The Ethical Attitude of Consulting

Do you know the difference between "ethics" and "work-ethic?" I'm sure that in your head you know the difference but probably a little harder to put into words. So let me help you. Simply put, "ethics" are the internal gauge of what makes something right or wrong for a person. "Work-ethic" is the level of intensity that someone has for their job or whatever task they might be working on. That's a simplification but apt.

So, if someone were to solicit advice to help them improve work-ethic, would you be likely to offer some long diatribe on "ethics" in the workplace or would you offer some solutions to perhaps help make people more engaged in their work?

A question was asked on the LinkedIn business networking site recently that addressed "work-ethic." A Leadership Development Consultant, a Management Consultant, a Director of Franchise Sales and others didn't pay attention and gave long answers about how important "ethics" are in the workplace while offering not one word that addressed the question. The Consultants got it wrong: one who addresses "Leadership" and the other "Management."

Consultants are contracted by companies to help better their workplaces and are paid handsome funds to improve them. But, you can't help if you don't stop talking long enough to listen to the question. (Even after two other members offered clarification on the question - "work-ethic" not "ethics" - people still answered it wrong.)

They were sloppy. They gave opinion without reading the question. They assumed. Now, they look like an opinionated, loud-talking, look-how-smart-I-am, smarmy amateurs. And they did it in front of millions of readers.

There are more people talking than there are listening. You know that. You probably work with some. People don't think before they go off half-cocked, shooting off their mouths. Some of them call themselves Consultants and are too quick to offer answers to questions that they themselves don't fully understand.

People who willingly take on contracts that they are clearly underskilled for may have a good work-ethic but not good "ethics." If it's not your area of expertise, you can't offer expertise - just mediocrity. If it's not your area of expertise then, before you do damage to an organization, do the "ethical" thing: pass.

Oh, and try to understand the question before you start talking. You look much smarter when you do. Details.
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Attitude w/ ATTITUDE

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Are You Going To Measure That Too?

It is unfortunate that the corporate consultants have convinced you that if it moves, it needs to be measured. The measurement metrics are getting out of hand. They have even been given a fancy name: competency frameworks.

While I agree that it is important to measure some things within an organization, there are others that don’t. Do cultural competencies need to be measured? Cultural competencies are the behaviours that reinforce the organization's values. In other words, people are measured to ensure that every action, word and deed is in alignment with the corporate values that the employee may or may not agree with. They may be good workers but may not agree with the direction of the organization. So why not just address it face-to-face instead of measuring it, pouring over the information, and then addressing it?

Then there are the leadership competencies and management competencies. Technically they are close to being one in the same. Since leadership has become just another fancy word for management (although I think they are vastly different but how do you measure an attitude?), it really is considered to be the same thing. But management consultants are supposedly different than leadership consultants. Therefore, they each have their own list of competencies. Is this duplication?

Look, competency frameworks are supposed to measure competency. But if a manager scores low in competency, why is he still a manager? If a leader scores low in competency, why is she still a leader? If the strategic competency scores low how are you still in business? If the cultural competency scores low, maybe it's the culture of having all of these damn metrics that are bothering people.

How deep the measurement goes is completely dependent upon the organization. A consultant might say, "You know, I’ve been pouring over the data and I really believe that if we change the Columbian blend of coffee to a Kona blend, we could realize a 2.7% increase in productivity within the first three minutes after coffee break."

Perhaps that might be useful information - perhaps not. When you start measuring, you open yourself to all sorts of outside influences you have no control over. That 2.7% increase in productivity may be erased by the extra three minutes in the bathroom because of the big bowl of Señor Juan's killer chili the night before. (Sorry, I know, bad visual.)

Shouldn't the health of an organization be first and foremost dependent on the satisfaction of its customers? Shouldn't you be more concerned about generating revenue streams than you are about what you do with the money when you get it? Granted, what you do with the money is important. But it doesn't make any difference what you do with it if you aren’t making any – because you’re spending it on measuring how much money you don’t have.

If you want to check the pulse of your organization and find out if it's healthy, check in with your customers. Let your customers measure how well your organization is doing. Let your customers tell you what can be done to improve. Let your customers tell you how to fix your service. Let your customers suggest the necessary changes. What you really should be measuring are the results of your customer service.

Really, are you so starved for a pat on the back that you are willing to celebrate a 2.7% increase in productivity within the first three minutes after coffee break because you changed the brand of coffee? Let's get on with what you’re here to do: serve your customers. Remember, it's about them, not about you. If you’re placing too much stock in metrics then you’re not having the conversations with the people who keep you working. Client conversations and relationships trump internal spreadsheets and data every time.