We Are All Consultants

Abstract

Carl and Fred discussing how much of what we do as reliability professionals falls into the role of consultants. Learning how to be better consultants will enhance the results of our day-to-day work.

Key Points

Join Carl and Fred as they discuss their experiences as consultants and how they were using the skills of consulting from early in their careers. To a great degree, everyone should be using the skills of consulting to be successful in achieving reliability objectives.

Topics include:

Teaching reliability engineers to be internal consultants, to improve their engagement with the rest of the organization in achieving reliability objectives.
To be a good consultant you don’t merely do what the customer wants. It takes collaboration between consultant and internal customer.
Ask “why” when internal customer says they want something done. Make sure it is the right method to use. What problem are they trying to solve? What are you going to do with the information?
Soft skills are important to achieving reliability objectives.
Role of consultant is teaching as well as performing.
Part of the job of every reliability engineer is to provide services to the rest of the organization, and the skills of consulting are essential.
Balance your reliability method skills with the softer skills of consulting and communication to expand your roles and be more successful.
Always begin with asking what you are trying to achieve. How does it add value?
Adding benefit to others is the role of consulting.
Identify the decisions that you support.
What to do when customer asks you to do something that is misguided. For example, customer asks for MTBF prediction. You can do what the customer asks and also do what adds value, such as Weibull analysis. Look for “win-win.”
Exception is if customer asks you to do something which is unsafe or unethical, that should not be done, and has to be redirected into a safe and ethical action.
If you are required to do a task that does not add value and do not have opportunity to also do a task that adds value, consider not going forward. Poor job satisfaction.
Consider your career strategy to get in position that adds value to the company and provides job satisfaction.

Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.