Most professionals really struggle with a few basics, according to our research. These are identifying their target clients, how they add value to them and what their "elevator pitch" is. When asked "what business are you in" or "what do you do specifically", most professionals cannot give a clear and consistent answer. It takes a lot of effort to get this right and the simpler and clearer your message, the more likely you are to get clients who understand what it is that you can do for them.

There is a move to professionalise occupations in South Africa and there is a need to focus on two things in doing so; competence and ethics. Many ask why we should even bother with certification. My answer is simple; to protect our clients and ensure the standard that they deserve when paying for professional services. The certified management consultant (CMC) designation is a global standard which has been developed by agreement and applies in more than 47 countries. Surely this is a good start.

There is a debate whether this is a minimum standard or the ultimate standard. In my opinion, the CMC is a minimum standard that clients should expect from professional management consultants. Yes, the consultant can exceed that standard and that is great but he or she should definitely not fall short of that standard, which is based on a combination of qualifications, references and experience. This should give the client a level of comfort that the person they are dealing with is a professional measured by an...

Super excited to be testing out the twitter integration features of the Thought-Leader Blog! Want to stay up to date with Thought-Leader, follow us on twitter!

The thought-leader blog is now functional!

 

Thought-leader is looking for partners to promote their products and services through collaboration

 

 

It has been a while coming and Thought-Leader will be a revolutionary site in South Africa