Building a Consulting Team

"I'll delegate when I find good people." Translation: "I'll trust them after they prove themselves." Plot twist: They can't prove themselves until you trust them. Break the loop. Delegate to develop. Here's how: 1️⃣ What should you delegate? Everything. Not a joke. You need to design yourself completely out of your old job. Set your sights lower and you'll delegate WAY less than you should. But don't freak out: Responsibly delegating this way will take months. 2️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Your Boss The biggest wild card when delegating: Your boss.  Perfection isn't the target. Command is.  - Must-dos: handled  - Who you're stretching   - Mistakes you anticipate   - How you'll address Remember: You're actually managing your boss. 3️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Yourself  Your team will not do it your way.  So you have a choice: - Waste a ton of time trying to make them you?   - Empower them to creatively do it better?  Remember: 5 people at 80% = 400%. 4️⃣ Triage Your Reality - If you have to hang onto something -> do it.  - If you feel guilty delegating a miserable task -> delete it.  - If you can't delegate them anything -> you have a bigger problem. 5️⃣ Delegate for Your Development  You must create space to grow. Start here:   1) Anything partially delegated -> Completion achieves clarity.  2) Where you add the least value -> Your grind is their growth.  3) The routine -> Ripe for a runbook or automation. 6️⃣ Delegate for Their Development Start with the stretch each employee needs to excel. Easiest place to start: ask them how they want to grow. People usually know. And they'll feel agency over their own mastery. Bonus: Challenge them to find & take that work. Virtuous cycle. 7️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Your Team  Good delegation is more than assigning tasks:  - It's goal-oriented  - It's written down  - It's intentional When you assign "Whys" instead of "Whats", You get Results instead of "Buts". 8️⃣ Climb The Ladder Aim for the step that makes you uncomfortable:     - Steps over Tasks  - Processes over Steps  - Responsibilities over Processes  - Goals over Responsibilities   - Jobs over Goals  Each rung is higher leverage. 9️⃣ Don't Undo Good Work Delegating & walking away - You need to trust. But you also need to verify. - Metrics & surveys are a good starting point. Micromanaging - That's your insecurity, not their effort. - Your new job is to enable, motivate & assess, not step in. ✅ Remember: You're not just delegating tasks. - You're delegating goals. - You're delegating growth. - You're delegating greatness. The best time to start was months ago.  The next best time is today. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more posts like this. ♻️ And repost to help those leaders who need to delegate more.

Stop trying to solve burnout with meditation apps. #Burnout at work is on the rise, and next year isn't likely to bring relief -- in fact the opposite. Under pressure to "do more with less," fears about #genAI and #RTO commands, it's not a surprise. Sharon Parker and Caroline Knight in MIT Sloan Management Review have put together a great framework for addressing a pressing issue that doesn't get glib about apps or just say "lighten their load." They also root it in a case for change: "58% percent of 18-to-34-year-olds said that their daily level of stress is overwhelming. Disengaged, stressed-out employees do not perform at their best." The SMART framework: 🔸 Stimulating work: Am I solving real problems that matter? Is there variety? 🔸 Mastery: Am I learning new skills, getting feedback and is it clear how my work contributes to broader goals? 🔸 Autonomy: Are the lines clear for what decisions I can make, and do I have flexibility to do work where and when I'm at my best? 🔸 Relational work: Am I engaged with a team, connected and feel a sense of belonging and support? 🔸 Tolerable demands: Is the work realistically scoped, so that I'm not in continual overload? Are there peaks and valleys? Their framework sounds easy, but anyone who's managed large teams knows how hard it is and how much design goes into making it happen. What I found historically with teams that helped were: ☀️ Frequent check-ins on how someone's feeling about the work, not just the status of the work: are you learning? Is it reasonable? Are you having fun? ☀️ Rotations of dreck and joy: routine work and doing the same type of project over again isn't fun; ensuring people get rotations in and out of "drudge" work. ☀️ Balancing autonomy and collaboration: Getting clear up front about shared goals, roles and levels of decision authority across the team. No swarm ball. ☀️ Taking breaks. Make sure people can step away from work, build and support boundaries and rest periods. Peak performance isn't "hustle culture." What works for you to relieve burnout? #Leadership #Management #Engagement #Productivity #culture

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

Top talent doesn’t leave because of pay. They leave due to: --poor leadership --lack of growth opportunities --and burnout with no support. Here’s how to stop the bleeding: 1/ Stop Managing. Start Unblocking. → High performers don’t need hand-holding → They need you to get out of the way 2/ Make Their Work Matter. → Tie their projects to actual impact → Don’t hide them behind busywork and fluff 3/ Kill Pointless Meetings. → Every unnecessary meeting says: → “We don’t value your time” 4/ Give Feedback That Grows, Not Grades. → Don’t wait for performance reviews → They want real-time coaching → Not annual judgment 5/ Pay Attention to Burnout Clues. → Silence, short replies, lack of initiative → These are signals → Burnout doesn’t always shout 6/ Let Them Say No. → Respect bandwidth → If every “yes” leads to another project → They’ll eventually say “I’m out” 7/ Invest in Their Next Chapter → Even if it's not with you. → Help them grow beyond their current role → Ironically, that’s how you keep them longer Retention isn’t a policy. It’s a pattern. If your best people are always “doing fine,” You’re not paying enough attention. Want to build a team that stays? ♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

