When Consultants Try to Be the Boss

It is important for those within the organization to remember that consultants are hired to do specific tasks or provide specific information (hopefully) and that they are not actually employees. This means that while they can offer some great insight and guidance, they are not necessarily in charge (unless a business hires a consultant to serve as a CEO or run a company in a short-term capacity.)

It is additionally important to clarify the "chain of command" with a consultant. He or she should not be trying to tell staff what to do or interfering with supervisors within the business. It can make things challenging and messy when consultants are allowed to waltz in and give employees directives, especially when those are counter to others given by their supervisors!

It is important to clarify the role of consultants in writing. Who will they answer to? What will their role be within and without the company or organization? Will they attend meetings and, if so, which ones? Who has the authority to give the consultant tasks or does the consultant get to design his or her own work plan? The consultant-business relationship needs to be clarified in order to avoid confusion and to keep the working relationships productive. This is especially important when a consultant is a former employee.

If a consultant seems to be operating out of line, make sure to create an open environment where employees can share their concerns. If a consultant is a former employee or a good friend or relative of management, employees can feel burdened by the unclear boundaries and NOT have anyone to talk to about the challenges. Consultants need a periodic review process where the work and working relationship can be reviewed and evaluated to see if it is working well and what can be done to improve things. A consultant who is overstepping his or her bounds, needs to be brought back into the functional "chain of command."

Also by this contributor:

Keeping a Small Business Calm in a Culture of Chaos

Using Strategic Planning to Define Purpose and Objectives

Planning for Replacing Key Staff