If your objective is to make money then you need salesperson competencies
because you are selling yourself. So the list contains Communication,
Problem Analysis, Empathy, etc. as well as a smattering of knowledge
regarding the client's problem domain.
If your objective is to make your client successful, however, then you need
a quite different set of competencies. Stong in their problem domain,
great in diagnosing what they don't know, even better at diagnosing what
they don't know they don't know, and superb at getting them past denial and
anger an on to action.
One of the best, both at doing it and at telling us how to do it, is Robert
Schaffer, Stamford, CT.
Try his book, High Impact Consulting, Jossey Bass, 1997, 1-800-956-7739.
I have no business relationship with him.
I do have a lot of gratitude for what I have learned from his publications.
Jack Ring
Innovation Management
32712 N. 70th St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85262-7143
602-488-4615