Elevating the Internal Advisor Mindset: From Reactive to Strategic

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Foreign.
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Welcome to Consulting for Humans.
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You're with Mike and Ian.
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In each episode, we explore a
new topic that gets to the heart
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of what makes consultants
happy and successful.
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That's right.
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On the Consulting for Humans
podcast, it's our mission to add
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just a little bit more
humanity to the lives of consultants.
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And we love bringing the
skills and perspectives of consulting
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to human lives, too.
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And this week is one such.
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Right, Mike?
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Exactly.
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So if you're a consultant
who's trying to be more of a human,
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or, hey, listen up, a human
who's trying to be more of consultant
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a.
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Then we think you're just our
kind of person.
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So in the last episode, we
began our Becoming a Strategic Partner
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series covering building trust
without Authority.
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On that episode, we talked
about how internal advisors can build
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credibility, navigate
organizational politics, and influence
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decisions without formal authority.
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That's right, Mike.
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And today it's time to dig deeper.
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In part two of the series, we
want to talk about the internal advisor
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method mindset.
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What is it about the way that
we look at ourselves and our work
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that can really help us grow
this aspect of us professionally?
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Many of us are probably
already doing it, acting consultatively,
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as you might say, without
realizing it.
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But how do we get to know it
when we see it?
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And how do we cultivate more
of it?
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Well, if that's interesting to
you, then stick around.
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We're going to share our
strategic partner pyramid model,
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our thinking framework for
looking at why many people have been
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motivated by to try to climb
that pyramid.
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Yeah.
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Using that pyramid and some
work around that.
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We'll discuss how to take
inventory and evaluate the consultative
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work that you're probably
already doing.
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We'll look at some common
traps and pitfalls for being an internal
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advisor, and we'll wrap up
with some practical exercises that
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can help you own your journey,
working at all levels of that pyramid.
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So, Ian, get us started.
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What might it feel like if
someone is ready to start developing
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an internal advisor mindset?
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Well, Mike, thank you.
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Let's get into it by thinking
about a typical everyday.
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Let's make it Tuesday.
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Consider a Tuesday.
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You're probably sitting there
fielding requests for reports, answering
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technical questions, providing
recommendations to others that might
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or might not get implemented,
and helping colleagues get think
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through challenges, often
challenges that need your expert
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input.
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If you're doing things like
this, then maybe without realizing
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it, you're already functioning
as an internal consultant.
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This internal advisor mindset
that we're talking about here is
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about recognizing that you're
already in this business, the business
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of helping others to succeed.
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And Then starting to become
intentional about the value that
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you add.
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And whether you're in finance
or IT or HR or operations or R and
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D or any other function, mid
level or senior level, individual
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contributor, project or
program manager, if people are coming
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to you for expertise or
insights or guidance, then you're
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probably already being consultative.
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You're probably already being
that internal advisor.
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And if you like that about
your work, then there's an opportunity
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to add even more value.
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The question isn't whether
you're already doing consultative
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work, the question is whether
you're doing it strategically to
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enhance its impact and enhance
the value that you and your customers
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and colleagues get from it.
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Yeah, that's right.
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And this mindset shift is
crucial because it changes how you
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approach every interaction.
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Instead of just responding to
requests, you start thinking about
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the bigger picture.
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What's really driving this request?
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What does success look like
for the person that's asking, how
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can you add a little bit more
value than they're expecting?
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And this shift from reactive
to strategic thinking distinguishes
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high impact internal advisors
from those who remain confined to
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purely functional or
transactional roles.
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And as Ian mentioned, we have
a model for this role evolution,
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the Strategic partner pyramid.
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Mike, I love this and I love
the fact that you and I can't remember
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where it came from exactly.
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I was saying before we started
the show, didn't you work on this?
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And you were saying, no, no,
yeah, I think this was you.
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It began life somewhere
probably as a doodle on somebody's
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notebook somewhere or on a
flip chart or on a post it note somewhere.
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And it's a pyramid that has
three levels and you know the kind
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of thing, why there's a base
level and a mid level and then the
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pointy bit at the top, the
kind of nirvana level.
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And the pyramid is a really
good analogy for this because it
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implies progress as you go up,
but it also reminds us that the whole
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thing collapses if we don't
have the foundation as well.
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So we're going to talk about
these three different levels of value
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creation, each one, like I
said, building on the previous one.
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And we found it really useful
for our clients and our coaches to
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help them use this as a
roadmap for professional development
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as individuals or as teams.
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And as well as being that kind
of general framework, it's also useful
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as a diagnostic for assessing
where you currently are and what
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might it mean to go to the
next level.
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So, Mike, I'm going to try and
build the foundations here.
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It turns out that, you know,
besides WI fi and oxygen and all
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the other things that are
necessary for human life.
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There is a base level of
professional interaction, and the
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base level is just answering
the question.
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People come to us with
questions and we do our best to answer
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them.
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And if this is you, then
you're probably valued for the expertise
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that you bring.
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Just answering the question
doesn't mean that you're junior or
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that your work is
inconsequential because answering
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a question requires technical knowledge.
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It requires attention to detail.
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If this is you, then your role
probably revolves around responding,
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responding to somebody else's
inquiries, responding to the need
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to collect and and analyze
data, being good at summarizing work
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and being precise and accurate
and careful about how you summarize.
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This work is necessary and
it's valued, but it's at the base
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level.
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And that means that it's
reactive rather than strategic.
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Mike, I was thinking about who
have I seen who does this and when
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have I seen it in myself?
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I think people who work at
this level are necessarily good at
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what they do because as we
said already, they're producing accurate
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reports and it's reliable and
it's valid and.
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But the downside of sticking
at this level is that you tend only
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to accept requests at face value.
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You don't tend to question
underlying assumptions.
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You don't tend to ask much
about context.
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And we're going to get into
context a lot, right.
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As we get up the pyramid here.
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People who are good at this
level of operating can deliver what's
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asked for without challenging
whether it's actually needed.
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It's not wrong, it's not
inadequate, it's just a foundational
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level of work.
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Every internal advisor needs
this competency of being able to
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understand a question and
answer it directly.
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The challenge comes when
professionals get so focused on just
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delivering accurate answers,
even if they're very high value,
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very kind of esoteric answers,
that they miss opportunities to add
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even more value and also I
think, therefore to get even more
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back.
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So, Mike, we've talked about
the good things and the slightly,
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the limiting things about the
foundational level.
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What's on level two?
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Yeah, Ian, I'm just reminded
as I was listening to you talk through
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the foundational level of
Scott Alldack, who was my first partner
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that I ever worked directly
for, and he actually handed out a
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little cartoon for us all to
pin on our walls or take with us
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wherever we were working, of
somebody's car with a star shaped
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hole in the windscreen on the
windshield, as we would say.
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I know the cartoon you right, exactly.
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And the question is can you
cut a piece of GL glass to fit this
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hole?
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The answer was of course, yes.
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But that's your point, you
know, foundational.
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Yes, that's it.
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Well, there's a better answer,
you know, we shouldn't try to fit
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a star shaped piece of glass.
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While we can do that, that's
not the best thing.
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It'd be better if we can move
up a level to understanding the problem.
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And that was, he was trying to
remind us all the time to say, no,
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no, no, no, no.
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The problem is bigger than can
you cut a star shaped piece of glass?
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So at the middle level, you
know, you add greater value by contextualizing
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the request and reframing
them, you know, making sure that
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you're addressing core issues,
pulling out the assumptions, targeting
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specific problems or opportunities.
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What are we really trying to
do here?
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And you use judgment and
experience, yours, your teams, even
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the person that is coming to
you, the request, to move beyond
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merely delivering answers or
information to offering up synthesized
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and actionable insights.
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Boy, that's where we want to
get to here.
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If we can put it in a broader
context, ensure that the real problem
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is identified and addressed,
that we understand perhaps what decision
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the person's trying to make
when they've made that request, perhaps
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what constraints they're
working under, what success means
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for them.
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Well, when we do this again
and again ourselves, our team, the
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people we work with, we can
see many more patterns across requests
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and we can start connecting
dots that others might miss.
