By Deborah Schroeder-Saulnier, Management Expert & CEO, EXCEL LEADERSHIP SOLUTIONS – Posted on January 28, 2015
The biggest mistake companies make when managing multiple contractors and consultants is…
“Not” managing them.
Very quickly you can get into schedule delays, missed deadlines, scope creep, cost over-runs, communication issues, role confusion, and much more. Setting the agenda and guiding the experts through a single point of contact, beginning with onboarding, reduces conflict and confusion on several fronts, thereby reducing cost and ensuring greater success in achievement of the respective goals.
The following highlight key components of effective management when working with a model that engages multiple contractors and consultants:
- Clarifying the “End” Game: Engaging the contractors and consultants in conversations to understand the end game and outline their contribution to the organization can reduce time and lower costs in the long-run.
- Making Introductions to Key Stakeholders & Each Other: Taking time to make introductions to key executives and partners with whom they will be working accelerates movement in the desired direction.
- Setting Expectations: Ensuring expectations are set, and re-set as necessary, not only for the outcomes but also interactions and performance protocols clarifies your expectations and sets everyone up for success.
- Establishing “Progress Update” Meetings: Staying on top of progress and resolving issues in a timely way will ensure unnecessary time is not added to project work.
- Pro-actively Addressing Concerns: People often switch jobs and companies. Having a process in place to notify and address concerns, such as these, before they occur will keep things streamlined.
- Mitigating Risk with “No Surprises:” Filling all appropriate partners and leadership in on a decision or issue guarantees smooth problem solving and conflict management. No one appreciates surprises or volatile conditions.