Professional Development
Xpediant Solutions

Who is a Professional?
Can you identify a professional?

What is a Professional?
Define it: A professional is

Aspects of a Professional
Specialized training and skills
(usually, but not always)
Revenue is a function of the
results you produce and/or the
value you create.

Aspects of a Professional
Often regulated by a standard
of behavior, ethics and practice
Does not allow feelings and
external circumstances to be a
deciding factor for how to act.
Chooses based on commitment.

Aspects of a Professional
Excellence
• Being the best you can be.
• Deciding to do a job to the
best of your capabilities.
• Doing what it takes to get
the job done, even when it is
inconvenient.

A Professional is
being committed to
giving your best (excellence)
for what you are paid to do.

What personal areas should
Professional Consultants (we) develop?

Areas of Development
Your technical skills
Your business skills

Areas of Development
Your technical skills (incomplete)
Programming knowledge
•
Web application knowledge
•
etworking knowledge
•
Development tools &
•
techniques knowledge
Frameworks knowledge
•
OS knowledge
•
Hardware knowledge
•
Etc
•

Areas of Development
Your business skills
Manage career
•
Your soft skills
•
Know your industry & clients
•
Know your competitors
•
Your attitude
•

Manage Career
Consulting Job Description (real example)
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, or
Prefer a minimum 8 years of IT, or
Prefer a minimum 3 years of consulting, or
Knowledge of software and hardware
Prefer a minimum 1 technical certification
Attend and present at industry conferences
Assist the marketing/sales group
Publish at least one white paper
Present at a professional user group

Manage Career
Consulting Job Description (cont.)
Administrative Responsibilities
Maintain mentoring relationship with 5 or more
•
Provide assistance in preparing quarterly reviews,
•
Act as a role model, promote the culture
•
Influence the leadership of at least one internal
•
Communicate and promote service offerings
•
Act as a liaison by communicating client issues
•
Develop, maintain and manage honest and open
•
Consult with upper management regarding client’s
•
Make decisions on employee promotions
•
Lead instructional classes and activities
•
Exercise initiative and use sound judgement
•
Estimate and schedule tasks
•
etc.
•

Manage Career
Consulting Job Description (cont.)
Professional Skills
Able to adjust plan to meet changing needs.
Tackles problems and takes independent action.
Accept accountability.
Meet and strive to exceed the expectations
Maintains confidentiality.
Present a positive professional image
Builds allies and relationships
Demonstrate team orientation
Assist in resolution of conflicts
Support personal development initiatives

Career
Consulting Job Description (cont.)
Delivery
Technical Writing
Development
Business Analysis
Leading Projects/Employees
Communication
Business Development / Sales Support

Soft Skills –
Some Leadership Principles
The Law of Process
“Leadership develops daily, not in a day.”
The Law of avigation
“Anyone can steer a ship, but it takes a leader
to chart the course.”
The Law of Solid Ground
“Trust is the foundation of leadership.”
The Law of Reproduction
“It takes a leader to raise up a leader.”
The Law of Explosive Growth
“To add growth, lead followers. To multiply,
lead leaders.”
* Excerpted ‘laws’ from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Dr. John Maxwell

Industries & Clients

Some BPM Competitors
186,000+ employees 95,000+ employees
$23.39 billion $4.93 billion
3,500+ employees
$900 million
58,000+ employees
$2.1 billion

Other BPM Competitors
Frontline Consulting Services Inc.
(www.fcs-inc.com)
Perficient
(www.perficient.com)
Volant Solutions
(www.volantsolutions.com)
Techstone Technology Partners LLC
(www.techstonellc.com)
Qualitrol Tech
(www.qualitroltech.com)

Attitude & Behavior
‘Undesirable’ Consultant Types
Chicken Little
The Wizard of Oz
The Lazy Housekeeper
The Tinkerer

Attitude & Behavior
Help the client save face.
Use positive vs. negative language.
Assume the best of intentions and actions.
Know the big picture.
Listen!
Put things in context.
Speak their language (and listen!)
Don’t “go native!”
Stay away from “sugarcoating.”
Say it more than once.
Care about the clients’ success - keep “client
success” in mind!
THI K LIKE A CLIE T

What is your most important
skill / ability?

Professional Development
Xpediant Solutions