Management Consulting Personality
It is impossible to box the personality of all management consultants in one description. After all, they are endowed with uniquely different characteristics. However, it is undeniable that many of them behave or react in the same manner in various situations.
According to psychology, personality is a combination of consistent thought patterns, feelings and behaviors of a person. In the field of management consulting, this seems to be highly influenced by the consultant’s basic duties and responsibilities, the culture of the firm and the responsibility to maintain a smooth relationship with clients and their employees.
Below are the typical characteristics that form part of a management consultant’s personality.
How They Think
All consultants are analytical, good problem solvers. They inspect all the angles of a situation to come up with a sound decision. They are not comfortable with focusing on one factor only. Most of the time, they think outside the box to bring out all the possibilities. Because these are part of their daily schedule, they have become logical thinkers in everything they do.
Consultants are also good planners. This characteristic is more evident as they take further studies in their field. They continuously research on the latest trends of the industry and formulate their own ideas along the way. They determinedly learn modern techniques and combine them with old but effective methods for better results. Since they are aware that business management is continuously evolving, they keep themselves abreast with the developments.
How They Feel
Management consultants have a deep-seated drive to achieve their goals. This is proven from the time they apply for a consulting position until their last day in the workplace. While they serve as consultants, they feel motivated to deliver quality output for their clients on time. In effect, they choose to stay at the office even after regular work hours. This drive pushes them to do more than what’s expected from them.
Consultants get tired with their hectic schedule, too. That’s the reason why attaining work-life balance has always been an issue for most of them. However, though they are sick of the idea of missing their family and friends, they see to it that it doesn’t get in the way. They maintain focus and keep personal issues away from their job.
How They Behave
Professional is the word that best describes a consultant. This characteristic can be seen in the way they communicate with clients, fellow team members and other employees. They use tactful expression and maintain their emotional intelligence. Their excellent people skills make them good leaders. They can readily build teams to work hand in hand in finishing a project.
They are also known to have grace under pressure. When they enter management consulting field, they definitely encounter numerous nerve-racking situations caused by the project or the people around them. They may have to beat tough deadlines within a short period of time. Thus, developing stress management techniques is their way of coping. These allow them to set priorities, to clear their mind of troubling thoughts and to control their negative reactions.