One of the more enjoyable aspects of being a business consultant is helping a business improve or even transform itself as a result of your efforts.
When working with a small firm of organizational structure and scale, the consultant may find driving change with leadership less complex and more responsive due to a lack of bureaucracy. On the flip side personalities and, yes, leadership egos are often left unchecked. The consultant must quickly gain a measure of the human factor politics and adjust his/her vehicle and course in which to navigate any issues arising from the personal interactions within the firm without becoming part of the problem. A consultant must avoid becoming entangled in the morass that many firms suffer.
One solution to this problem, and it is not an easy one for the consultant, involves the consultant giving up ownership of the ideas and allowing the ideas to become the prodigy of the leaders of the firm. This facilitation is a direct outgrowth of the Socratic Method of teaching that is integral in the success of working with small firms. David Morales of ChandlerHill Partners says, “Behind the scenes we consultants often quietly judge our own success by the speed it takes a client to present our suggestions back to us as their own.”
Gaining acceptance and ultimate buy-in of your ideas is in many cases the more important facet of being a consultant for any size firm. Without ownership and attendant buy-in from the client, the efforts of the consultant will not have staying power after the consulting engagement is complete.
There are many rewards and opportunities to learn from an engagement with a small firm. The consultant must gain the trust of the members of the firm and be willing to learn from the experience. The lessons learned from the observations and yes personal interaction with all members of the company will provide the consultant with additional tools and examples for work with other firms. The best consultant is after all, a student as well as a mentor.
Written by: Charles Steven Brennaman
Brennaman Consulting
www.brennaman@csbrennaman.com
Monday, April 6, 2009
Who I am and How I got Here
Hello my name is Steve Brennaman; As an executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience, I developed winning organizations through challenging team members to set then accomplish ambitious goals.
I have strong leadership and management capabilities focused on inspiring the team to strive for excellence. Throughout my career I have been a problem solver, using my analytical abilities to identify obstacles and then conceptualize successful solutions. I have developed and implemented new processes to improve operations and lower risk across the organization.
I am a people oriented professional with excellent organizational and technical skills.
I am now interested in transitioning to a position where I can make a positive, long term contribution to the organization by developing and accomplishing successful business strategies.
I am fortunate to have two careers where I have a passion rather than just a job. My first career was a soldier in the Army where I led and commanded men and women in the service of their country. Most recently I have been performing duties as a business consultant providing services to businesses in the areas of organizational effectiveness, leadership development, process improvement, and operations efficiency. Prior to that my most recent duties were as chief investment office of an investment management firm where I lead a team of 18 men and women in the financial planning and investment of clients’ assets.
In the beginning I had every intention of going to college but knew that I had to pay for it myself. I planned early on as a teenager to enlist in the Navy for the GI Bill benefits, which I did upon graduation from high school. I served my enlistment and went to college where I decided to pursue a commission in the U.S. through ROTC. I never intended to make the military a career until I realized I was very good and that the personal rewards were immense.
Despite my longevity in the career workforce I have changed careers only once. After I had nearly 21 years in the Army I decided to retire and seek a 2d career. I chose portfolio management as a sub-field of investments and pursued additional education to supplement my Master’s degree to prepare myself. The results of the changes I made in my careers are very positive. I have had the unique opportunity to have two careers that are both fun and rewarding. Application of my leadership and of my analytical and organizational skills has always played a significant part in my career progression and career objectives.
I have strong leadership and management capabilities focused on inspiring the team to strive for excellence. Throughout my career I have been a problem solver, using my analytical abilities to identify obstacles and then conceptualize successful solutions. I have developed and implemented new processes to improve operations and lower risk across the organization.
I am a people oriented professional with excellent organizational and technical skills.
I am now interested in transitioning to a position where I can make a positive, long term contribution to the organization by developing and accomplishing successful business strategies.
I am fortunate to have two careers where I have a passion rather than just a job. My first career was a soldier in the Army where I led and commanded men and women in the service of their country. Most recently I have been performing duties as a business consultant providing services to businesses in the areas of organizational effectiveness, leadership development, process improvement, and operations efficiency. Prior to that my most recent duties were as chief investment office of an investment management firm where I lead a team of 18 men and women in the financial planning and investment of clients’ assets.
In the beginning I had every intention of going to college but knew that I had to pay for it myself. I planned early on as a teenager to enlist in the Navy for the GI Bill benefits, which I did upon graduation from high school. I served my enlistment and went to college where I decided to pursue a commission in the U.S. through ROTC. I never intended to make the military a career until I realized I was very good and that the personal rewards were immense.
Despite my longevity in the career workforce I have changed careers only once. After I had nearly 21 years in the Army I decided to retire and seek a 2d career. I chose portfolio management as a sub-field of investments and pursued additional education to supplement my Master’s degree to prepare myself. The results of the changes I made in my careers are very positive. I have had the unique opportunity to have two careers that are both fun and rewarding. Application of my leadership and of my analytical and organizational skills has always played a significant part in my career progression and career objectives.
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