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And that's where in doing
this, we're really adding value all
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the way around.
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And we start to demonstrate
that internal advisor mindset.
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And if you're doing this
really well, as you said, foundational,
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we can do this better and better.
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Next level, we can do this
better and better.
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Now let's get to that point.
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Pointy bit at the top, right?
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So we've done the base level,
we've done the mid level of understanding
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the problem a bit more carefully.
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At the top level is the level
where we're actually provoking new
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thinking.
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So we're absolutely not being
reactive, but we're going out to
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our colleagues and our
stakeholders and our internal customers
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and saying, hold on a second,
I might have noticed something here.
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Maybe this is worth taking a
look at.
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And at this level, you're
valued not only for your expertise,
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but for your ability to bring
a fresh perspective, to use an overused
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word, like a strategic
perspective, which means that you
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get seen as somebody who
brings their experience and uses
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it well.
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You're savvy, you're a
collaborative thought partner, in
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the right moment, you can
challenge conventional thinking and
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inspire people to try new
things, to innovate.
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And that is where you get
lasting value from expertise.
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I think answering technical
questions over and over again, in
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the end, the value of that
starts to decay away.
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The real value of somebody
who's got technical knowledge is
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when they can say, hey, I
think something new is going on here.
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Let's take a look at it.
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That means being able to
anticipate a little bit finding and
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earning the right to take a
moment to say, hey, I have something
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new here to articulate and
identify opportunities that other
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people might have missed to
help shape the questions that the
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organization should be asking.
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So to go back to the question
thing, base level, answer the question,
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mid level, understand the
context behind the question and reframe
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it, top level, bring a whole
new question and challenge things
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constructively.
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This level is about being the
kind of internal advisor who is also
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a really true strategic
partner who influences direction
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rather than just responds to it.
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And I think it's worth taking
a moment here to think about what
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it takes to want that.
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I think lots of people start
out, especially in a career, whether
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you're in a technocracy and
you and your expertise and your training
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are valued because of the
technical attributes that you have.
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It's sometimes easy to feel
that you don't want to bring a new
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idea that that is somehow
somebody else's job.
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And we're going to get into
that in a second.
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But I think you've used this
phrase a few times, Mike.
241
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Having the right answer and
making the answer right, like making
242
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it right for the organization
and right for the situation, is a
243
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,920
really valuable thing for us
to aspire to.
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00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,360
Yeah, Ian, I absolutely agree
with you there.
245
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I mean, it's both.
246
00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,880
Sometimes we think about
strategic thinking as like coming
247
00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,480
up with the right strategy.
248
00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,240
And that is great, you know,
having the right answer sometimes,
249
00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:50,930
look, the answer's already
been made.
250
00:12:50,930 --> 00:12:52,290
We're committed on a path.
251
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How do we make that work?
252
00:12:55,170 --> 00:12:57,970
Maybe if we had it to do over
again, we would do it differently.
253
00:12:58,210 --> 00:13:02,370
So also making the answer
right, all of this, that collaboration
254
00:13:02,370 --> 00:13:06,370
with these different
stakeholders to do this is so important.
255
00:13:06,850 --> 00:13:09,490
But you and I, this all makes sense.
256
00:13:09,730 --> 00:13:12,650
But we've worked with a lot of
these people at a lot of different
257
00:13:12,650 --> 00:13:16,090
organizations and kinds of
organizations, and some people get
258
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stymied at up at a
foundational level, perhaps at a
259
00:13:19,630 --> 00:13:20,110
mid level.
260
00:13:20,350 --> 00:13:23,510
What are the kinds of things
that we've seen that stop people
261
00:13:23,510 --> 00:13:26,830
from wanting to move up the
pyramid or being able to work at
262
00:13:26,830 --> 00:13:28,750
multiple levels of the pyramid.
263
00:13:28,990 --> 00:13:32,830
Well, I think one of the basic
things is feeling unsure.
264
00:13:33,389 --> 00:13:36,150
When we're sure that our
technical and scientific expertise
265
00:13:36,150 --> 00:13:38,710
is what's got us there, it's
very easy to think that that should
266
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be what will keep us there.
267
00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:43,550
So feeling unsure about
straying outside of our lane, outside
268
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of our area of expertise.
269
00:13:45,380 --> 00:13:48,220
You know, I'm a, I'm a
clinical operations person and I
270
00:13:48,220 --> 00:13:51,300
shouldn't stray into
epidemiology or I'm an IT security
271
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person.
272
00:13:51,700 --> 00:13:54,940
I shouldn't stray into the
realm of, I don't know, user interface
273
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design.
274
00:13:56,660 --> 00:14:02,140
But I think that overcoming
that uncertainty about straying out
275
00:14:02,140 --> 00:14:04,340
of your expertise is a really
important part of this.
276
00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:07,580
And seeing yourself in your
role in a new way is an important
277
00:14:07,580 --> 00:14:11,340
part of getting out of that
kind of stymied feeling that you
278
00:14:11,340 --> 00:14:11,860
talked about.
279
00:14:12,810 --> 00:14:16,090
If we get there, then I think
we feel differently about ourselves.
280
00:14:16,090 --> 00:14:19,330
Rather than feeling like order
takers with little participation
281
00:14:19,330 --> 00:14:21,970
in the process, we get to feel
like we have a bigger picture and
282
00:14:21,970 --> 00:14:24,090
we're bringing a bigger
picture perspective.
283
00:14:24,170 --> 00:14:27,450
And maybe also we're bringing
our expertise earlier on in the process.
284
00:14:27,930 --> 00:14:31,130
Many, many times I've heard
smart, well qualified people say,
285
00:14:31,370 --> 00:14:34,210
ah, if only you'd asked me
earlier on if you'd involved me,
286
00:14:34,210 --> 00:14:35,770
I could have given you better advice.
287
00:14:36,010 --> 00:14:37,090
Wow, okay.
288
00:14:37,090 --> 00:14:39,890
That's a challenge on us as
well, to bring a perspective that
289
00:14:39,890 --> 00:14:42,090
gets us involved earlier in
the process.
290
00:14:43,530 --> 00:14:48,010
And Mike, sticking with this
idea of the fear of trying something
291
00:14:48,010 --> 00:14:51,770
new, I think that people in
this situation might not realize
292
00:14:51,770 --> 00:14:55,850
that there's value being lost,
that continuing to do the things
293
00:14:55,850 --> 00:15:00,330
the way that we've always been
doing them, this transactional, somebody
294
00:15:00,330 --> 00:15:04,130
asks a question and we answer
it method, that we're losing value
295
00:15:04,130 --> 00:15:07,950
there, that we get held back
by a limited vision of what's possible.
296
00:15:08,350 --> 00:15:11,910
And in the end, when
organizations stagnate and businesses
297
00:15:11,910 --> 00:15:14,670
start to lose their edge, I
think that's often one of the sources
298
00:15:14,750 --> 00:15:16,430
of where the stagnation comes from.
299
00:15:17,470 --> 00:15:20,310
And then finally your question
was, what's stopping us?
300
00:15:20,310 --> 00:15:22,910
I've focused on ourselves.
301
00:15:22,990 --> 00:15:25,390
Let's talk about the people
that we're responding to as well.
302
00:15:25,470 --> 00:15:28,430
I think it's also sometimes
about the perception of the person
303
00:15:28,590 --> 00:15:30,030
who's asking for work.
304
00:15:30,430 --> 00:15:34,550
They might not understand much
about the value that the answerer,
305
00:15:34,550 --> 00:15:37,200
that is to say you, is capable
of providing.
306
00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,360
And with a bit more context
and a bit more collaboration, they
307
00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,280
might be able to think the
opportunity, think the problem or
308
00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,200
opportunity through more
clearly together.
309
00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,840
So what's stopping us is, I
don't think it's expertise.
310
00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,160
I don't think it's access to data.
311
00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,200
I think it's different
people's perspectives of who should
312
00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,440
be answering what question and
who should be bringing the new ideas.
313
00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,360
Yeah, I agree with you.
314
00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:07,440
I think so many times people
also don't value the, the questions
315
00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:08,120
of the brand new.
