Practical ways to demonstrate reliability as a consultant

Reliability is a key component of the Trust Equation...but how can you demonstrate it in your everyday client interactions?

There’s one word we use all the time when talking about skill development for consultants.

TRUST

It’s fundamental to your client relationships. Regardless of how well you execute your consulting project, without trust, you won’t achieve the desired results.

We’ve introduced the Trust Equation before (see Skills to grow your reputation and revenue) and explored its role in developing effective client relationships. The Trust Equation comprises four key components:

1. Credibility - do you know your subject matter?
2. Reliability - do you deliver what you say you will?
3. Intimacy - do you make people feel safe and secure?
4. Self-orientation - are you able to focus on the other person more than yourself?

Credit: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Galford & Green.

In this article, we delve into the reliability component. What does it truly mean to be reliable, and how can you consistently demonstrate this trait in your interactions with clients?

How reliable are you?

Reliable (adjective)
deserving trust; dependable; consistently good in quality or performance; someone who does what they say they will do

We all like to believe we are reliable. It’s a valued personal characteristic, so few people will think of themselves as ‘flaky’ or prone to letting others down.

However, what matters is not whether you think you are reliable person, but whether your client feels you are. Taking practical action to ensure they do will serve to bolster the trust in your relationship with them.

Practical ways to demonstrate reliability

Anyone can demonstrate reliability - it takes no special knowledge or expertise, and it doesn't require you to take a risk by being vulnerable. You just need to focus on keeping your promises, being dependable, and being consistently good. It's a great place to start, particularly if you're early in your consulting career.

Here's 15 actionable ways you can demonstrate reliability at different stages of a consulting engagement:

Project start-up & first meetings

1. Provide your availability promptly when asked.

2. Offer to send notes after a call, and ensure they are sent the same day.

3. Draft an email for your client to send to their team explaining the project.

4. Clearly articulate the project context and target outcomes.

5. Increase the frequency of interactions (familiarity builds confidence in your behaviour).

Mid-project

1. Avoid rearranging, postponing, or missing meetings.

2. Consistently meet your deadlines.

3. Understand your clients’ preferences in all areas.

4. Send meeting materials in advance.

5. Clearly state next steps after every meeting, commit to them, and deliver.

Project close & post-project

1. Explicitly confirm that you have delivered what you promised.

2. Consolidate all key documents in one place and send your client a link.

3. Draft an email for your client to send to their boss summarising the successes.

4. Seek their feedback and act on it.

5. Stay in touch by sharing news or resources you know will interest them.

Which of these do you already do? Which could you easily adopt? And what additional strategies would you suggest for demonstrating reliability?

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