Modes of Consulting #1: The Expert

Do you prefer to interact with clients as an outside expert, a pair of hands doing the work, or a skilled collaborator? They can all be fun.

I’ve been a software consultant, trainer, and author for almost thirty years. I’ve had many types of engagements with a wide diversity of clients: individuals, small teams, corporations in many businesses, and government agencies at all levels. Some of those kinds of engagements were more rewarding and fun than others. As a consultant, it’s worth thinking about what sort of gigs you enjoy the most.

In his classic book Flawless Consulting, Peter Block describes three types of roles that consultants might take on: expert, pair-of-hands, and collaborator. The same roles could apply to other types of freelancers as well. Each of these represents a different kind of interaction when working with clients and a different source of satisfaction for the consultant. This is the first in a series of articles that describe these three modes of engagement based on my experience as a freelance software development and process improvement consultant.

Outside Looking In

When organizations need someone with knowledge and expertise beyond what they have available in-house, they might…