316
00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,640
People who've walked in those
naive things that all of a sudden
317
00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,160
cut right through all of our assumptions.
318
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,520
Those people who don't realize
that, oh, the answer to this question
319
00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:22,520
is always more or it's always
north that say, well, why couldn't
320
00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:23,160
it be this?
321
00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,360
And sometimes it's those
people who've got that long history
322
00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,080
that realize, oh my God, the
world has moved on.
323
00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,120
And sometimes it's a naive
question that realizes that.
324
00:16:32,890 --> 00:16:35,130
I guess it's always been that
because we've always done it this
325
00:16:35,130 --> 00:16:36,650
way or we hadn't thought about it.
326
00:16:36,730 --> 00:16:38,810
So yeah, I love that.
327
00:16:38,890 --> 00:16:41,530
How we stop ourselves, right?
328
00:16:41,530 --> 00:16:43,730
And there's an interesting
challenge for us if we should all
329
00:16:43,730 --> 00:16:45,610
be better at asking the naive questions.
330
00:16:45,930 --> 00:16:48,530
I think we feel a bit of pride
and a bit of anxiety about that.
331
00:16:48,530 --> 00:16:50,890
Aren't I going to look stupid
if I ask the naive question?
332
00:16:51,850 --> 00:16:55,650
Am I not going to annoy my
internal customers who would just
333
00:16:55,650 --> 00:16:57,290
like me to answer the darn question?
334
00:16:57,530 --> 00:17:00,010
If I keep pushing back and
keep reframing the question?
335
00:17:00,010 --> 00:17:03,420
Am I not just making my life
more difficult and my stakeholders
336
00:17:03,420 --> 00:17:04,420
more unhappy here?
337
00:17:04,580 --> 00:17:06,420
Yeah, I think that's exactly right.
338
00:17:06,580 --> 00:17:09,460
So many people are like, you
know, that's not what they want.
339
00:17:09,540 --> 00:17:11,060
That's not what they expect to be.
340
00:17:11,060 --> 00:17:13,780
You know, it's that stay in
the lane and they're thinking there.
341
00:17:14,020 --> 00:17:17,060
And you know, in our
experience that, you know, the people
342
00:17:17,220 --> 00:17:21,140
who bring the answers to the
question, that work is still being
343
00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:21,540
done.
344
00:17:21,540 --> 00:17:25,980
Moving up the pyramid means
that you actually get a lot more
345
00:17:25,980 --> 00:17:29,149
efficient at doing that and a
lot more efficient, effective at
346
00:17:29,149 --> 00:17:29,869
doing that.
347
00:17:29,949 --> 00:17:32,589
You know, you start to build
in things like automation, process
348
00:17:32,589 --> 00:17:34,349
standardization, delegation.
349
00:17:34,349 --> 00:17:39,789
You also get more used to
developing that by getting a little
350
00:17:39,789 --> 00:17:42,349
bit above that, just that
foundational level.
351
00:17:42,829 --> 00:17:48,469
And that we as the answerers
and the people who are doing the
352
00:17:48,469 --> 00:17:53,309
asking to us also learn to ask
more interesting questions along
353
00:17:53,469 --> 00:17:54,109
the way.
354
00:17:54,349 --> 00:17:58,870
And like you said, sometimes
that's the people coming to us asking
355
00:17:58,870 --> 00:18:02,510
bester questions, sometimes
that's us asking better questions,
356
00:18:02,670 --> 00:18:06,790
which may frustrate some of
our internal customers who haven't
357
00:18:06,790 --> 00:18:09,310
seen or participated in what's impossible.
358
00:18:09,950 --> 00:18:13,510
But our increased efficiency
and efficacy helps to make up for
359
00:18:13,510 --> 00:18:13,790
that.
360
00:18:14,030 --> 00:18:18,270
Plus, what we found in so many
organization is Nothing succeeds
361
00:18:18,270 --> 00:18:18,910
like success.
362
00:18:19,470 --> 00:18:23,710
All of a sudden our group or
ourselves or one of us has had a
363
00:18:23,710 --> 00:18:27,880
big breakthrough, and then
other people who are the people who
364
00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,640
typically come to our team or
us, go, well, why am I not getting
365
00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:32,040
that?
366
00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:35,040
Actually, because of some of
the stuff that's been going on with
367
00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,640
this stakeholder that doesn't
go on between you and me.
368
00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,400
So we're trying to work.
369
00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,840
We're trying to develop
people, we're trying ourselves to
370
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,600
work at multiple levels of the
pyramid, whichever is required for
371
00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,800
this situation, and developing
the capabilities and relationships
372
00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:52,040
to do that here.
373
00:18:53,380 --> 00:18:55,900
So this doesn't mean labeling
yourself as a pain in the ass for
374
00:18:55,900 --> 00:18:56,620
asking questions.
375
00:18:56,620 --> 00:18:59,100
This means turning yourself
into a successful pain in the ass.
376
00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:01,100
And a successful pain in the
ass is not a pain in the ass.
377
00:19:01,100 --> 00:19:01,780
They're a leader.
378
00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:03,300
Maybe a maverick, but a leader.
379
00:19:03,620 --> 00:19:04,020
Yeah.
380
00:19:04,020 --> 00:19:04,740
And not thinking.
381
00:19:04,740 --> 00:19:07,500
I can only answer questions
that I know the answer to.
382
00:19:07,500 --> 00:19:10,580
This is not a lawyer asking a
witness a question on the stand.
383
00:19:10,820 --> 00:19:14,020
Some of it's just being
curious, and that's great.
384
00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:17,540
I mean, some of the best
people who, you know, it's not that
385
00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:19,300
I'm going to think of what
that answer is.
386
00:19:19,300 --> 00:19:23,740
It's that person that's coming
to me to ask, has this in their mind.
387
00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:26,680
I'm just, just helping them to
bring that out or to communicate
388
00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:27,080
it to me.
389
00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:28,560
They may already have that
figured out.
390
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,440
But me knowing that is going
to help put me in a better position
391
00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:31,920
here.
392
00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:32,640
Yeah.
393
00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:38,520
So, Mike, another objection
that I've heard is people say to
394
00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,000
us, I'm junior.
395
00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,120
Like, I'm early in my career
or I'm early in this particular professional
396
00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:43,920
stage of my life.
397
00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,040
And this internal advisor
elevating up the pyramid stuff seems
398
00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,840
to me like it's the territory
of senior people or subject matter
399
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,920
experts or pushy extroverts.
400
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,280
And I think this perception
that it's not my job or that it's
401
00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,400
for somebody else is a big
hurdle, especially in big matrix
402
00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,880
organizations like pharma
companies, like banks, like certain
403
00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:09,280
kinds of tech companies, where
we are encouraged in some respects
404
00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,200
to stay in our lane.
405
00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:12,720
What do you think about that?
406
00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:13,680
It's interesting.
407
00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:17,640
I mean, how much individual
and team development actually happens
408
00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:18,280
on the job.
409
00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:19,840
80%, 90%.
410
00:20:20,530 --> 00:20:24,210
Some of the organizations that
I've known, probably 99%.
411
00:20:24,290 --> 00:20:31,130
It's pretty much swim or sink,
but the strategic pyramid and this
412
00:20:31,130 --> 00:20:35,810
approach makes this
development much more intentional.
413
00:20:35,890 --> 00:20:39,410
Look at the career path of
most folks working at that foundational
414
00:20:39,410 --> 00:20:41,330
level of asking questions.
415
00:20:41,490 --> 00:20:47,250
At the very least, this kind
of thinking really dramatically increases
416
00:20:47,250 --> 00:20:51,410
the Rate of speed at which
those individuals get up to proficiency
417
00:20:51,810 --> 00:20:55,410
and are starting to really add
value back to the people that they
418
00:20:55,410 --> 00:21:00,010
answer questions for it also
by doing it across a team increases
419
00:21:00,010 --> 00:21:02,690
the team's effectiveness and efficiency.
420
00:21:03,330 --> 00:21:10,530
So I think that's, you know,
that really says juniors are particularly
421
00:21:10,530 --> 00:21:14,810
appropriate for this because
we don't want them sitting on the
422
00:21:14,810 --> 00:21:18,610
back burner for a year until
they can really be effective.
