When you approach something from a consultant perspective, you need to see what the church needs… not just your area of specialty. Instead, a good consultant sorts out their needs and approaches the situation appropriately, referring to the appropriate tools for the job. That’s a relational consulting process: there’s a shift from salesperson with a pre-determined product to a trusted and helpful resource person.
It’s like the classic Saturday Night Live skit where the line cooks try to sell everyone a cheeseburger– regardless of what anyone actually wants– because that’s all they have to sell. It’s not about the customer’s needs; it’s about what they have to offer. As Carl George has said, “Help that is not perceived as help is not helpful.”
So many consultants go through all the rigmarole of listening to people… only to then pitch the cheeseburger that’s all they have to offer. In some cases there are more sophisticated options: cheeseburger with pickles, cheeseburger with lettuce, or cheeseburger with tomatoes. But it’s still basically one-size-fits-all.
My practice as a consultant is to truly listen to what you are trying to accomplish without a pre-conceived agenda. Then we can customize a solution that fits your context. If you want a trusted resource rather than a salesperson, talk to me.