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Demystifying the Work of a Consultant at Endeavour June 6th, 2012
Article by Frances Policarpio inspired by an interview with Sina Amiri, Engagement Manager at Endeavour Consulting
Have you ever wondered why there are so many books written about consulting? It’s most likely because no one really knows what a consultant does. Here at Endeavour we like to make it quick and simple for everyone.
I had the great privilege of speaking with Sina Amiri who helped me unlock the work life of a consultant as it relates to their consulting engagements. Working at Cirrus Consulting Group and having started his own business two years ago, Amiri Strategies, Sina adds more to his repertoire by working with Endeavour as one of their Engagement Managers (EM).
What does an Endeavour EM actually do?
While everyone else loves their R&R, consultants at Endeavour look for their D&D. An EM is responsible for “D”eveloping the team and “D”elivering high quality results to clients.
What does a project life cycle look like?
Project life cycle is a fancy phrase for identifying a consultant’s work with a client. At Endeavour these typically last for six months – and what a rollercoaster it is! Check out the EM monthly checklist below:
- Month One:
- Meet the team – Almost as awkward as “meeting the parents” for the first time, Sina suggests developing a team charter at the beginning of the term to manage expectations, develop team culture, and show procedural fairness.
- Fact-finding – Likely to be the most gruelling two weeks of the cycle, don’t drink the sea but instead get information that will lead you to find the root cause of the problem.
- Meet the client – Dun dun dun dun! This is actually the perfect time to verify information and clarify questions. According to Sina, great listeners make great consultants so teams take this time to really understand the needs of their client.
- Month Two:
- Execute the Statement of Work – The Statement of Work is, well, a statement of the work that’s going to be done and by this point in time all that’s left is to execute.
- Endeavour training sessions – Endeavour hosts training sessions with their subject matter experts throughout the project life cycle to ensure that volunteers are learning as much as they can from their experience and also delivering quality work for the client.
- Keep the client in the loop!
- Month Three:
- Mid-term review – Want to know how you’re doing so far? The mid-term review will allow you to share your progress internally and get feedback on your work. Phew!
- Keep the client in the loop!
- Month Four:
- Start thinking about final presentation – Yes, it is coming. By this point in time, you can almost the taste the excitement!
- Keep the client in the loop!
- Month Five:
- Final training session – This is the last chance to get the Endeavour subject matter experts to answer all your burning questions.
- Keep the client in the loop!
- Month Six:
- Final review session – Similar to the mid-term review, Endeavour supports each team by providing feedback on the over-all presentation right before the final meeting with the client.
- Close-out presentation – This is the day we’ve all been waiting for!
- Life after Project Life:
- Post-engagement – Sina likes to revise the team recommendation one more time based on client feedback from the close-out presentation to show commitment and passion to the client.
- Assessment – Even after Endeavour’s time with clients, the Group still likes to check in every so often to track progress and development. Talk about true friendship!
Create your own volunteer story! For a full description of the Engagement Manager role, and other volunteer positions, please visit: https://www.endeavourvolunteer.ca/volunteer/
If you are interested in applying for the role of Engagement Manager, please visit https://www.endeavourvolunteer.ca/volunteer/get-involved/consulting-opportunities/apply-now/
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