423
00:21:18,930 --> 00:21:23,400
And by doing this as a way of
life in our groups, we're bringing
424
00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,920
everybody up to speed quicker
with this contextual thinking and
425
00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:27,240
that.
426
00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:32,040
But now we'll say that not
everybody that's asking the questions,
427
00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:34,120
you know, are all the same.
428
00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,360
Sometimes there's some, it
depends here.
429
00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,120
So yeah, some of the folks
might have that you're a junior,
430
00:21:40,120 --> 00:21:43,800
you know, if I, if I want you
to help me understand what I think,
431
00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:44,760
I'll tell you.
432
00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,960
But we'll come back to it
depends in a minute here.
433
00:21:48,820 --> 00:21:53,060
So, Ian, we've talked about
the concept of the pyramid and potential
434
00:21:53,060 --> 00:21:55,140
benefits from moving up the pyramid.
435
00:21:55,540 --> 00:21:58,620
How can our listeners get
started if some of this is ringing
436
00:21:58,620 --> 00:22:01,220
like that might be a
possibility in my position?
437
00:22:02,420 --> 00:22:05,340
I think the first thing to do,
I think in our introduction we called
438
00:22:05,340 --> 00:22:06,420
this taking inventory.
439
00:22:07,140 --> 00:22:10,260
A good first step is to take a
look at the work you're doing and
440
00:22:10,260 --> 00:22:13,260
look at it from the
perspective of how far up the pyramid
441
00:22:13,260 --> 00:22:14,410
am I already.
442
00:22:14,730 --> 00:22:18,770
Because I think you might be
doing more advisory, more consultative
443
00:22:18,770 --> 00:22:21,050
work than you already think.
444
00:22:21,370 --> 00:22:24,730
You're probably functioning as
an internal advisor or an internal
445
00:22:24,730 --> 00:22:28,290
consultant any time that you
are helping your colleagues think
446
00:22:28,290 --> 00:22:29,050
through problems.
447
00:22:29,370 --> 00:22:32,850
Anytime you're providing
recommendations beyond just handing
448
00:22:32,850 --> 00:22:36,570
over data, anytime you're
getting asked for your opinion on
449
00:22:36,570 --> 00:22:38,490
decisions and execution of decisions.
450
00:22:38,970 --> 00:22:41,610
So we're sitting here, Mike,
It's July, it's coming up to the
451
00:22:41,610 --> 00:22:43,210
summertime, people are going
on vacation.
452
00:22:43,290 --> 00:22:45,770
It's the time for the kind of
mid year reflection.
453
00:22:46,150 --> 00:22:49,590
Maybe this is a good time to
do a little bit of an inventory,
454
00:22:50,150 --> 00:22:51,750
take a look at the work that
you're doing.
455
00:22:51,910 --> 00:22:55,550
Common signs that you're
already doing advisory or consultative
456
00:22:55,550 --> 00:22:59,710
work include being somehow the
go to person for certain kinds of
457
00:22:59,710 --> 00:23:00,230
decisions.
458
00:23:00,710 --> 00:23:04,830
People coming unannounced to
seek your perspective on challenges
459
00:23:04,830 --> 00:23:07,390
that lie outside your formal
job description.
460
00:23:07,390 --> 00:23:10,510
But where you're known already
to have some qualifications and some
461
00:23:10,510 --> 00:23:11,030
expertise.
462
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,040
It might be that you're
finding yourself in meetings where
463
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,520
you're helping others think
through issues rather than just reporting
464
00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:17,840
information.
465
00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,080
And I think taking a moment to
step outside yourself and spot those
466
00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:22,880
is really key.
467
00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:26,720
Become a bit more intentional
about how you Approach them so that
468
00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,480
instead of just responding to
requests, we start thinking about
469
00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,520
the broader context and how
you can add strategic value.
470
00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,840
So I think the first step is
taking a look at the work and spotting
471
00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,510
the exciting opportunities for.
472
00:23:39,660 --> 00:23:43,220
For extending your
consultative or your advisory mindset.
473
00:23:43,220 --> 00:23:43,500
Here.
474
00:23:43,660 --> 00:23:48,380
We've got some exercises
coming later to do with practicing
475
00:23:48,380 --> 00:23:49,900
the skill and the mindset itself.
476
00:23:50,060 --> 00:23:52,860
But, Mike, I think that's
where we should start with recognizing
477
00:23:52,860 --> 00:23:55,420
the consultative nature of the
work that we're doing right now.
478
00:23:55,579 --> 00:23:56,140
Yeah.
479
00:23:56,140 --> 00:23:59,260
And if you're looking at that
and say, well, that's not me, but
480
00:23:59,260 --> 00:24:02,860
that's other people in my
group, that could be you.
481
00:24:03,100 --> 00:24:06,020
And so I think that's another
thing to say, yep, there are people
482
00:24:06,020 --> 00:24:07,980
in my group that do that, and
we're in there.
483
00:24:07,980 --> 00:24:10,500
They perhaps have been doing
this longer, or they do it differently,
484
00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:13,470
or they do it with certain
other stakeholders.
485
00:24:13,470 --> 00:24:15,590
But that doesn't work that way
with our stakeholders.
486
00:24:15,590 --> 00:24:18,830
Ah, these are some great areas
of opportunity.
487
00:24:19,070 --> 00:24:22,150
Now, we always remember that
the person we're providing answers
488
00:24:22,150 --> 00:24:27,070
to has a great deal of context
knowledge from their domain and experience,
489
00:24:27,710 --> 00:24:30,190
but they may not have shared
that with you.
490
00:24:30,270 --> 00:24:33,550
They may not have realized
that could be really helpful to you
491
00:24:33,550 --> 00:24:35,070
doing an even better job.
492
00:24:35,230 --> 00:24:38,910
You having a better idea of
what's the target that you're shooting
493
00:24:38,910 --> 00:24:39,230
for.
494
00:25:38,226 --> 00:25:40,546
You know all about the data
and the analytics.
495
00:25:40,546 --> 00:25:43,406
You know all about how you do
certain things in your function.
496
00:25:43,406 --> 00:25:46,286
But what is it that they're
really trying to get to?
497
00:25:46,686 --> 00:25:52,846
But you also have a lot of
knowledge and experience and context
498
00:25:52,926 --> 00:25:58,566
information from inside your
team and your team's domain that's
499
00:25:58,566 --> 00:26:00,046
going to be very helpful to them.
500
00:26:00,366 --> 00:26:03,646
So if you're doing, for
example, contracting, that person
501
00:26:03,646 --> 00:26:07,646
does contracting every once in
a while for something that might
502
00:26:07,646 --> 00:26:09,166
be a commercial partner of yours.
503
00:26:09,566 --> 00:26:13,206
Your team does contracting
every minute of every day in lots
504
00:26:13,206 --> 00:26:14,446
of different situations.
505
00:26:14,846 --> 00:26:17,966
So you can be learning from
that as well.
506
00:26:18,446 --> 00:26:21,246
Now, this, we keep talking
about context knowledge.
507
00:26:21,406 --> 00:26:26,446
Context knowledge is the stuff
that makes you say it depends.
508
00:26:26,766 --> 00:26:31,606
It makes you recognize that
there's often not one best answer,
509
00:26:31,606 --> 00:26:36,166
not one golden nugget silver
bullet to all situations, but that
510
00:26:36,166 --> 00:26:40,846
in any one situation, not all
answers are equally good for that
511
00:26:40,846 --> 00:26:41,236
situation.
512
00:26:42,426 --> 00:26:45,986
So if in answering the
question, you find yourself saying
513
00:26:45,986 --> 00:26:50,786
it depends, whether that's out
loud or in your mind a lot, that's
514
00:26:50,786 --> 00:26:51,386
awesome.
515
00:26:52,186 --> 00:26:53,386
You're our kind of person.
516
00:26:53,626 --> 00:26:57,625
If you don't find yourself
saying it, then you should pay especially
517
00:26:57,946 --> 00:27:01,266
close attention to this
episode, because that's the way the
518
00:27:01,266 --> 00:27:01,866
world is.
