Remote Management Consulting?
The pandemic led to a phenomenon that would have been virtually unheard of in the demanding, and in-person world of management consulting. It has shattered assumptions across the board, that there are certain ways that you can’t work.
Then the crisis hit and — like millions in the industry — the Pandemic did something that would have been virtually unheard of in the demanding, and in-person world of management consulting: it changed the working style for what we do. No more having to travel, and we all have had to embraced the shift to remote, virtual and flexible work.
Even while working remotely, the demands are still intense, and sometimes they’ve been intensified. This has forced us to think critically about the work-from-home protocols.
Here’s a few to achieve a better work life balance:
Manager’s are encouraged to have conversations with their teams and to set boundaries for what their work day will look like.
No Scheduling meetings during conventional meal times
Outline for their team what the preferred meeting times are, and;
Set the protocols to delay the send times on emails, for after hours and on weekends…modeling email etiquette.
This past year has allowed us to improve our systems and processes to personally-serve our clients even more, regardless of whether or not we are physically in our offices. Management consulting has become one of the most flexible industries to work in; that may not have been possible before the pandemic.
When COVID hit, my consulting firm pivoted with everyone else to entirely virtual. It gave many of our partners and their teams the opportunity to focus on their soft skills vs just the hard skills. So often, we're taught the hard skills, (execution, strategy, computer, technical), and that works wonderfully...until it doesn't.
Now that we need to start "showing much more of the soft skills of "empathy" and practicing "stress management", it becomes a whole new ballgame.
COVID has forced everyone to move out of their comfort zones. While no one would choose this, I believe almost everyone can look back and say they've gained perspective.
As a Managing Partner , and being in the business of training and consulting, it has not been so much of a stretch for me; it merely strengthened my communication skills and provided benefits of less time for in-person interactions and less time commuting to client sites. Establishing business relationships does require some face-to-face interaction, but since I already had those relationships established, it was somewhat easier for me.
Remote consulting makes what we offer, affordable to small, startup businesses. My thoughts are that other consulting firms work more now, that they are remote.
Me, at the end of the day, walk out of my office and turn off the lights…creating a boundary that maintains my own work-life balance.