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Choosing a Fulcrum

Choosing A Fulcrum, A Advisor, or A Consultant, or A Coach

What To Avoid

Diagnosis by Allegiance- Beware of advisors and counselors who provide you with what they have and know versus what you need! When you have a pain in your jaw and see a dentist you’ll have TMJ syndrome; if you go to a podiatrist ,you’ll need shoe inserts; if you go to psychologist, you’ll need therapy; if you go to a nutritionist you’ll get a new diet, and if you go to an internist you may get surgery. These are all cases of diagnosis by allegiance.

This also happens when the leader seeks help from an attorney, from a CPA, from a management consultant, or someone who has experience in one or two industries. Their perspective and what they have to offer will be limited like what they have.

Willing Phillips has experience in 40 industries over 50 years. He has been a principal in Mcgladrey Hendrickson CPA firm as well as in several boutique consulting firms. For the last 20 years he has worked independently.

Most importantly, his work is based on involving the whole system and in getting all the elephants on the table.

Focus? Many coaches and consultants are focused on particular tools and methods.  Beware the carpenter who only has a hammer. 

What To Be Aware Of

  • Biases Learn the history and perspectives of your potential counselor so you know what biases may show up. See the link on Recognizing Bias on this website.
  • Gravitas Does your counselor have decades of ups and downs? The perspective that comes from years of varied experience? Working in one or two fields develops a limited scope.
  • What is their focus? Many coaches and consultants are focused on particular tools and methods that they are used to using. Beware the carpenter who only has a hammer. Find one with a full toolbox. Many of these can be quite effective. When you start hearing theories, methods, tools and jargon, you may be with someone focused on the features of their work not the benefits you need. The wisest councilors have moved way beyond toolkits, and invariably begin with a focus on you, your organization and your needs.
  • Intervention philosophy. What foundation do they begin with? Surfacing weaknesses and problems, or by looking at strengths, successes and capabilities? The choice of foundation will determine the kind of building that’s created.
  • What is the deliverable? Advice? Reports? Support? Challenge? Results?

Six Qualities to Look for

A wise business counselor brings extensive experience across multiple industries. A deep counselor will ask you questions that you may have overlooked or are uncomfortable asking. A challenging counselor will build a deep trust so that these questions can be productively explored.

A powerful counselor will help you realize how you get in your own way. A tough counselor will hold you accountable to yourself. All this helps you engineer or reengineer your future by building on your strengths rather than correcting your weaknesses. A supportive counselor takes an optimistic stance in helping you uncover, uncommon and unseen opportunities for resolving contentious and complex challenges.

Such a counselor is the next level above executive coaching