Effective client management begins with proactive engagement, anticipating needs and potential hurdles. Mastering the art of listening plays a crucial role in this approach, allowing us to gain deep insights into our clients' operations and strategic objectives. Imagine setting the stage at the beginning of a project by discussing with your client: Dependency Exploration: 'Can we discuss any dependencies your team has on this project’s milestones? Understanding these can help us ensure alignment and timely delivery.' Impact Assessment Question: 'Should unforeseen delays occur, what impacts would be most critical to your operations? This will help us prioritize our project management and contingency strategies.' Preventive Planning Query: 'What preemptive steps can we take together to minimize potential disruptions to critical milestones?' Success Criteria Definition: 'How do you define success for this project? Understanding your criteria for success will guide our efforts and help us focus on achieving the specific outcomes you expect.' These discussions are essential for building a roadmap that not only aligns with the client’s expectations but also prepares both sides for potential challenges, reinforcing trust through transparency and commitment. By adopting a listening approach that seeks comprehensive understanding from the onset, we can better manage projects and enhance client satisfaction. Let’s encourage our teams to integrate these listening strategies into their initial client engagements. How have proactive discussions influenced your project outcomes? Share your experiences and insights. #ClientRelationships #AdvancedListening #BusinessStrategy #ProfessionalGrowth

3 Out of 4 Projects Fail Due to Misdiagnosis... here’s how to change that. The Doctor Framework: In a consulting world crowded with “solutions,” what if the secret to true client impact was a shift to diagnosis first? The Doctor Framework is designed to help senior executives-turned-consultants leverage their expertise in a solutions-based sales approach. Here’s why this method is a game-changer for creating long-term client relationships and real outcomes: 1. Diagnose the Pain 🩺 Much like a doctor would with a patient, this phase is about identifying core issues... not just symptoms. Research shows that 80% of s uccessful client interactions hinge on active listening (HubSpot, 2021). For consultants, that means asking pointed questions and focusing on what the client’s really saying... often between the lines. This phase sets the tone for trust and accurate problem-solving. 2. Verify & Prioritize 📋 Too often, consultants jump to solutions without fully verifying the core problem. In fact, 75% of misaligned projects stem from a misunderstanding in the initial discovery phase (PMI, 2022). Encourage clients to prioritize their biggest hurdles and validate the diagnosis before prescribing. This ensures they’re bought into the process, which paves the way for collaborative solutions. 3. Co-Create the Solution 🤝 People support what they help create. Rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all answer... work with clients to co-create their roadmap, personalizing it to their needs. This consultative approach builds trust and client ownership, leading to better buy-in and outcomes. According to LinkedIn, solutions tailored with client collaboration improve client retention by 42%. 4. Start with Small Wins 🏆 Quick wins build momentum. In fact, research from McKinsey shows that starting with small but impactful projects leads to a 30% higher likelihood of client re-engagement. The goal is to: - secure initial buy-in - build credibility - set the stage for longer-term partnerships. Propose a quick-hit project to deliver immediate results, reinforcing the client’s confidence in both the process and the partnership. 5. Become the Trusted Advisor 🔗 Once the foundation is laid, follow-up and deepen the relationship. Check-in regularly, provide added value, and actively look for new opportunities to expand your impact. By positioning yourself as a long-term ally, not just a vendor, you’ll move from “consultant” to “advisor.” Statistics reveal that 90% of clients who see consistent value are more likely to refer additional business. Ready to level up your consulting approach? Implement the Doctor Framework and start creating meaningful, lasting relationships. Anything you'd add?

If you’re serious about building a high-performing team; the kind that actually delivers in volatile, stretched, multi-market environments, you need to stop defaulting to hard skills or soft skills. What you need are power skills. These are the capabilities I see separating the high performers from the high-maintenance. I’m talking about the real difference-makers: → Strategic judgment in messy, fast-moving situations → Stakeholder alignment across functions, markets, and egos → The ability to lead transformation when there’s no template → And enough resilience to stay steady when things get hard (because they will) Most teams fail at the top not because the leaders weren’t experienced…but because they lacked the range to operate in today’s complexity. You can’t “hard skill” your way through cultural misalignment. And you can’t “soft skill” your way into transformation. According to McKinsey, companies led by “adaptive” leadership teams are 4.2x more likely to outperform peers on revenue growth. But, you can’t teach power skills at onboarding. You hire them. One of my clients, a global food brand navigating its third pricing strategy in 18 months, said it best: “We’ve hired plenty of smart people. We now need the ones who can handle chaos with clarity.” They didn’t need another commercial director with 20 years of category experience. They needed someone who could align markets, fix the margin gap, and rally teams behind a new direction, all without waiting for perfect data or full control. That’s a power skill. So if you’re hiring into your top team, here’s what I’ll ask you: Are you hiring for performance in stable conditions… Or for resilience, reinvention, and reality? Because soft skills sound nice on paper. But they won’t carry you through a pricing crisis, a culture reset, or a global expansion sprint. Power skills will. Follow me for more on building high-performing leadership teams in FMCG. #ExecutiveSearch #PowerSkills #HighPerformingTeams #FMCGLeadership #CPG #CEO #CCO #CMO #TalentStrategy