519
00:27:02,266 --> 00:27:02,746
Yeah.
520
00:27:02,826 --> 00:27:08,876
So be aware of how you know
how that context knowledge is shared
521
00:27:08,876 --> 00:27:12,156
with other people in your
team, how that context knowledge
522
00:27:12,156 --> 00:27:16,116
is shared with other people in
your network, how that context knowledge
523
00:27:16,116 --> 00:27:20,436
is shared with the
stakeholders that depend on you or
524
00:27:20,436 --> 00:27:23,076
that you work with to serve
other stakeholders.
525
00:27:23,236 --> 00:27:27,236
And as a result, a lot of that
context knowledge is available to
526
00:27:27,236 --> 00:27:28,276
everybody already.
527
00:27:28,996 --> 00:27:32,236
We just have to focus on it
and those kinds of questions and
528
00:27:32,236 --> 00:27:37,336
what we're talking about here
and is what gets that out and upfront
529
00:27:37,336 --> 00:27:38,656
and really adding value.
530
00:27:38,976 --> 00:27:43,416
So, Ian, we're focusing a lot
on the benefits of this internal
531
00:27:43,416 --> 00:27:46,936
advisor mindset to the person
making the request, the person that
532
00:27:46,936 --> 00:27:47,456
came to us.
533
00:27:47,456 --> 00:27:49,776
What about to the benefits of
our listeners here?
534
00:27:49,776 --> 00:27:53,536
The benefits to the person who
are fielding the requests, who have
535
00:27:53,536 --> 00:27:57,136
up to this point, primarily
been providing answers.
536
00:27:58,016 --> 00:28:01,816
I think this is another reason
why it's good to take a moment to
537
00:28:01,816 --> 00:28:05,456
reflect on which of the many
possible benefits is playing the
538
00:28:05,456 --> 00:28:06,776
most strongly in your mind.
539
00:28:07,336 --> 00:28:09,896
People that we've worked with
who have been trying to turn themselves
540
00:28:09,896 --> 00:28:13,656
into more of a partner, more
of an advisor, have found typically,
541
00:28:14,056 --> 00:28:17,016
number one, that the job
itself becomes more interesting.
542
00:28:17,416 --> 00:28:21,056
Lots of us are in the kind of
work that we're in because it's intellectually
543
00:28:21,056 --> 00:28:25,256
interesting and stimulating,
but actually thinking more carefully
544
00:28:25,256 --> 00:28:27,896
about context in this way
makes the job itself more interesting.
545
00:28:29,106 --> 00:28:31,426
Second of all, I think it
increases learning.
546
00:28:31,426 --> 00:28:34,826
And we know from really lots
of research that human beings are
547
00:28:34,826 --> 00:28:38,546
very, very strongly motivated
by the desire to master skills and
548
00:28:38,546 --> 00:28:39,426
improve themselves.
549
00:28:39,826 --> 00:28:44,546
So if that's you, then
learning something about context
550
00:28:44,786 --> 00:28:48,546
is a really important and
valid bit of extra personal learning.
551
00:28:49,746 --> 00:28:53,026
Number three, if you care
about the value, the consequences
552
00:28:53,026 --> 00:28:56,346
and the impact of what you do
and how it affects the rest of the
553
00:28:56,346 --> 00:28:59,906
organization, then I think
it's really clear that thinking more
554
00:28:59,906 --> 00:29:03,426
carefully about your advisory
work creates more value for you and
555
00:29:03,426 --> 00:29:06,066
for the team and for the
company from a professional point
556
00:29:06,066 --> 00:29:08,106
of view and from a personal
point of view.
557
00:29:08,906 --> 00:29:10,346
So it makes the job more interesting.
558
00:29:10,346 --> 00:29:13,946
We learn more, we get to
exchange more value as a result.
559
00:29:14,426 --> 00:29:18,186
And then finally, I think it
brings networking into play.
560
00:29:18,746 --> 00:29:23,496
And we've had conversations
before on the podcast about how challenged
561
00:29:23,496 --> 00:29:26,736
we all are sometimes in our
kind of technical and scientific
562
00:29:26,736 --> 00:29:29,256
world to take networking seriously.
563
00:29:29,256 --> 00:29:34,016
If you ever needed a reason,
then elevating yourself up the pyramid
564
00:29:34,016 --> 00:29:37,176
is a really, really good
reason to pay more attention to extending
565
00:29:37,176 --> 00:29:41,896
the depth and the interest of
your personal network, making relationship
566
00:29:41,896 --> 00:29:45,816
building part of the job and
part of your value, rather than just
567
00:29:45,816 --> 00:29:49,186
an abstract exercise in, you
know, how many friends have you got?
568
00:29:50,376 --> 00:29:55,336
Those are some of the benefits
of using and kind of moving up the
569
00:29:55,336 --> 00:29:57,656
pyramid, learning to work at
different levels.
570
00:29:57,976 --> 00:30:00,856
What should we look out for
along the way?
571
00:30:02,216 --> 00:30:05,776
Mike, this is a really good
moment because we've kind of sold
572
00:30:05,776 --> 00:30:06,496
it quite hard, right?
573
00:30:06,496 --> 00:30:07,976
We've said we've got these
three levels.
574
00:30:07,976 --> 00:30:09,016
It's really going to help us.
575
00:30:09,016 --> 00:30:10,776
It's going to transform the
way people see us.
576
00:30:11,336 --> 00:30:13,016
We have some great benefits.
577
00:30:13,176 --> 00:30:17,466
We should talk about where we
might get stuck because knowing that,
578
00:30:17,466 --> 00:30:18,826
I think, is going to increase
our confidence.
579
00:30:18,906 --> 00:30:23,546
For me, trap number one is
what I call the perfectionism trap.
580
00:30:24,186 --> 00:30:27,626
Lots of professionals get
stuck at the foundation level because
581
00:30:28,026 --> 00:30:31,866
they really want to be
respected for delivering perfect
582
00:30:31,946 --> 00:30:34,666
completist answers to the
questions that they field.
583
00:30:35,626 --> 00:30:39,546
And that then takes priority
over the value and the strategic
584
00:30:39,546 --> 00:30:40,826
context for the insights.
585
00:30:40,986 --> 00:30:45,716
That means that we spend time,
an unlimited amount of time, adding
586
00:30:45,716 --> 00:30:48,796
pieces of detail, adding
pieces that make it both correct
587
00:30:48,796 --> 00:30:49,556
and complete.
588
00:30:50,196 --> 00:30:51,716
And that means that we miss opportunity.
589
00:30:51,716 --> 00:30:54,316
We don't have enough hours and
minutes left in the day to think
590
00:30:54,316 --> 00:30:55,476
about the strategic value.
591
00:30:56,036 --> 00:31:01,716
So being perfect and seeing
perfect as being complete is a problem
592
00:31:01,716 --> 00:31:02,276
for us.
593
00:31:02,516 --> 00:31:06,116
Of course, accuracy is
important, but perfectionism can
594
00:31:06,116 --> 00:31:09,276
prevent you from asking the
bigger questions or providing some
595
00:31:09,276 --> 00:31:10,246
contextual insights.
596
00:31:10,716 --> 00:31:14,156
And an insight that's
delivered on time with, with a bit
597
00:31:14,156 --> 00:31:18,236
of knowledge of context but is
only 80% accurate is more valuable
598
00:31:18,396 --> 00:31:22,756
than a perfect analysis that's
delivered too late for people to
599
00:31:22,756 --> 00:31:24,796
understand it or for it to
influence decisions.
600
00:31:25,196 --> 00:31:29,036
So we should not let the
perfect be the enemy of better.
601
00:31:29,596 --> 00:31:32,036
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
602
00:31:32,036 --> 00:31:32,836
Oh, my gosh.
603
00:31:32,836 --> 00:31:33,156
Yeah.
604
00:31:33,156 --> 00:31:37,756
I've got a couple of bullet
wounds, scars that remind me of what
605
00:31:37,756 --> 00:31:39,436
I've done, just exactly that.
606
00:31:40,136 --> 00:31:40,416
Yeah.
