Using Insider Knowledge to Build Consultant Trust

I want to share a theme that continues to unlock my consulting projects: surfacing the genius of the organization. There's a stereotype of consulting that you hire an outsider to point out everything that's wrong with your business or brand. And that does not go well. It's far more constructive to start with the positives of the organization. Any company that has made it this far has some kind of latent strengths. There's something that the company does well, a cultural anomaly that gives the organization its power, an achievement that shows a hidden capability, or even a common theme across the business that isn't visible to people who are so close-in. This is particularly relevant with future-facing projects. I don’t think businesses or brands reinvent with a completely blank sheet of paper. They apply their strengths and capabilities to the new world. Even new things are build on foundations. Stakeholder interviews are the magic tool here. Insiders know the magic of their own organization, whether they are executives or working at the sharp end. And indirect questions are a better way to surface a hidden truth that people might feel but haven't consciously put into words. Seeing everyone’s answers together can be eye-opening for the leadership and galvanizing for the wider organizations. They surface truths that don’t yet have official status, even when people privately acknowledge them. They identify the positives, even when the headlines and the discourse around an organization is messy or negative. Most importantly, they give leaders something to build on. People in organizations will act on something if they recognize and believe it. Strategy sticks when people in the organization believe it to be a true reflection.  I’ve done scores of stakeholder interviews this year with everyone from film-makers to engineers in sectors as diverse as media planning, pizza and space travel. Here are eight questions that can yield revealing answers when you’re searching for the true strengths behind a business or a brand. -What product or achievement is your organization proudest of, and what does that say about you? -What do you find easy to do that other organizations find hard? -What problems do customers naturally turn to you to solve?  -How do you tend to win? What makes you compelling? -What do you wish the outside world understood about you? -What part of your origin story could be an advantage today?  -What is the culture that enables your work? -What powers and knowledge do you possess that could be valuable to others? There is genius buried in every organization just waiting to be let out and applied to the world. And if you're a leader of a creative business or a future-facing brand who needs to figure out a bigger future, we should be talking.

The RCM consultant who never uses the term "A/R days" just won the client. I recently revisited a lecture on client service that made me rethink how we approach healthcare practices in the RCM space. Here's what struck me: We get so comfortable with our industry language—denial rates, clean claim percentages, DNFB—that we forget our clients didn't go to revenue cycle school. They went to medical school. The practice owner sitting across from you? They're thinking about patient care, staffing shortages, and keeping their doors open. When you start throwing around "back-end edits" and "remittance advice reconciliation," you've lost them. Worse, they won't tell you they're lost. They'll just resent you for making them feel like they should know. Three principles from that lecture changed how I approach RCM partnerships: Stop performing, start listening. Instead of pitching your 47-point process improvement plan, ask: "What keeps you up at night about your billing?" Then pause. Let them fill that space. You'll learn more in 30 seconds of silence than in 30 minutes of your PowerPoint. Recommend what's right, not what's profitable. If a practice doesn't need a full RCM overhaul—if they just need better front-desk training—say that. The fastest way to build trust is to talk yourself out of a bigger contract when it's the right call for them. Be the person who actually answers the phone. Every RCM vendor promises "partnership" and "support." Few deliver. When a practice administrator emails you at 4:47 PM on Friday about a payer denying claims, responding in 8 minutes instead of Monday morning is the difference between a reference and a cancellation. The irony? The best client service in RCM has nothing to do with your clearinghouse integrations or your offshore team's efficiency metrics. It's about making a stressed practice owner feel like someone finally understands their problem—and is going to fix it without making them feel stupid for asking. What's one client service principle you wish more RCM vendors understood? #RCM #RevenueCycleManagement #HealthcareOperations #Compliance #DenialManagement #KPI #ProcessImprovement #Leadership #HealthcareRCM

If you’ve ever presented as a consultant, you probably know that look: The one that says "Great, another one who thinks they understand our business better than we do." How do you handle it? Address it head-on. I always start with a bit of self-deprecating humor that shows I know my role and I’ve done my homework. I win them over not by pretending to be the expert on their business, but by demonstrating I understand their specific challenges. "I spent time with your customer data and noticed something interesting about your retention rates in Q3..." Then, I build credibility through a relevant story: "When we worked with a similar SaaS company last year, they were convinced their problem was feature adoption. Turns out, customers were getting value—they just weren't renewing because the onboarding experience was broken." This approach works because it:  → Acknowledges the elephant in the room  → Shows respect for their expertise while demonstrating your preparation  → Builds trust through relevant, specific experience  → Focuses on customer outcomes, not internal assumptions The goal isn't to impress them with how smart you are. It's to show them you understand their customers well enough to help them succeed.

Your deep knowledge of SAP is worthless if your client doesn't understand you. I'll never forget a CFO saying, "We're not paying you to teach us SAP; we're paying you to improve our business." It was a wake-up call. Too many projects fail in the workshop, not in the code. Here's the breakdown: Consultants present system flows. The business users hear a foreign language. They nod politely. Chaos erupts at UAT because their actual needs were never truly met. If you want to be an elite consultant, your superpower isn't technical complexity. It's radical clarity. Here’s the path to clarity: Immerse Yourself in Their World. Learn their business first, then map SAP to it. Ditch the Jargon. Talk about their processes, their pain points, and their goals. Reflect and Confirm. Constantly paraphrase their needs in simple terms to ensure alignment. ("So, what I'm hearing is...") Make Them the Hero. Your job is to empower them to be better at their jobs, not to show how smart you are. Don't sell features; sell solutions to their problems. Build trust by making them feel seen and understood. Let's raise the standard. Be the consultant who delivers clarity, not just configuration. What’s the best (or worst) business workshop you’ve been part of? I’d love to hear real-world stories. #SAP #SAPConsulting #S4HANA #ERP #DigitalTransformation #ChangeManagement #BusinessTransformation #Consulting #Clarity #Communication #SoftSkills #ConsultingSkills #BusinessAcumen #Empathy #ListeningSkills #Trust #Empowerment #Implementation #ProjectManagement #SAPProject #GoLive #UAT #UserAdoption #StakeholderManagement #RequirementsGathering #BusinessProcess #ProcessImprovement #ROI #BusinessValue #Strategy #CIO #CFO #ITStrategy #Consultant #ConsultantLife #BusinessAnalyst #SolutionArchitect #SAPFICO #SAPSD #SAPMM #CustomerCentric #ValueAdded #Mindset #GrowthMindset #BestPractices #LessonsLearned #Motivation

One of the biggest learnings on my consulting journey? People trust you when they see you as one of them. But how do you bridge that gap and truly connect with people? Here are a few things I have seen work: 🔆 Culture Whisperer: Every industry, every company, has its own unique culture. Take the time to understand their values, communication style, and even humor. It shows you care and builds rapport. 🔆 Speak Their Language: Jargon might impress some, but fluency in their language is what resonates. Learn their industry terms, pain points, and goals. Speak directly to what matters to them. 🔆 Dress for the Occasion (But Not Literally): While looking sharp is important, it's about fitting in, not mimicking. A relaxed tech startup might not expect a suit, while a mining company expects you to comply with safety requirements (that’s what I am wearing). The key is to be professional while reflecting their environment. 🔆 Don’t be transactional: Consulting isn't about selling a service, it's about solving their problems. Focus on what truly matters to them, not just the project at hand. Become a trusted advisor, not just a hired cannon. I am sure there are more best practices, what’s yours? #Mindset #Leadership #Consulting #Trust #Clients #Communication #Culture #ConsultingLife