Welcome Professionals…

…Of course we take responsibility and we act responsibly as top management consultants. No question about that. The question is rather how far this responsibility should reach. Where does it stop?

My view is: it never stops. Once we have entered a client relationship, we take full responsibility by making the goals of our client our own. We strive to add value wherever we can, this will most likely reach far beyond our initial assignment. This is the mindset of the trusted advisor.

Let me give you a practical example. I finished a client assignment, the client was very satisfied, we had a final feedback session, job done. A few month later I heard from an ex-employee of the client organization that the solution we had put in place was not implemented and executed the way we had planned it. I did not hear any complaints from my former contract partners, so I could have walked my way without looking back.

The principle of responsibility demands that as soon as I receive knowledge that the goals of my client are in jeopardy, I must take action. So I called the client apologizing for the failure and asking for some further background information. It turned out that although it was neither my fault nor in my area of influence that things had gone astray, I could well be part of a new solution. This has been another moment of truth in our client relationship.

Taking responsibility for the goals of the client is a core principle of the trusted advisor!

Malte