According to a recent study by The Aspen Institute for the Future of Work (done in conjunction with the Markle Foundation, Burson-Marsteller and TIME), 70% of companies surveyed said they believe more businesses will move to an on-demand labor model. While the rapid expansion of the sharing economy is garnering its share of headlines, one of the fastest growing segments is the deployment of highly experienced executives on a project basis.
At Martellus, we believe real change happens when you combine deep subject matter knowledge with hands-on experience and organizational savvy to ensure that decisions are activated. A seasoned executive who concentrates on the ‘how’ as much as the ‘why’ can accelerate performance, warn about potential pitfalls, speed up decision-making, help with fundamentals and become an objective sounding board for leaders. For us, the sharing economy lies in sharing knowledge, know-how and experience.
The Secret to Better Results: Leadership and On-Demand Experts
We asked leading expert Dr. John J. Sumanth, James Farr Fellow at the Organizational Behavior Center for Leadership & Character of Wake Forest University, for his advice on how business leaders can ensure the best results when bringing in outside experts.
“One of the biggest mistakes firms make is assuming that consultants don’t need to be effectively integrated and socialized into the organization’s culture and norms at the outset of a project, since they’re brought in to provide third-party objectivity and insight. However, failing to take time at the beginning to help the external team understand the organization’s culture, where the organizational land mines are, who the informal power players are and what the political landscape looks like can help the consulting team avoid missteps and enhance its credibility when it comes time to making recommendations. Clients who take some time at the beginning of a project to clearly define the organizational playing field for the consulting team will build internal trust and help to set the external experts up for long-term success.”
Martellus in Action: How to Improve Outcomes
Martellus Expert Sherry Weiss has experience as an in-house executive (Citi, Jet.com) and as a sought-after consultant focused on the intersection of marketing and product. Here, she shares her tips on how to enhance results when bringing in a consultant.
1. Make sure your team knows why the consultant is there and what their role is. Taking time to clear the path at the start will speed up results down the road.
2. Think about the incoming expert as an extension of your own team; grant them the same access to information and your own time as the rest of your staff.
3. Reduce potential stress by letting your team know that the expert is there to enhance outcomes and make them more successful, not find fault.