THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTANT

The role of the consultant within the consultancy practice has also evolved over the last 30 years:

• To the early/mid-1970s. The consultant was the conduit through which the specialist knowledge of a practice was transmitted. Management consultancies' 'products' would consist of well-tried services or methodologies; the theory and practice of their introduction would be incorporated in manuals.

• Early 1970s-mid-1980s. The consultant as 'management mercenary'. The consultant would be a generalist, perhaps with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) or some similar qualification. His or her role would be that of a gun for hire - a bright trouble-shooter who could take a new problem and resolve it from first principles. Previous experience was not essential; what was offered was a general skill.

• Early 1980s-mid-1990s. The consultant as specialist. The consultant is hired because of the relevance of his or her skills to the problem in hand. Previous experience and personal expertise are important, but must be complemented with a capability to deliver specialist skills in a client environment.

• Currently. The consultant may be a stand-alone resource hired to identify and/or address organizational issues, or could be part of a team involving other specialists reconfiguring entire functions or systems for an organization.

Of course, these phases not only overlap but also are not exclusive. Plainly there were specialists operating before the mid-1970s and there are consultancy practices that currently offer proprietary approaches. In branches of consultancy outside management consultancy - IT (information technology) consultancy, for example - experience may also be different. There are now signs that the wheel has come full circle. Major consultancies nowadays offer proven methodologies to their clients to address their problems. Consultants are recruited and trained in operating these methodologies.

A feature of the evolution described above is a trend from hiring not only a consultancy per se but also assessing the people in the consultancy. Clients have become more discerning and are not only interested in the reputation of the practice but also in the quality of the consultants put forward. It is therefore worth considering the provenance of people who become management consultants.