A metaphoric story about consulting

For many years, I worked in consulting, and I decided to write a not-so-short story about my experience in this profession.

A client comes in and asks for a service they believe will solve their problem—one they have often self-diagnosed or, quite commonly, one that their friends at the bar pointed out after the fifth round of “pick your poison”, saying: “Listen, listen, let me tell you...”

GIVE ME A 💊 AND I’LL BE ON MY WAY!

But consulting is not like a pharmacy where you walk in with a headache, buy a pill, and be done with it. No, as a client, you are entering a diagnostic center. My motto is never assume—always ask. My mission, and later the mission of all those I mentored, is identifying the real problem.

The key questions in this first step are:

• What exactly is the problem?

• How did this problem arise?

• Why do you think this problem persists?

• What have you tried so far to solve it?

• And what do you actually want to achieve?

  
  

DEFINING THE PROBLEM

Through these and similar open questions, as well as active listening, it often turns out that the presented problem is merely a symptom of a much more complex situation. Sometimes, it's just an exaggeration or catastrophizing of a much simpler issue.

Other times, the problem isn’t really a problem at all—it’s more of a personal challenge tied to the client’s own limiting beliefs.

Once I offer a different perspective, I’ve had clients realize that their business is actually benefiting from this “problem”, and it is just a great opportunity for their personal growth. The downside in the short term is, they leave without hiring me, but they leave grateful for the insight. And later, when they do encounter a truly complex or delicate issue, they come back and trust only me with it.

BUSINESS = PEOPLE

Why does this happen? Because businesses are run by people.

In a meeting, I don’t sit across from a “business.” I sit across a person. That person—usually the owner or a manager—is presenting the problem already filtered through their personal values, beliefs, experiences, and emotions.

That person is often under time pressure and fear of failure. Lost among the trees, they run frantically through dark paths, pulling out weeds here and there. In such a state of chaos, it's nearly impossible to see a new option, let alone several options for an exit or regrouping.

My job as a consultant is to lift the client above the trees and offer them a different perspective—a bird’s-eye view of the entire forest.

OPTION 1, OPTION 2, OPTION 3… ➡️ ⬅️ ⬆️ ⬇️

Only then do ideas for possible options start emerging. Because options always exist. Not all of them will be appealing or easy, but just realizing that there are options is liberating for the client.

Now comes the next step—analyzing those options:

• One option might seem more acceptable because it offers an immediate fix. It feels comfortable because it worked before and seems less risky.

• Another option may feel harder because it requires changing habits, communication, and behavior—stepping outside the comfort zone. But in the long run, it offers a much bigger benefit.

• A third option might be great, but circumstances simply won’t allow it—perhaps it requires too much time, isn’t financially feasible, or demands shutting down a part of the business the client still believes in and isn’t ready to let go of.

  
  

OPTIMUM, NOT MAXIMUM

At this stage, my job as a consultant is to understand all the conditions and factors surrounding the problem—how it developed, what created it, and what keeps feeding it. My role is to present these insights to the client and help them choose the most optimal option for their defined problem. Not the best or easiest—but the most optimal.

I PUSH – YOU PULL

Sometimes, a person has wandered so long among the trees that directly showing them the exit would feel overwhelming. They might feel attacked, retreat into defense mode, and walk away angry—without ever giving me a chance to help. My true skill as a consultant is recognizing when a client has been lost for too long and then go for a walk with them among the trees - carefully guiding them towards possible paths. Hand in hand, leading them to the most optimal clearing beyond the dense trees.

AAAAAND, ACTION!

And now we come to the most important final step—once we’ve chosen the most optimal option, we must implement it. This step is crucial because a decision without action is just a wish.

Let’s be clear—the client must do the actual work to implement the chosen option.

But my role as a consultant is to help them:

• develop a detailed plan

• map out strategies and directions for implementation

• stay on track toward their final goal

When they hit roadblocks or doubt creeps in, my job is to remind them why they started in the first place and offer alternative practical tools to overcome the challenge.

THE END OF THE METAPHOR

And so, my story about consulting comes to an end.

But before I go, I’ll leave you with one final task (sorry, old habits die hard! 😊):

Replace:

• Every consultant ➡️ with coach

• Every client ➡️ with your name

• Every business ➡️ with your life