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The Perfect Consulting Firm Leader

Is your ambition to hone your own leadership capabilities to razor sharpness, or to cultivate the next executive team in your consulting firm? Either way, you need to know who becomes a superhero when they don a jacket with “Firm Leader” emblazoned on the lapel (and chocolates hidden in the pockets).

So, what is the DNA of a leader of a small consulting firm? What are the personal building blocks of a rewarding, lucrative career shepherding a practice with anywhere from one to 200 employees?

My team and I made a list of the most successful consulting firm leaders we personally know. (Fortunately, the nature of our firm enables us to draw from a large pool.) Then we cataloged our impressions of what has allowed each successful person to flourish.

Our first observation wasn’t surprising: the very best consulting firm leaders don’t all conform to a uniform profile or precise mold. The list of top performers includes individuals who range from nerdy to suave, inspiringly humble to shockingly arrogant, and consensus-builders to autocrats.

However, there are definite commonalities among those who have built exceptionally successful, small consulting firms.

Below are some of the attributes we saw most frequently. They are characteristics that could describe you at your best or define the type of individuals you’d like to add into the leadership level of your firm.

The Perfect Consulting Firm Leader

Co-Operative

The very best firm leaders recognize their strengths and willingly bring in partners, employees, subcontractors and vendors to fill in for shortcomings.

I purposely spelled this co-operative rather than cooperative. You may or may not be easy to work with, but you invariably grow your practice by consistently and actively enlisting others’ contributions.

Curious

Without exception, top-notch consultants and firm leaders want to know more, dig deeper and understand better.

Your current theory or model is never the final answer; rather, you constantly question your clients’ situations and your own answers, and thereby increase the value your firm delivers on every engagement.

Insightful

Top players in the profession recognize patterns, connect disparate dots, and see around corners.

You build on top of your curiosity with observations that create clarity, improve understanding and reveal fabulous solutions.

Driven

Running a small firm requires a reservoir of drive and self-motivation.

You have an internal flame that energizes you and your team, and inspires a high level of productivity.

Dedicated

One characteristic that clearly separates the best consulting firm leaders from the masses is a commitment to well-defined paths.

You choose a relatively narrow area of expertise for your firm and pursue it without distraction. You recognize the marketing tactics that work for you, and you tackle them with purpose and discipline.

Passionate

One characteristic that pervades our list of successful consulting firm leaders is infectious enthusiasm. You not only believe in your firm’s ideas, approaches and answers, you feel compelled to share them as broadly as possible.

You attract prospects by broadcasting your knowledge without fear or reservation, then persuade clients to engage with your firm through the force of your conviction.

Self-Confident

Leaders of small firms–especially founders and owners–are performing without a safety net.

The higher you want to leap, the more gumption, courage and chutzpah you’ll need. Plus, you’re resilient and bounce back quickly from the inevitable stumbles and missteps.

Sensible

The cream of the crop may or may not be prudent, but a strong business-sense is always present.

You marry your interest in client problems with a knack for growing an enterprise. (Or, you partner with someone who contributes this expertise.)

This dual allegiance to intellectual growth and firm expansion fuels your practice and enables you to succeed year after year.

What do YOU think?

What other attributes do you think a leader of a small consulting firm (from solo up to $50M) must possess to prosper in the short term and thrive in the long term?


24 Comments
  1. Terry "Doc" Dockery, Ph.D.
    October 9, 2024 at 6:32 am Reply

    Good stuff, David!

    • David A. Fields
      October 9, 2024 at 7:02 am Reply

      Thanks, Doc. Any attributes you’d add to the list?

  2. Terry "Doc" Dockery, Ph.D.
    October 9, 2024 at 7:09 am Reply

    No, your list matches my experience (maybe ability to draw stick figures?) 🙂

    • David A. Fields
      October 9, 2024 at 7:32 am Reply

      Fair enough, Doc. While we didn’t study it, I’m pretty sure a revised survey would reveal all successful consultants can draw stick figures. (Alas, so can unsuccessful consultants.)

      Always great to hear from you, Doc!

