What abilities should a consultant have?

Consultants should have reasonable assumptions, structured thinking, the ability to learn quickly and good communication skills.

First, the ability to make reasonable assumptions

Without reasonable assumptions, people can't solve any problems. The process of consultant consultation is also the process of putting forward hypothesis and verifying hypothesis.

After the consultant comes into contact with the enterprise, he will investigate the problems of the enterprise, decompose these problems and put forward corresponding ideas. The formulation of any consulting scheme is based on various assumptions put forward by consultants in the analysis process, and the implementation process of consulting scheme is only to demonstrate whether this assumption is correct.

In addition, consultants need to make reasonable assumptions when making some predictions and inferences. Because no consulting company can have a perfect database. In the process of analysis and demonstration, consultants should make reasonable guesses on many data that are not directly available, so as to formulate various action plans. For example, the changing trend of the future market, the price strategy of competitors and so on.

Second, the ability of structured thinking

In addition to reasonable assumptions, consultants must also have the ability of structured thinking. In actual consulting projects, most consultants' knowledge and experience of the industry in which the enterprise is located cannot be compared with those of managers in the enterprise. The focus here is on the structured thinking ability of the consultant and the strong case and data support behind the consultant.

The cases and data of consulting companies can provide a lot of empirical support for consultants, and good analysis and discussion depend on the structured thinking ability of consultants.

Third, the ability to learn quickly.

Because the problems faced by enterprises are complex and the industries of customers are different, it is impossible for any consultant to be very familiar with and proficient in all the problems. This requires consultants to have a very strong learning ability on the one hand, and to focus on one or two management functional fields or industry fields on the other.

In fact, when recruiting consultants from universities, many internationally renowned consulting companies do not pay special attention to the professionalism of candidates, but pay more attention to the speed at which these people master and understand new knowledge. This is very important for new consultants to grow rapidly in a short time and win the trust and respect of customers.

Fourth, communication and expression skills.

At every step of life, everyone has to communicate with other people in the group. Research shows that every manager spends more than 50% of his time in various meetings every day, while consultants spend more time in communication and expression at work. Consultants spend more than 80% of their time on communication and expression.

On the one hand, consultants constantly communicate with employees at all levels of the enterprise on the problems existing in the enterprise, on the other hand, they will put forward corresponding reports and plans and listen to the reaction of the enterprise to these plans and suggestions. Therefore, in this process, both written expression ability and language expression ability are very important for consultants to carry out their work effectively.

An important principle for consultants to carry out their work is that in order to ensure the success of consulting projects, they must cooperate with customers. In other words, in the development process of management consulting projects, consultants will often meet with customers, brainstorm, hold regular training and related seminars, analyze the problems existing in enterprises, and finally find out solutions.

Extended data:

I. Classification of consultants

1, by major

If consultants are divided into industries, they can be divided into management consultants, financial consultants, military consultants, legal consultants and education consultants; Brand consultant, political consultant, investment consultant, Hong Kong affairs consultant, national policy consultant, real estate consultant, engineering consultant, national security consultant, etc.

2. According to experience

It can be divided into junior consultants (assistant consultants), consultants and senior consultants (senior consultants).

Second, the work content

Entrusted by customers, consultants usually put forward plans for a project or enterprise management through detailed investigation and demonstration, which generally meet the actual needs of enterprises.

Consulting in a broad sense, if it covers other industries, such as study abroad consulting, study abroad consulting and private consulting, is basically to make suggestions for customers and formulate plans or action plans that are in line with their actual conditions.

Third, the job requirements

Companies have different requirements for consultants, but some of them are common, such as clear mind, quick thinking, proper speech, listening to customers' needs, strong analytical ability and good image.

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