Sure, most consultants honestly want to help you lead your company better — but many don’t live up to that desire.

You can avoid the messy fallout of hiring the wrong consultant for your company by watching out for these red flags.

The consultant isn’t listening. You can spot a poor listener a mile away. He doesn’t ask questions about or request examples of your problems. He also jumps to promote his skill range rather than highlighting the ones relevant to your problem.

The consultant’s credentials don’t match your needs. Before you sign a consultant contract, you must ensure his credentials are the perfect fix for your problems. Evaluate consultants by asking for this information:

1. The names and credentials of those who will do the work.
2. Their companies’ history.
3. Their perspective on the issues you face.
4. What work they will perform or information they will provide.
5. What information you must provide them.
6. An outline of realistic timelines.
7. References from their clients.
8. Their fee structure and guarantees.

The consultant fails to follow up with you, even before he has the job. Your consultant should be in constant communication with you. If he goes days without checking in with you, you can rest assured that he’ll behave the same — or worse — after you hire him.

The consultant is inflexible with solutions. Your consultant is supposed to provide you with solutions that you can implement. That means he must be willing to adjust or even toss out any ideas that you don’t feel are a good fit for your company. If he balks or bucks, you know you’re talking to the wrong partner.

Bottom line: Stay on top of any consultants you hire, even if they pass the tests above. Just like any employee, a consultant can easily lose focus and become a detriment to your team.

Filed under: Management Minute