Get the Most Out of Us

Happy 2011! The year has started off with a bang for the Englin Consulting team with new projects, new clients, and exciting new directions for some of our long-time clients and partners.  As we ramp up for what’s looking like a big year of helping inspiring people change the world, we’ve been revisiting some of our thinking about how we make the biggest difference with and for our clients.

To kick off 2011′s 3 Things, we return to an oldie but goodie: three ways to make the most of consultants:

1) Clarify whether you need help on a project or with capacity.

Designing a new website, migrating your content from your old website to your new one, and launching a new website is a great example of a project-based set of tasks.  Building an email communications program, then implementing, measuring, evaluating, and improving it is not a project, it’s a core organizational capacity.  Both are appropriate for consulting help, but the type of consultant and the structure of the consulting arrangement will be quite different for each.  Be clear with yourself, your team, and your potential consultants regarding the type of help you’re looking for, and you’re much more likely to wind up with the right fit.

2) Use consultants to do what you can’t or shouldn’t do internally, even with more staff.

We are at our best when we can help you resolve a problem that requires an outside perspective. Perhaps your internal organizational dynamics prevent the best decision-making or stand in the way of clear-eyed assessment and reporting. Or, maybe the work you need done is far enough outside your organization’s core mission that it doesn’t make sense to spend resources building in-house capacity. In the growing “gig economy,” you can find true experts to fill gaps it wouldn’t make sense to fill internally; avoid thinking of consultants as interchangeable with temps – you’ll get much more bang for your buck.

3) Establish communication and reporting expectations up front.

Some projects demand daily reporting, for others (and at different phases), a weekly check-in might be enough. You might be solely concerned with progress toward a specific goal, or you might also be interested in process metrics. Work with your consultant very early on to clearly establish a schedule of communication and progress reports, as well as the specific metrics and details you want to keep track of. There are few things more frustrating (on all sides!) than getting deep into a project or retainer and discovering we’re not on the same page regarding frequency and content for reporting. Work it out early and revisit it often to ensure you’re getting what you need.

Veterans Day – 3 Ways to Honor Those Who Served

In honor of Veterans Day and with deep gratitude to those who've served in the US Armed Forces, we're turning this week's Three Things over to three good ways to honor our veterans. 1) Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is ... Continue reading

The election happened. Now what?

It was a wave election, changing for the forseeable future the way Washington works and policy is made. We have moved inexorably further from the center. Voters punished politicians who made choices, one side utterly failed to make ... Continue reading

Social Media, Twitter Revolution, & Funnels

Phew! The inter-tubes have been chock full this month with smart thinking about communications and organizing for social good. Three things we think you'll find valuable: 1. Do you think or do you know that social media channels are helping you meet ... Continue reading

Charles Best: Trust, Competition, & Experimentation

Today's 3 Things comes from Charles Best, the founder and CEO of Donorschoose.org.  DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.  DonorsChoose.org is widely recognized for it's innovative program that empowers citizen ... Continue reading