Why is consulting right for you?

And how do you know if you need help from consultants

With almost 81% of the Thai labor force employed by SMEs, generating 41% of GDP, it’s clear that SMEs are the engine that drives the Thai economy.  Yet, for many Thai SMEs the idea of using a consultant to help them unlock their true value is an alien concept.  And that may be the speed bump that slows down the engine and limits the growth of both SMEs and Thailand. 

Reasons for this reluctance by SMEs cover a fairly predictable spectrum of beliefs:

  • Many businesses are highly specialized and it is difficult to find experts who know or understand the SME better than the people who work there
  • Consultants have their own agendas, usually a standard “bag of tricks” with templates and methods – all aimed at starting projects with low cost staff billed out at the highest possible rate
  • They’re expensive, and the benefits of using them are not clear
  • Their business model is wrong for SMEs, placing all the risk with the SME, and leaving all the rewards for the consultant

It’s a dilemma. Those companies with the greatest influence on the economy need help the most, yet can least afford it, or don’t know how to get the best benefit from a collaboration.

Our experience running companies globally teaches us this needs to change. So, we practice Consulting Inside Out.  It may be right for you.

Like everything else in life, nothing will change in your business until you see a need for that change.  And to do that you have to ask yourself some hard questions, like:

  • Am I happy with how I lead this company?
  • Am I satisfied with how the company performs today?
  • Am I fully using the power and talent in my team?
  • Do I have the time, bandwidth, and perspective to answer these?

If you do not have clear, concise, answers to these questions you may need to collaborate with someone who can help you find the answers.

And if you have the answers, but you are finding it difficult to put plans for action in place you may need to collaborate with someone who can help you do what must be done.

In either case, you may want to seek the assistance of a consultant.

What Kind of Consultant is Right for Me?

Whoever you choose, you will want a consultant with most, if not all, of the following qualities and characteristics:

  • Experienced – with many years of assisting many clients across industries. Their experiences can act as a catalyst for you to make the progress you need
  • Humble – demonstrating that you and your people are the experts in your business, approaching every situation with a spirit of inquiry, seeking to understand
  • Flexible – to accommodate your culture, working hours, expectations, and with a business model which suits your needs
  • Agile – able to move at client speed, with urgency and precision, without disrupting your business, or holding you hostage to their methodology or bureaucracy

Above all, you will want someone you can trust.  Who lives and works where you live and work.  Who understands what is possible in your environment.  And who can be available for you when you need them. It might just be right for you.

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Co-founder and Managing Director

Originally from Scotland, Iain has spent the last 35 years working with companies as diverse as IBM, The Boeing Company, AT&T, British Telecom, and small family businesses to help them be better at what they do.  And become self-sufficient as they do it. He has worked across three continents – US, Europe, and Asia.

For the past 15 years in Thailand, Iain’s greatest joy has been working with young leaders to help them first see, and then unlock their passion, skill and talent.  Every day, Iain dedicates his time at Zanas MacKenzie to enablement and communication, which he believes are key to growth and awakening in most modern companies.

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