The Importance of Professionalism
Patrick Binns, P.Eng, PMP, CMC
Why should you engage an advisor; and when doing so, why should you engage someone with professional credentials? Many business owners engage consultants when existing competencies cannot be developed internally. External perspective is often required when planning and introducing change.
Advice to design and run you business is fundamentally different from the advice provided by bankers, lawyers and accountants. Management consulting involves developing business strategies, organization structures, operational processes, managing resources, and implementing change.
Unfortunately, many start-up entrepreneurs turn to friends, colleagues, bankers, and their accountants for advice on strategic aspects of their business. The value of this advice is sometimes limited, or even questionable due to their scope of practice, limited business experience, and possible conflicts of interest. There is an alternative…
The CMC Designation
The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI.org) defines the scope of management consulting and coordinates activities to develop professionalism through its member organizations and practicing management consultants. This scope of practice has been adopted in Canada and in over 45 other countries. Organizations in these countries regulate the practice of management consulting and oversee qualification and the ongoing professionalism of its members.
The international Certified Management Consulting designation (CMC) is awarded to individuals who have satisfied a combination of education and practical consulting experience. In Canada, provincial registrars regulate member activities and formally manage complaints associated with professionalism and standards set for CMC members. The provincial institutes also support and regulate ongoing professional development through education, peer assessment, and networking activities.
Why Engage a Consultant?
A business is a dynamic entity that requires constant managerial attention. The confidence of many leaders is sometimes challenged when facing decisions to balance priorities, allocating resources, managing risks and opportunities, facing uncertain markets, and dealing with internal conflict. A trusted management consultant who can provide insight, experience, and an external perspective is a valuable asset to any management team.
As a business owner, I recognize my limitations and bias when making business decisions; as a consultant, I work with senior managers and entrepreneurs helping them to develop opportunities and improve their decision making. Working from both sides of the ‘table’, it is easy to see how consultants can introduce new ideas that accelerate and improve decision making by reducing uncertainty and increasing confidence.
What to Expect?
Management consultants are engaged for a number of reasons to address various problems and opportunities faced by managers. In general terms, businesses should expect recommendations that improve decision making, and projects that increase capacity within the organization.
Clients expect a mature approach to problem-solving that is transparent and defensible. The value of advisory services comes from depth of analysis, concise expression of the solution, and acceptable approaches to implement the solution.
Management consultants work in areas that include strategic planning, marketing, information management, financial management, human resource management, and operations management. Often they are asked to define the relationships and balance the priorities between business units and support services in times of change. Transition management, scenario planning, program management, and facilitation are core skills brought forward by a senior management consultant.
The Difference Professionalism Makes
Doctors, dentists, engineers, lawyers, accountants, management consultants, and other professional designations are classified as regulated occupations. Each is subject to provincial legislation that governs professional responsibilities, practice management, and member qualification. The Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Alberta governs practicing members who have earned the CMC designation; members are accountable to a code of ethics, professional development, and practice management standards.
Abinsi’s Commitment to Professionalism
Abinsi's team of consultants and industry experts is committed to building stronger organizations; we develop leadership capabilities, organization structures, and core messaging that sells products. As a group of professionals, our consulting team is accountable to the recommendations and project work that we are asked to complete. Our team’s experience is leveraged through a practice-lead program that manages quality through internal peer-reviews of deliverables and project outcomes. We implement formal project management processes during our engagements to assure expectations are consistently met. We work with integrity and are committed to the best interests of our clients.
When engaging an Abinsi consultant, you are choosing to work with a professional who has a depth of expertise, an understanding of your specific needs, and suite of tools that get the job done effectively. Call us for a no-obligations assessment that explores existing capabilities and growth opportunities that leverage our team of certified management consultants.