607
00:31:40,416 --> 00:31:44,136
Eddie, I think the other one
is this kind of scope limitation
608
00:31:44,376 --> 00:31:48,856
mindset, a pitfall that
involves artificially limiting our
609
00:31:48,856 --> 00:31:50,976
scope to our formal job description.
610
00:31:50,976 --> 00:31:52,856
You kind of alluded to this a
few minutes ago.
611
00:31:53,576 --> 00:31:56,896
Many professionals assume that
they should only provide expertise
612
00:31:56,896 --> 00:31:59,096
within their specific
functional area.
613
00:31:59,816 --> 00:32:03,576
Missing opportunities to add
strategic value by connecting their
614
00:32:03,576 --> 00:32:08,016
expertise to the broader
organizational challenges or to the
615
00:32:08,016 --> 00:32:13,036
specific goals or challenges
or opportunities of their stakeholders.
616
00:32:13,036 --> 00:32:17,276
To say, I need to understand
it about my area, but I also need
617
00:32:17,276 --> 00:32:20,396
to understand it about the
people I'm answering questions for
618
00:32:20,396 --> 00:32:23,156
or working with to answer questions.
619
00:32:23,236 --> 00:32:29,196
And by doing that, we start to
think beyond just functional boundaries.
620
00:32:29,196 --> 00:32:33,196
And our expertise becomes more
valuable when we can connect it to
621
00:32:33,196 --> 00:32:37,076
these broader business
challenges and opportunities, even
622
00:32:37,076 --> 00:32:40,796
if those connections, and I
would say, especially when those
623
00:32:40,796 --> 00:32:44,636
connections cross traditional
organizational silos.
624
00:32:44,796 --> 00:32:45,916
You know, this is the.
625
00:32:46,156 --> 00:32:50,156
From silo thinking to process
thinking to, you know, our informational
626
00:32:50,156 --> 00:32:55,916
connection, all of this says
we Know that to really do well, to
627
00:32:55,916 --> 00:32:59,876
really create and exchange
more value, we have to be able to
628
00:32:59,876 --> 00:33:03,196
be both within and across this way.
629
00:33:03,276 --> 00:33:03,676
Good.
630
00:33:04,316 --> 00:33:07,876
So, Mike, one way to put that
is it's a kind of skepticism, right?
631
00:33:07,876 --> 00:33:11,276
We're saying we should be
skeptical about boundaries and silos.
632
00:33:11,726 --> 00:33:16,126
I think we can in general be
skeptical of anything that we or
633
00:33:16,126 --> 00:33:17,886
somebody else thinks they know is.
634
00:33:18,046 --> 00:33:19,646
So what do we think is true?
635
00:33:19,806 --> 00:33:23,286
So this is the assumption
acceptance trap or the assumption
636
00:33:23,286 --> 00:33:24,846
acceptance pattern.
637
00:33:25,006 --> 00:33:28,446
This involves accepting
requests at face value without ever
638
00:33:28,446 --> 00:33:30,286
questioning the underlying assumptions.
639
00:33:30,526 --> 00:33:35,326
Like the star shaped hole in
the glass of the windshield of the
640
00:33:35,326 --> 00:33:35,646
car.
641
00:33:35,726 --> 00:33:37,046
Like not challenging the assumption.
642
00:33:37,046 --> 00:33:39,716
Like, why are we not thinking
about just replacing the whole windshield?
643
00:33:40,906 --> 00:33:44,986
And assuming that people were
correct and had all the right assumptions
644
00:33:44,986 --> 00:33:48,426
when they originally put their
question to us is one of the things
645
00:33:48,426 --> 00:33:51,306
that is most likely to keep us
stuck at the foundation level.
646
00:33:51,706 --> 00:33:55,226
Because then all you're doing
is optimizing your own workload in
647
00:33:55,625 --> 00:33:59,226
efficiently answering
questions rather than thinking about
648
00:33:59,546 --> 00:34:02,666
effectiveness in answering the
right questions and in particular
649
00:34:02,826 --> 00:34:04,986
in answering questions that
solve problems.
650
00:34:05,716 --> 00:34:09,396
So good internal advisors who
have this strategic mindset have
651
00:34:09,396 --> 00:34:12,596
the habit of gently probing assumptions.
652
00:34:12,836 --> 00:34:13,996
So they take a moment.
653
00:34:13,996 --> 00:34:17,516
It could just be a few
sentences, just an exchange of emails,
654
00:34:17,516 --> 00:34:21,556
or five more minutes in the
call to look at assumptions before
655
00:34:21,956 --> 00:34:23,396
diving into the analysis.
656
00:34:23,636 --> 00:34:27,796
So they ask questions like,
what's driving this request?
657
00:34:28,436 --> 00:34:32,756
Or what would change if we
discovered something different?
658
00:34:33,116 --> 00:34:35,276
Find out what your frame is
for the answer that you're expecting.
659
00:34:35,916 --> 00:34:39,516
This kind of probing helps you
to ensure that you're solving the
660
00:34:39,516 --> 00:34:42,876
right problem rather than just
answering the stated question.
661
00:34:43,116 --> 00:34:47,036
And I think spotting that
moment, Mike, where you can just
662
00:34:47,356 --> 00:34:51,036
gently uncover the assumptions
and test them out is a really critical
663
00:34:51,036 --> 00:34:52,596
moment in the life of an advisor.
664
00:34:52,596 --> 00:34:56,316
Yeah, I'll tell you, I
remember going back a number of years,
665
00:34:57,036 --> 00:35:00,596
you know, both this
assumption, the scope limitation,
666
00:35:00,596 --> 00:35:01,676
the perfectionism.
667
00:35:01,756 --> 00:35:07,996
My daughter was having
horrific medical issues and we were
668
00:35:07,996 --> 00:35:12,156
being sent from specialist to
specialist to specialist to specialists,
669
00:35:12,556 --> 00:35:13,596
getting nowhere.
670
00:35:14,156 --> 00:35:18,956
And we finally landed with one
specialist who had a daughter exactly
671
00:35:18,956 --> 00:35:23,836
her age and stepped back and
took this personally to say, wait
672
00:35:23,836 --> 00:35:27,476
a minute, what if this were my daughter?
673
00:35:27,716 --> 00:35:30,276
And instead of doing what
every other specialist had said,
674
00:35:30,276 --> 00:35:34,036
which was, nope, in my lane, I
don't see this.
675
00:35:34,196 --> 00:35:38,716
And I did this work based on
this thing, and therefore my answer
676
00:35:38,716 --> 00:35:42,596
is, and went and looked across
everything that everybody had done,
677
00:35:42,596 --> 00:35:47,356
and in looking across all that
actually was the breakthrough that
678
00:35:47,356 --> 00:35:48,116
we needed.
679
00:35:48,196 --> 00:35:52,196
So I think not only in
organizations, but in real life,
680
00:35:52,866 --> 00:35:55,906
this ability to say, you know,
let me start with the mindset of
681
00:35:55,906 --> 00:35:57,746
the person I'm answering the
question for.
682
00:35:58,146 --> 00:36:00,586
And, you know, really, I mean, the.
683
00:36:00,586 --> 00:36:04,506
The value that they added to
us and our family and my daughter's
684
00:36:04,506 --> 00:36:06,226
life is just unbelievable.
685
00:36:06,466 --> 00:36:08,946
So this really rings home for
me here.
686
00:36:10,066 --> 00:36:10,466
It.
687
00:36:10,706 --> 00:36:17,186
So we've been working with why
to do this, what to do, some pitfalls
688
00:36:17,186 --> 00:36:17,826
to avoid.
689
00:36:18,596 --> 00:36:22,756
Can we really get down to
immediately applying these concepts
690
00:36:22,916 --> 00:36:28,756
and helping our listeners as
internal advisors with some exercises
691
00:36:28,916 --> 00:36:31,956
that they can use as
diagnostic tools and development
692
00:36:32,276 --> 00:36:32,996
challenges?
693
00:36:40,196 --> 00:36:42,116
Mike, that's a really, really
great question.
694
00:36:42,436 --> 00:36:45,806
I think, like you say, we've
talked enough about the why and the
695
00:36:45,806 --> 00:36:46,086
what.
