Identifying Common Client Challenges in Consulting

It always fascinates me how frequently common themes arise when talking with current and prospective consulting clients and current learners at TKMG Academy. This week's theme: DATA. Each conversation has been different, but all have centered on data and most have included an element of discomfort, skepticism, and/or unbridled fear. On the fear end of the spectrum, I've sensed a range of feelings/thoughts/beliefs from "we're afraid to see the truth" to "we don't want to stir the hornet's nest" to "we don't know what to collect." On the discomfort/skeptic end of the spectrum, we often hear directly or it's implied: "we don't have the data that would be helpful." I'll share a few thoughts: 1. Unless an organization operates with no computers at all, data of some sort is nearly always available. People may not know where/how it's stored, how to access it, or how to tell if it's "clean data" or not. (It's rarely 100% clean.) But it's there. So much of our upfront coaching focuses on helping people learn the questions to ask to find it. 2. You don't need perfect data to gain sufficient clarity for the mission ahead--whatever that mission is. For example, having even two timestamps across an entire value stream can be useful. It reduces the guessing that teams have to resort to in the absence of data. Less guessing = greater confidence in the "truth" teams need to learn. 3. That said, educated guesses done in a psychologically safe environment are better than operating in a vacuum. While good data shines an unequivocal light both on gaps to be closed and where a work system or process may be "humming along" pretty well, educated guesses about the current state can be useful for prioritization. 4. And, finally, if data truly doesn't exist (again, rare), you can collect it manually for a limited period of time. Limited is key. Manual data collection is painful, so it needs to be done over a long enough period of time to see trends and patterns, but not beyond that. High-volume work typically requires shorter data collection times unless known variation will be missed. Lower-volume work may need a longer period of collection times to see reality. Here's an article I published in FastCompany a few years back that clarifies the types of data and how much work there is to be done just to build strong capabilities using "little data" before leaping to "big data." https://lnkd.in/gRzWPqa Rise above discomfort and fear and face your data needs head-on. It's an important part of the transformation journey!

𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Navigating compliance can be a daunting task for businesses, often leading to significant frustration. Drawing from my extensive experience in Information Security, I've identified the key pain points that clients commonly face. 1. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 The sheer volume and complexity of regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 overwhelm many clients. Keeping up with ever-changing standards is a major challenge. 2. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Compliance demands significant resources, including time, money, and skilled personnel. Many organizations, particularly SMEs, struggle to allocate these resources effectively. 3. 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Regulations are often written in complex legal language, making them difficult to interpret and implement. This ambiguity leads to inconsistent practices and uncertainty. 4. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 Integrating compliance into existing systems can be technically challenging and costly. Legacy systems often require significant modifications to meet modern standards. 5. 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 The extensive documentation and reporting required for compliance can be burdensome. Continuous monitoring, audits, and detailed records consume valuable time and resources. 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 To address these frustrations, it’s crucial to: - 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 : Regularly update your knowledge of regulatory changes. - 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲: Invest in skilled personnel and necessary tools. - 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Consult experts to interpret ambiguous requirements. - 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲: Plan and budget for system upgrades. - 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Use tools to automate and simplify reporting. By understanding these common pain points and taking proactive steps, businesses can transform compliance from a source of frustration into a manageable and strategic advantage. #Compliance #InformationSecurity #Regulations #ClientFrustrations #ExpertAdvice #BusinessSecurity

Clients don’t always say exactly what they need. But if you pay attention, they show you. I’ve noticed that the most successful strategic decisions come from a deep understanding of what clients are really asking for, not just what they put in an RFP or initial request. Sometimes, a client comes to us for a specific task, but after a few conversations, it becomes clear that the real issue is something bigger. Maybe it’s inefficiency in their internal processes, scalability concerns, or their current solution is too outdated. If we only focused on delivering what was initially requested, we’d be missing the bigger picture. Customer insights should be at the center of how we approach the collaboration. Some things that help: Look beyond feature requests. The real value comes from understanding the problems clients are trying to solve, not just the specific solutions they ask for. Pay attention to recurring themes. If multiple clients mention the same pain point, it’s a sign that the market is shifting. These patterns guide where we invest in skills, tools, and processes. Adapt, but with intention. Not every request should dictate a change in strategy, but consistent feedback tells you where demand is heading. Knowing when to pivot and when to stay the course is key. At the end of the day, the best business decisions don’t come from guesswork. They come from listening, analyzing, and acting on what clients are really telling you, even when they’re not saying it outright.