Consultant work requires professionals to constantly strive toward higher service standards. By consistently learning new skills, embracing new practices, and making new connections, consultants are able to advise their clients in the most relevant and profitable ways. When it comes to improving their practice, consultants have many resources they can utilize. One of the most accessible and beneficial is TED Talks like the ones listed below.
Clint Smith’s “The Danger of Silence”
Communication is an essential skill for consultants, so working to improve your skills in this area as a consultant is bound to be beneficial. Clint Smith is an educator and poet who understands the importance of language. In Smith’s TED talk, he highlights the importance of really listening to your conversation partners; his key point is that their silence can often be more revealing than their words. For consultants, it is crucial that you make an effort to connect with and relate to your clients, and paying attention to their silence as well as their voiced concerns can help shed light on how you can best advise their progress.
Navi Radjou’s “Creative Problem-Solving in The Face of Extreme Limits”
A consultant’s job is essential a position in problem-solving, so embracing creative tactics to solve unique problems is a great idea, especially when society is in such a rapid state of development. In this TED talk, Radjou shares his experience as a problem-solver with limited resources. Accounting for 20 years of experience, his TED talk can help consultants prepare for unusual situations with limited resources and personal history with such circumstances. As consultants, no client is quite the same. Knowing how to adapt to unique challenges is essential for consultants to thrive in a changing industry.
Dr. Laura Trice’s “Remember to Say Thank You”
When communicating with clients, consultants should remember that they are dealing with individuals who have trusted them with a problem. Treating them as such is important when it comes to fostering and maintaining a positive relationship. To this extent, Dr. Trice promotes the power of a simple phrase: “Thank you.” Her brief video highlights how influential a simple thanks can be, especially in circumstances you may not feel it is essential. In the consulting business, making strong connections is part of the job, and demonstrating genuine manners requires little effort and makes a big difference.