It’s Q1 and your list of priorities is a mile long. Your action items are filled with exciting possibilities, looming challenges and, of course, the routine tasks that keep your days full.
So how do you know when it’s time to elevate your talent by bringing in a consultant? Kelly Weight, co-founder of Minneapolis finance, accounting, project management and HR consulting firm Brillect, is here to break it down for you.
“My number one piece of advice is to look for your pain points,” says Kelly. “Where are the gaps, hiccups or roadblocks that are causing you to stumble? The answers to this question are telling and can help provide direction in making sure you have the right expertise and bandwidth on your team.”
Kelly advises her clients to watch for these four main signs that it is time to bring in outside expertise.
You’re flying without a radar and feel unprepared or blindsided by issues that arise.
If you’re being blindsided by problem after problem that you didn’t see coming, bringing in a consultant can help you get visibility to those critical items you didn’t anticipate.
“If you’re in constant firefighting mode, you need someone to help you identify – and manage – the flammables in the room,” says Kelly. “An experienced consultant can serve as a valuable advisor, helping you stay on top of regulatory changes, identify potential risks, monitor compliance issues, and a whole host of other items to keep you on your front foot.”
With a fresh perspective, in-the-trenches industry expertise and a seasoned radar detector, the right consultant can offer a unique lens into what’s lying beneath the surface.
Once the list of potential red flags is identified, a consultant can take it a step further and provide a game plan for how to avoid or proactively manage those issues so they don’t derail your team’s goals, focus and energy.
You want to grow, but your team is overwhelmed with just treading water.
If your company is in a high-stakes growth mode, there’s never a shortage of work to do. Yet many fast-growing companies operate with a lean staff who haven’t been right-sized following mergers, acquisitions or expanded product or service offerings.
If your team is bogged down in the minutia of day-to-day operations, consider bringing in a consultant to add bandwidth. Whether you want a highly skilled consultant with specific subject matter expertise to lead a high-stakes project or a high-caliber, dedicated resource to take over routine responsibilities, Brillect can help connect you with the right resource.
“We work with a lot of fast-growing companies who need to flex their teams with the needs of the business,” said Kelly. “Working with a consultant is a great way to keep pace with the swings and fluctuations because you can access the right resources, right when you need them.”
You’ve got roadblocks in your path, but you just can’t move them.
If you’re constantly hauling boulders out of your path, it’s time to bring in an expert to do the heavy lifting.
Maybe there’s an internal power struggle between management or a person on the team who can’t see past the risk to realize the reward. Tapping into an experienced external voice with no stake in office politics can help carve a path forward to progress.
“If you’ve reached an impasse and can’t get the ball down the field, bringing in an external, unbiased resource can be a game changer,” said Kelly. “Our team can assess the situation and make recommendations in a way that can’t always be done internally. There’s value in having someone point out the roadblocks and call out the risks and lost reward of not moving them out of the way.”
Brillect has a deep bench of finance, accounting, project management and HR consultants who are skilled at helping clients find solutions to overcome problems. Our consultants are also backed by the Brillect network, allowing them to tap into other subject matter experts and harness additional talent when needed. Whether it’s managing up to help get buy-in or providing subject matter expertise to lend added credibility, consultants can help you navigate to where you need your team to go.
You have gaps in expertise and experience levels and the hole keeps getting larger.
If you have an amazing team who does stellar work but find yourself missing critical expertise in a specific area, it’s time to bring in a consultant.
When you need someone to get the job done, whether it’s an asset investment valuation, system implementation, compliance filing or backfilling a departing team member, we have a deep talent pool of finance, accounting, project management and HR experts with just the right experience to meet your needs.
Our consultants can quickly size up a situation and identify what needs to be done and get to work, fitting in seamlessly with your team or working independently depending on the situation.
Kelly points out it’s important to look beyond the resume to find the right consultant.
“Resumes, experience and expertise all matter, but fit matters even more,” said Kelly. “Look for a partner who is asking the right questions and looking at the whole picture to fill your talent gap with the right person, not just any person.”
Finding a Consulting Partner
If you’re looking to elevate your talent and help your team get to the next level, look for a consulting partner, not just a seat filler.
“Consulting is not just about staffing,” said Kelly. “The right consulting partner works by your side to add value and provide solutions to problems, gaps and opportunities beyond just the ones you identify.”
Whether you’re flying blind, don’t have a team that is scaled to your growth, are overwhelmed by roadblocks or stymied by gaps of talent, Brillect can help you find a customized solution.
Let us show you how we can be a true partner, helping you assess the situation and match you with the perfect consultant, staying step in lock step by your side through it all. Reach out today to learn more.
