. From knowledge transfer to documenting lessons learned, procurement can play a significant role in maximizing the project’s long-term value.
Till then, stay safe and keep up the smart consulting sourcing game! Remember, if you have any questions or need additional support with your consulting procurement endeavors, I’m always game for a chat. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or drop me an email.
Au revoir for now, and happy sourcing!
; 