696
00:36:46,086 --> 00:36:47,806
Let's talk a little bit about
the how.
697
00:36:48,206 --> 00:36:51,646
And you and I work with our
clients a lot on these kind of topics.
698
00:36:51,806 --> 00:36:54,646
We know that they really start
to see the difference when they start
699
00:36:54,646 --> 00:36:55,566
applying things.
700
00:36:55,726 --> 00:36:59,406
I have a couple of ideas that
I want to share, but I know earlier
701
00:36:59,406 --> 00:37:01,686
on we were talking about a
particular exercise that you had
702
00:37:01,686 --> 00:37:01,966
in mind.
703
00:37:01,966 --> 00:37:02,926
Tell us, what was that about?
704
00:37:03,246 --> 00:37:04,206
Yeah, yeah, this is.
705
00:37:04,206 --> 00:37:08,726
This is the idea of anytime
you have a request, start reframing
706
00:37:08,726 --> 00:37:09,006
it.
707
00:37:09,006 --> 00:37:10,766
So, say just for the next week.
708
00:37:10,816 --> 00:37:14,526
And every time somebody makes
a request of you, pause before responding
709
00:37:14,526 --> 00:37:16,206
and ask yourself three questions.
710
00:37:16,206 --> 00:37:20,406
Number one, what decision is
this request really about?
711
00:37:20,486 --> 00:37:21,966
What decision you're trying to make?
712
00:37:21,966 --> 00:37:23,686
What action are you trying to take?
713
00:37:23,926 --> 00:37:24,646
Number one.
714
00:37:25,046 --> 00:37:29,646
Number two, what constraints
might be influencing this request?
715
00:37:29,646 --> 00:37:31,366
And some of these we can ask directly.
716
00:37:31,366 --> 00:37:33,606
Some of it we might be saying,
well, let me think about it.
717
00:37:33,606 --> 00:37:34,086
Yeah.
718
00:37:34,246 --> 00:37:39,056
And number three, what would
success look like, like, from the
719
00:37:39,056 --> 00:37:43,496
point of view of the person
making the request from their perspective?
720
00:37:43,816 --> 00:37:47,376
If we know this, if our team
members know these things from past,
721
00:37:47,376 --> 00:37:47,976
that's great.
722
00:37:48,456 --> 00:37:49,256
Even better.
723
00:37:49,656 --> 00:37:50,456
Ask them.
724
00:37:51,016 --> 00:37:57,736
And then before providing your
standard response, ask at least one
725
00:37:57,976 --> 00:38:01,216
clarifying question that
demonstrates that you're thinking
726
00:38:01,216 --> 00:38:02,776
beyond the immediate request.
727
00:38:02,936 --> 00:38:06,336
For example, if somebody says,
you know, I'd like you to run a budget
728
00:38:06,336 --> 00:38:10,036
variance report, you might
say, what specific decisions are
729
00:38:10,036 --> 00:38:11,716
you hoping this report will inform?
730
00:38:12,116 --> 00:38:16,196
Or are there particular areas
of concern you'd like me to focus
731
00:38:16,276 --> 00:38:16,836
upon?
732
00:38:17,156 --> 00:38:21,276
And this reframing, this
request, reframing practice helps
733
00:38:21,276 --> 00:38:25,716
us move from that foundational
level of answering questions up towards
734
00:38:25,795 --> 00:38:29,316
and into the middle level of
understanding the problem or the
735
00:38:29,316 --> 00:38:32,996
opportunity by ensuring that
you've got a bit more of the broader
736
00:38:32,996 --> 00:38:37,506
context before diving into a,
if you will, a tactical response.
737
00:38:38,226 --> 00:38:40,346
Yeah, that's great, Mike.
738
00:38:40,346 --> 00:38:43,746
And it's a good habit to have,
like you say, right at the beginning
739
00:38:44,306 --> 00:38:47,906
of any process of doing data
analysis or report writing.
740
00:38:48,786 --> 00:38:55,186
My tip is going to be for what
we can do after we've done our piece
741
00:38:55,186 --> 00:38:56,026
of work, whatever it is.
742
00:38:56,026 --> 00:38:58,546
I'm going to call this the
value add identification.
743
00:38:59,826 --> 00:39:02,266
So at the end of a piece of
work, or even better, just at the
744
00:39:02,266 --> 00:39:05,546
end of every day, look at the
interactions you had, look at the
745
00:39:05,546 --> 00:39:08,766
questions you have answered
for other people, and identify some
746
00:39:08,766 --> 00:39:12,086
moments where you think you
could have added more value, more
747
00:39:12,086 --> 00:39:15,526
value in the context of the
bigger picture, more strategic value.
748
00:39:16,326 --> 00:39:22,166
So this prompts us to think
more widely than just satisfactorily
749
00:39:22,246 --> 00:39:24,166
coming up with the data to
answer the question.
750
00:39:24,246 --> 00:39:28,246
This prompts us to look for
instances where I did provide what
751
00:39:28,326 --> 00:39:31,766
exactly was asked for, but I
didn't explore something else that
752
00:39:31,766 --> 00:39:32,646
could have been more useful.
753
00:39:33,226 --> 00:39:35,946
So write down an additional
question that you could have asked
754
00:39:36,026 --> 00:39:37,426
with the benefit of hindsight.
755
00:39:37,426 --> 00:39:39,866
Like doing this at the end of
the day or the end of the piece of
756
00:39:39,866 --> 00:39:43,146
work allows you to have 2020
hindsight and credit yourself with
757
00:39:43,146 --> 00:39:43,786
all of that.
758
00:39:44,106 --> 00:39:46,906
What additional insight do you
think might have been available?
759
00:39:47,466 --> 00:39:52,026
A retrospective analysis might
allow you to look ahead at the beginning
760
00:39:52,026 --> 00:39:54,986
of the next opportunity to
operate it a bit more strategically.
761
00:39:55,386 --> 00:39:59,186
And if you're just giving a
little bit of self criticism, self
762
00:39:59,186 --> 00:40:02,356
reflection, at the end of a
piece of work, you might start to
763
00:40:02,356 --> 00:40:05,396
recognize opportunities as
they come in, in real time.
764
00:40:05,716 --> 00:40:11,316
But jumping straight in and
identifying new context and new opportunities
765
00:40:11,476 --> 00:40:13,796
from the very, very beginning
is going to take a little bit of
766
00:40:14,196 --> 00:40:15,156
a learning curve.
767
00:40:15,316 --> 00:40:18,156
So give yourself the chance to
exploit the learning curve by looking
768
00:40:18,156 --> 00:40:21,156
back at the end and saying,
what could I have done differently?
769
00:40:21,236 --> 00:40:24,316
What questions could I have
asked that would have elevated my
770
00:40:24,316 --> 00:40:25,396
contribution somehow?
771
00:40:25,956 --> 00:40:28,676
And I love this because I
think the first one is somebody who's
772
00:40:28,676 --> 00:40:31,156
more like, I want to jump
right into it and be a little more
773
00:40:31,156 --> 00:40:31,716
proactive.
774
00:40:32,006 --> 00:40:34,486
Second one say, okay, let's
say maybe you're still not ready
775
00:40:34,486 --> 00:40:34,966
to do that.
776
00:40:35,126 --> 00:40:37,966
All right, let's look at it
afterwards and ask ourselves and
777
00:40:37,966 --> 00:40:40,966
think about it and process it
a little bit more, because then you
778
00:40:40,966 --> 00:40:42,566
will have that ahead of time.
779
00:40:42,566 --> 00:40:43,446
I like that.
780
00:40:43,846 --> 00:40:45,526
You know, I'm an old strategy guy.
781
00:40:45,766 --> 00:40:48,646
Let me add a third one, a
strategic context map.
782
00:40:48,646 --> 00:40:51,326
Because of course, we've said
strategic and we said context.
783
00:40:51,326 --> 00:40:53,046
And I always love having a map.
784
00:40:54,326 --> 00:40:58,166
So choose three of your
regular, if you will, customers,
785
00:40:58,166 --> 00:41:01,356
three of the people that you
are typically advising or fielding
786
00:41:01,746 --> 00:41:02,466
requests from.