  3. Sean Hale
    October 9, 2024 at 7:15 am Reply

    Balanced. I bring my best self to the endeavor when I’m well-rested and have good work-life balance. When I don’t have those things, the other characteristics you describe of a firm leader become very elusive. Maybe some people truly do their best work when they’re red-lining, but that’s definitely not the case for me and science seems to indicate that’s true for most humans.

    • David A. Fields
      October 9, 2024 at 7:36 am Reply

      Excellent addition to the list, Sean. There’s plenty of scientific support for you suggestion. Sleep, for instance, appears to be essential to perform at your highest level in the short term and also to enjoy good mental health over the long term. And if there’s nothing outside of work, then why are we working?!

      I’m glad you enhanced the list of attributes, Sean!

    • Christian Milaster
      October 9, 2024 at 11:11 am Reply

      I’d like to build on Sean’s “balanced” and add “grounded”.
      We cannot *sustainably* perform well as leaders of our firms if we are not grounded in other areas of our lives – family, health, finances. We may compensate for lack of grounding with fervor put into our firms; but without a solid foundation that level of energy is not sustainable.

      • Sean Hale
        October 9, 2024 at 11:17 am Reply

        Nice add, Christian!

        It feels like we’re getting on a roll here (and providing fodder for a future DAF blog post) with these sorts of “prerequisites” for a thriving consulting practice. It’s not just what you do while you’re wearing your firm leader hat; what you do and don’t do outside of that time can have a big influence on your success.

        • David A. Fields
          October 9, 2024 at 11:27 am

          Sean, when we work with firm leaders who are building 7-figure (or larger) practices, we start with an exercise called “Strategic Guidewire” that anchors the consulting firm in the broader life goals. The intersection between your firm and your life outside the firm tends to be broad; after all, this is a very human business and you bring the whole of who you are into it.

          Love the conversation, Sean!

      • David A. Fields
        October 9, 2024 at 11:24 am Reply

        Terrific build on Sean’s post, Christian. You are so right that the business is only one part of a firm leader’s broader world. The firm should serve you, the leader, not the other way around.

        Thank you for adding onto Sean’s comment and enriching the discussion, Christian!

  4. Anneve Hutchinson - The Corporate Escape Club
    October 9, 2024 at 7:56 am Reply

    I love your list of attributes that describe the perfect leader of a consulting firm David!

    My clients are all B2B consultants, coaches and experts so I’d add Courageous as a separate attribute. To escape a well paid corporate job to start your own consultancy you certainly need self-confidence in your area of expertise, but you may not have that straight away in terms of your ability to create and grow a successful business.

    A large dollop of courage and chutzpah as you say are absolutely essential if you want to break free and lead a successful consulting firm that gives you freedom and control.

    • David A. Fields
      October 9, 2024 at 8:04 am Reply

      Courageous definitely fits, Anneve. As you point out, choosing to found a consulting firm (or even to take one over) requires a leap of faith; a willingness to boldly stride into the unknown and take on risk. Courage is exactly what’s needed.

      Thank you for expanding the list with a smart addition, Anneve!

  5. Lilian M Raji
    October 9, 2024 at 8:12 am Reply

    For me personally, takes pride in their work.
    I have on my website that once we sign a contract, that is by no means inexpensive, all I care about thereafter is delivering on the promise I make you when I put my name on the contract. My agency has grown almost exclusively by referrals so I take my reputation for delivering results very seriously. First, because I am nothing without my reputation, and second, the good work I do for you, my client, will allow me to secure even more clients. So while the work I do for my clients is to their benefit, I become the greater beneficiary by virtue of how my results further solidify my reputation. I take pride in my work because that pride is what makes my work, my agency, possible.

    • David A. Fields
      October 9, 2024 at 8:29 am Reply

      Outstanding, Lilian! I totally agree that relentless drive to deliver client results is a valuable characteristic–particularly for the long term health of your practice. Occasionally a consulting firm leader will shift the focus of their firm from the client to their bank account, and that inevitably leads to problems.

      I’m so glad you added your wisdom to the conversation, Lilian.

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