Four Crazy Characters Offer Consulting Wisdom

Spoiler alert! Consultants are jacks of all trades who must Always Be Learning. So we learn from everything, even curled up with a bucket of popcorn on Saturday night. While the characters below aren’t real, they offer relevant object lessons in consulting that you can carry into the office with you on Monday.

Sherlock Holmes (stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Victorian crime fighters called on this wisecracking “consulting detective” for his vast powers of observation and deduction.

What to Emulate: Practice thinking ahead. Even if you don’t have Holmes’ inborn ability to predict 27 events into the future, you can look ahead on your calendar and predict tasks that must be done prior to upcoming meetings and deadlines. Considering neglected variables and tracking the unintended consequences of your actions is essential for top-notch consulting.

What to Avoid: Though Scotland Yard paid Holmes for advice, most of the time he just took on whole cases and left his client in the dust. Don’t let your self-confidence or perfectionism lure you into taking on more than you’ve agreed to, and don’t let your client come to expect special treatment.

Mr. Spock (Star Trek)

The iconic first officer of the Starship Enterprise values logic above all else and serves as an essential voice of reason for the swashbuckling Captain Kirk.

What to Emulate: A little detachment is a good thing. People hire consultants to look at things objectively and rationally without the emotional fog that causes bias and willful ignorance. Watch for signs of groupthink, personal conflict and other emotional entanglements and work to dispel them.

What to Avoid: For the crew of the Enterprise, Spock takes some getting used to. Before you can speak with the voice of reason, you have to show people that you understand their feelings and sympathize, even if you don’t agree.

Tyrion Lannister (HBO’s Game of Thrones)

Tyrion is called in to fix up a medieval court rife with corruption and infighting. Though shunned for a physical deformity, he manages to balance the kingdom’s finances and fend off an invasion.

What to Emulate: Pick your battles. Tyrion is cursed and mocked at every turn, but he focuses on the big picture, does exactly what is needed to accomplish it, and lets other problems slide. As a consultant, you can’t afford to solve every issue that comes your way without being inefficient and less effective in the long run. Always take a moment to determine if a problem is worth your time and resources, and be prepared to give it up if it isn’t.

What to Avoid: Tyrion is addicted to the approval of others, and he doesn’t know when to step away. Know your professional boundaries, avoid “going native” and never let the the client treat you like one of their own employees.

Blake (Glengarry Glen Ross)

In this 1992 drama, Blake is commissioned by a real estate firm to light a fire under a foundering office, and actor Alec Baldwin makes his expletive-laden pep-talk (caution: strong language) one of the most memorable business speeches in film history.

What to Emulate: Blake is an arrogant jerk, but he has mystique. His confidence and professional mojo are enough to get anyone who encounters him to listen – really listen – to what he’s saying. His line, “ABC – Always Be Closing” will forever stick with those who witness his delivery. Be prepared to deliver your messages memorably to have the greatest impact.

What to Avoid: Blake has a huge personal presence and charisma, but he’s arrogant and dismissive. Flaunting your success and stepping on others’ feelings and opinions makes you a fun movie character, but in real life it won’t get you very far as a consultant.

Remember, as consultants we must find inspiration everywhere we look, or we just aren’t doing our jobs. Have some fun with this, and let us know where you find inspiration in the fictional world!