787
00:41:02,466 --> 00:41:06,546
They're coming to you for
information analysis, perhaps recommendations,
788
00:41:06,546 --> 00:41:09,026
perhaps just data for each person.
789
00:41:09,346 --> 00:41:13,426
Create a simple map, if you
will, that includes what are their
790
00:41:13,426 --> 00:41:19,146
key responsibilities, what are
their current challenges, what are
791
00:41:19,146 --> 00:41:23,986
their success metrics what do
they get measured on and what are
792
00:41:23,986 --> 00:41:25,986
their upcoming decisions?
793
00:41:26,146 --> 00:41:29,306
And this starts to, you know,
you're doing a little bit of the
794
00:41:29,306 --> 00:41:33,716
work ahead of time for your
three, if you will, best customers
795
00:41:33,716 --> 00:41:38,116
or most frequent customers, to
build that context ahead of time.
796
00:41:38,116 --> 00:41:41,636
It helps you to understand
their world more completely, which
797
00:41:41,636 --> 00:41:44,956
allows you to provide more
relevant and strategic support.
798
00:41:45,276 --> 00:41:49,276
And when they make requests,
you then connect your response back
799
00:41:49,276 --> 00:41:54,396
to this broader context rather
than just fielding that immediate
800
00:41:54,476 --> 00:41:55,196
questions.
801
00:41:55,596 --> 00:41:58,076
So continue to update these maps.
802
00:41:58,316 --> 00:42:00,316
I would come back to them monthly.
803
00:42:00,556 --> 00:42:04,416
And your organization may have
certain cycles too, you know, really
804
00:42:04,416 --> 00:42:05,976
heavy, then we're in between.
805
00:42:06,456 --> 00:42:12,216
You can use those cycles to
learn more about evolving priorities
806
00:42:12,216 --> 00:42:13,336
and challenges.
807
00:42:13,416 --> 00:42:17,416
And this helps you develop
that strategic thinking that characterizes
808
00:42:17,416 --> 00:42:18,856
top level advisors.
809
00:42:19,496 --> 00:42:22,176
If I was going to push it even
further, if there's somebody out
810
00:42:22,176 --> 00:42:24,336
there who's an important
customer or an important stakeholder
811
00:42:24,336 --> 00:42:26,216
and I've got a good
relationship with them and they're
812
00:42:26,216 --> 00:42:29,096
likely to respond well, I
could even take my strategic context,
813
00:42:29,096 --> 00:42:32,256
my map to them maybe when I'm
doing a little bit of review and
814
00:42:32,256 --> 00:42:35,776
saying, this is what I think
your priorities and your hurdles
815
00:42:35,776 --> 00:42:37,656
and your challenges are, help
me make it better.
816
00:42:37,656 --> 00:42:40,856
It might generate an
interesting conversation all by itself.
817
00:42:41,016 --> 00:42:42,376
I love that, Mike.
818
00:42:42,776 --> 00:42:44,096
Like you say, I love a map.
819
00:42:44,096 --> 00:42:46,816
Let's see if we can get a
visual about that, share that online
820
00:42:46,816 --> 00:42:47,176
somewhere.
821
00:42:47,176 --> 00:42:47,896
That's really great.
822
00:42:48,616 --> 00:42:52,696
Let's look back at everything
that we've talked about so far in
823
00:42:52,696 --> 00:42:55,896
today's episode and see what
are our final thoughts.
824
00:42:56,966 --> 00:43:02,326
It seems to me that the key to
this whole internal advisor mindset
825
00:43:02,646 --> 00:43:06,566
is, number one, recognizing
that we're doing already interesting
826
00:43:06,566 --> 00:43:10,566
consultative work and that
it's about becoming intentional,
827
00:43:10,566 --> 00:43:13,686
about adding value rather than
just seeing it happen by accident.
828
00:43:14,166 --> 00:43:19,326
This mindset isn't about
changing so much what you do, it's
829
00:43:19,326 --> 00:43:21,686
about changing how you think
about it and what you do.
830
00:43:21,686 --> 00:43:25,816
Kind of in the cracks to be
more strategic about the value that
831
00:43:25,816 --> 00:43:26,456
you create.
832
00:43:26,776 --> 00:43:31,016
I remember well, Mike, you
said that the process of elevating
833
00:43:31,016 --> 00:43:34,296
ourselves up the pyramid isn't
about abandoning the foundation,
834
00:43:34,296 --> 00:43:35,896
it's actually about building
on it.
835
00:43:36,376 --> 00:43:39,056
So we still need to be able to
answer questions accurately, we still
836
00:43:39,056 --> 00:43:42,696
need to be able to provide
reliable expertise, but we need to
837
00:43:42,696 --> 00:43:46,296
think strategically about how
our expertise can address bigger
838
00:43:46,296 --> 00:43:48,696
problems and create greater value.
839
00:43:48,776 --> 00:43:52,176
I think that's been the key
thing for me, moving up from the
840
00:43:52,176 --> 00:43:54,616
foundation, building on it so
that we're creating more value.
841
00:43:55,966 --> 00:43:57,846
Yeah, I absolutely agree, Ian.
842
00:43:57,846 --> 00:44:00,926
This internal advisor mindset
is ultimately about seeing ourselves
843
00:44:00,926 --> 00:44:02,606
as strategic contributors.
844
00:44:02,846 --> 00:44:07,846
Rather than just insert your
job title or function here, functional
845
00:44:07,846 --> 00:44:12,286
experts, mid level managers,
senior individual contributors, program
846
00:44:12,366 --> 00:44:17,566
project managers, whatever,
those are your strategic contributors
847
00:44:17,566 --> 00:44:18,206
within them.
848
00:44:18,206 --> 00:44:22,736
And when we make that shift,
we find that others begin to see
849
00:44:22,736 --> 00:44:26,976
us differently too, which
creates greater opportunities to
850
00:44:26,976 --> 00:44:31,656
have even greater impact and
for career advancement.
851
00:44:31,736 --> 00:44:35,016
So I think there's, you know,
this is, this is one where it is
852
00:44:35,016 --> 00:44:37,016
absolutely win, win, win.
853
00:44:37,816 --> 00:44:38,616
Very good.
854
00:44:38,776 --> 00:44:40,536
I know we've enjoyed talking
about it, Mike.
855
00:44:40,536 --> 00:44:43,976
I hope listeners, we hope you
are enjoying this conversation as
856
00:44:43,976 --> 00:44:47,606
well, especially if we've lit
one or two light bulbs about how
857
00:44:47,606 --> 00:44:51,086
you work internally as an
advisor and about what might be in
858
00:44:51,086 --> 00:44:53,726
it for all of us if we can get
even more intentional.
859
00:44:53,726 --> 00:44:58,086
Like you said, Mike, thank you
very much for listening to this week's
860
00:44:58,086 --> 00:44:59,686
episode of Consulting for Humans.
861
00:45:00,246 --> 00:45:04,766
Next time, our Strategic
Partner Internal Advisor series continues
862
00:45:04,766 --> 00:45:07,766
with Part three, Asking Better Questions.
863
00:45:07,766 --> 00:45:09,686
We've hinted at it a few times.
864
00:45:09,846 --> 00:45:12,446
Next week we're going to get
deeper into the mechanics of how
865
00:45:12,446 --> 00:45:13,996
do you ask really great questions.
866
00:45:14,866 --> 00:45:17,946
Like the title says, we're
going to build on the foundational
867
00:45:17,946 --> 00:45:21,706
skill of answer giving to the
much more interesting and deeper
868
00:45:21,706 --> 00:45:25,426
skill of question asking and
better diagnosis of problems.
869
00:45:25,746 --> 00:45:28,226
We hope that you've enjoyed
this week's episode.
870
00:45:28,226 --> 00:45:32,746
We hope that you'll join us
next time on the Consulting for Humans
871
00:45:32,746 --> 00:45:33,266
podcast.
872
00:45:38,386 --> 00:45:41,276
The consulting for humans
women's podcast is brought to you
873
00:45:41,276 --> 00:45:43,916
by P31 Consulting.