I played basketball in junior high. When I threw a pass, I didn't aim at the "current" position of my running teammate because, by so doing, my ball would have ended up going through behind the moving target. On the other hand, if the pass was too far ahead of him, he would not have been able to reach it in time. What's important in scoring points is to aim at somewhere in between, preferably at the point where my teammate could stretch forward just enough to reach my ball.
Using this metaphor, in management consulting my running teammates are my clients. In people development they are participants and sponsors. Scoring means the growth of both corporate performance and of employee capabilities.
When I was engaged in organizational and people development projects as an HR manager, I had difficulty finding an outside consultant to satisfy my team's needs.
I wanted to work with a professional who, as a committed team member, had an in-depth understanding of our company's business and culture, and who, as an outside expert, was objective as well. It occurred to me that becoming such a professional would be my dream job.
Now I am lucky enough to be able to pursue that line of work as an independent consultant and lecturer. Wearing my "consultant's hat," I can share a sense of accomplishment with my client's team when a project is successfully completed. Wearing my "lecturer's hat," I can witness the development and transformation of people right in front of me.