Far too many Consulting firms struggle to scale beyond the influence of their Founder. They fail to build recurring revenue channels that extend beyond the Founder’s personal network and reputation. Instead of intentional growth, they operate on ad hoc improvisation—saying yes to everything, reacting to the flow of the day, and never truly designing a scalable model. The result is scattered efforts, unpredictable revenue, and a ceiling that’s impossible to break. Many Founders hesitate to hire senior experts due to their high cost, despite these individuals being best positioned to drive business growth. Even when they do bring them on board, they are often reluctant to grant equity, many Founders believe that they should retain all rewards since they created the original value. This mindset overlooks a crucial reality: securing and retaining senior talent with client relationships for the long term is what truly enhances equity value. The priority should be building a team of senior specialists with strong market reputations from day one. Paying above market rates and offering long-term equity incentives isn’t just an expense—it’s a strategic investment in credibility, accelerated growth, and early wins with high-value clients. Another defining factor is positioning. Many early-stage Consulting firms spread themselves too thin, saying yes to whatever comes their way. Sustainable growth comes from solving a well-defined, high-value problem better than competitors and shaping this into a repeatable process. Firms that dilute their expertise struggle to establish authority. Specialisation builds authority and pricing power. Client acquisition is another common stumbling block. Instead of chasing leads through cold outreach, the most successful consulting firms focus on becoming the reference in their field. Sharing insights, educating the market, and consistently reinforcing expertise creates demand, reducing reliance on unpredictable deal flow. Long-term success comes from consistently evolving expertise, deepening client relationships, and building a market-defining reputation.. Firms that take this approach position themselves as dominant players, creating a business that doesn’t just grow—it thrives on its own momentum.

Change isn't the problem—your silence is. Remember: your strategy is useless if your people don't understand how to help you deliver it. A simple framework for communicating through change looks like this: 1. What? Tell them what has changed. Be concise and direct to make sure everyone understands exactly what's changing. Most organizations stop at #1. 2. So What? Next, explain the relevance. Why does this change matter? Connect the dots between the change and its impact on your people, whether it's new opportunities, improved processes, or overcoming potential challenges. 3. Now What? End with action. What comes next? What do your people need to do? Make sure you're providing clear guidance on what needs to be done, who is involved, and any deadlines. This turns the message from information to action. Obviously, any #changemanagement exercise is highly context dependent. But by applying this formula, and repeating it over and over and over, you'll have a much better chance of actually delivering on your strategy. #internalcomms leaders: how do you think about helping teams and leaders navigate through #change? #ChangeManagement #StrategicCommunication #Leadership

After nearly 2 decades in elite sport, I’ve found a simple framework that helps me understand: • Team dynamics • Current culture • Performancd pressures It’s the foundation of the work I do with any organization. Here’s a breakdown of the framework and how you can use it: Team culture work goes in phases. 1. Observation. 2. Assessment. 3. Analysis. 4. Action. Now that you know the phases, here’s what I typically look for: Trust and Team Dynamics All of my consultation starts with network mapping. I want to know: • Who is a leader (formally or informally) • Where are there silos • Where is there successful integration This gives me a sense of how well the team is working together and gaps that might cause problems. Environment The environment is a huge factor in individual behavior. Here I’m looking for: • How is the space set up? • What policies are there? • How is the culture represented visually? These help me figure out how well the space promotes the behavior the team is after and what could make it more impactful. Motivational Climate Mindsets are made through feedback. The motivational climate determines how feedback is given. Do people: • Talk about individual or team success (or both)? • Have clarity on what’s rewarded? • Understand what isn’t welcomed? Answering these questions lets me determine the attitude coaches and athletes bring to the building. Performance Pressure Every team comes into the season with expectations. Those expectations influence how people show up and what success or failure looks like. I’m assessing for: • Competition-related pressure • Internal team dynamics (athletes and coaches) • External expectations (media or otherwise) This helps me grasp how the team will respond to failure and what they need to sustain success. Organizational Culture The last aspect is understanding leadership and “how things get done”. This includes: • Leadership styles and preferences • Decision-making processes • Role clarity • Team values • Standards and norms This aspect of the system is where I start my assessment. It helps explain the rest of the dynamics. These also represent some of the highest-leverage places to intervene. Once I’ve gathered this data, I make a plan and present to the leadership team. That plan includes 30, 60, and 90 day interventions, rank-ordered by what would be most impactful. If I only get one shot to make a difference, I do something that can demonstrate real value. Lastly, every consultant I know is asked how to measure success. Here are some metrics I use: Short-term: • Team engagement • Improved communication • Greater role clarity Long-term: • Trust in me and sport psych • Reduced conflict • Better performance This system has helped me build trust across pro teams and elite college programs. If you want to read more about it, drop me a comment below. If there’s enough interest, I’ll publish a full-length treatment in my newsletter.