Deputy Chief Justice Ray Zondo arrives for proceedings on the first day of the state capture inquiry in Parktown, Johannesburg. Picture: ALON SKUY
Yet, we sit at the beginning of a new consulting season where the collateral damage caused to the industry has left its reputation in tatters and in need of revitalisation. SA’s consulting sector is estimated to be a R15bn a year industry. The self-inflicted trauma of the last few years has given the industry an opportunity to look at itself in the mirror, reflect, and hopefully return to what it does best: creating real impact and adding value.
• Clear purpose: ensure the organisation and its staff are clear in their purpose. Consulting firms should contribute to and participate in developing their society. Diversity of thought, staff and skills, skills development, and supporting positive change through leveraging their own abilities are hallmarks of a clear, symbiotic purpose. Without a clear purpose, the forces of profit and extraction will take precedence.
• Cultural quotient : IQ and EQ are important but overemphasised. Consultants often have a reputation for large egos. This is where CQ is relevant. Do the consultants you intend working with have a propensity towards collaboration and integration? Do theywant to work and support you and your team? For example, an indicative characteristic is organisational diversity, which in my experience brings fresh perspectives and approaches.