All I Needed to Know About Business Consulting I Learned in Kindergarten

Using the work of Robert Fulghum ( All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten ) as a framework, I set out to label, frame and provide illustrations for how to engage in business consulting using values. Each area addressed by Fulghum's is used as a framework and a list of fifty-two virtues from Virtues Project International were used to label values. The virtues are highlighted for emphasis in discussing Fulghum's framework.

Share Everything
Too often we miss this in business. Competition and winning at the expense of others have been adopted as a successful business strategy. In fact, it is the opposite. When you engage with others and work together by sharing your capabilities and are in the position to refer to others when you do not possess the needed capabilities, you are building relationships and demonstrating values. When you share work with others you increase the capabilities needed to get the job done with the best results.

It actually results in business growth as it becomes a foundation for future joint ventures. In practice we are not all things to all people. Effective business consulting practice relies upon identifying the needs of the client and the best intervention for responding to the client's needs. Some individuals and firms lack the capabilities needed and should partner with others to offer the best services. What values are in operation when sharing? You are engaging in unity of purpose with others. You are genuinely collaborating. You are demonstrating trustworthiness to the client that if you can't offer everything they need that you will reach out to others. You are exhibiting integrity. You are showing respect of others because they are engaging with you to provide the best possible service. You are demonstrating cooperation.

Play Fair
Fairness, justice, honesty, and integrity are values that need to be displayed daily. Businesses do not operate in isolation. If you engage fairly with others you promote a reputation of openness, respect and trust. You are showing your integrity.

If you engage in practices to achieve the "competitive edge" and look upon others with suspicion you are acting in a distrustful and deceitful manner. If you expect to be treated fairly, you must be fair. Do not allow your desire to compete overshadow your ability to be fair and engage equitably with others. You are showing justice.

Don't Hit People
Be friendly and show tact, moderation, and tolerance. In their drive to deliver services in a timely and efficient manner, business consultants and their managers often rush to get the job done without regard for what is reasonable and considerate. Placing high demands on members of the consulting team can have the reverse effect of what is intended. It often results in fatigue, burn out, and inefficiency let alone the insult to self esteem and jeopardizing a feeling of pride for a job well done. Clients observe their consultants' behavior and how they engage as a team.

Bad behavior can have negative consequences. People respond best to positive reinforcement, encouragement and support rather than increasing demands to achieve goals at any expense. Managers must be attuned to the capabilities of their team and goal expectations. If the goals are excessive then team members and even the goals set for the client will be compromised. Completing tasks under pressure usually results in a poor product or service. Show appreciation and be encouraging and supportive. Be prepared to exhibit tact, moderation, and tolerance.

Put Things Back Where You Found Them
In our rush to get the task done and move on to the next task, we often fail to experience a sense of achievement. One task begins to blend into another. There are no clear markers for completing tasks and as a result there are no opportunities to appreciate a sense of accomplishment. If you fail to experience the end of one task and the beginning of a new one, you miss an opportunity to benefit from the incremental reinforcement that comes with successfully achieving your goal. You also miss an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of others who may have helped in your goal achievement.

Showing appreciation to others and acknowledging how they helped can bolster team morale. Get back to basics. You are being appreciative, accountable, acknowledging cooperation, and exercising moderation when you use values in completing your work. Don't forget to acknowledge the accomplishments of others and how much you value them.

Clean Up Your Own Mess
If you make a mistake, immediately acknowledge it. Be honest. The temptation is avoid it, rationalize your behavior, and/or blame it on others or circumstances. It is best to exercise due diligence about your own behavior and own your mistakes. You need to be accountable and responsible. We are not perfect.

If you make a mistake, make every effort to not only to acknowledge it, but take the initiative to develop a strategy that can be implemented to correct it. Sometimes to do so requires that you reach out to others for help. Be prepared to be honest with yourself, responsible for your actions, accountable to yourself and others and exercise self-discipline.

Don't Take Things That Aren't Yours
Behaviors associated with being on the competitive edge and tactics of getting the business at any cost can be counterproductive and jeopardize your reputation and business. It is important to be vigilant about not taking things from others. Acting in any way that even gives the appearance of being deceitful or untrustworthy has serious consequences.

Your reputation, which is critical to your service, may become damaged and such damage to your reputation is not easily recovered. Being respectful of others' possessions, be-it a product or a service, must be adhered to. In business consulting and gaining contracts, some consultants have engaged in unethical and even illegal methods to gain a competitive edge. If you observe others going down an unethical path, be assertive and call attention to it. You can do so without sounding critical or accusatory. All actions in business consulting should be filtered through the lens of values highlighted by honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and honor.

Say You're Sorry When You Hurt Somebody
Business consulting is about relationships. It is important to know when you have injured someone. To do so requires an awareness of your own conduct. If you adopt the position that your actions can be categorized as "just business and not personal," you have missed the point. All business is personal. We engage with others and how we engage with them is the critical point. So, if you feel you may have hurt someone in some way, you are obligated to determine if you did and to ask for forgiveness. It takes strength and courage to say you are sorry. You should be truthful to yourself and others.

You need to display discernment and diligence about your own behavior. In many faith traditions, this is called taking oneself into account daily. It is good practice. By engaging in this practice, you may even find that you can exhibit wisdom. You should take the initiative to display diligence about your conduct and be focused upon exhibiting a discerning eye about how your behavior affects others so as to avoid hurting them. You should be seen by others as reliable and as being guided by values.

Wash Your Hands Before You Eat
When we are about to engage in work, it is important to prepare properly. This is where you structure your work around purposeful action that conforms to the goal you are trying to achieve on behalf of and with your client. It requires preparing to the best of your ability to deliver excellence in your work. It also means that you are determined and committed to offering quality services. There are no short cuts.

Flush
Sometimes we find ourselves engaging in actions that are counterproductive, but, out of habit, we persist and repeat the same non-productive behavior. If you evaluate a situation and find that there is a need to return to the "drawing board" then do so. Often it is at these times that we truly display creativity, flexibility and gain confidence. Be prepared to reach out to others for their ideas and advice.

To do so shows strength to depart from your norm and it offers an opportunity to be respectful of others' capabilities and some might say, wisdom, in acknowledging that you don't know something and need help from others. It is not a failure to change course and reframe your work. It shows flexibility and purposeful action.

Warm Cookies and Cold Milk Are Good for You
Everyone needs to be supported and encouraged. You need it and so do others. Sometimes engaging in the practice of encouraging others can lead to unexpected results. You may just find that others will be appreciative and will value your acknowledging them. Exercise courtesy. You honor others when you engage in this practice.

In the fast paced world of business, we sometimes rush to complete tasks at the expense of good manners. Look up, make eye contact and engage with others with whom you are working. We sometimes forget that we do not live in isolation. We are engaging with others when we perform our work with our team and clients. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. It speaks to our humanity. Taking the time to acknowledge and express gratitude to others speaks to dignity.

Live a Balanced Life
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some
Take a nap every afternoon

The world of business is immoderate. Often we find ourselves moving from one thing to another at a faster and faster rate with a sense of urgency that we miss the big picture. We fail to see the forest from the trees. Our current technologies reinforce this notion. We can access all sorts of information with a key stroke. The big picture is that our lives are not just our work life. Really!

There is more to our lives than what we do at work. We are not defined by our job, although many like to identify themselves in that way. It is important to achieve balance. If you don't have balance, then strive to get it. To do so requires self-discipline that some might say is the kind of discipline that got us focused on doing our work in the most efficient and effective way.

If that work ethic is devoid of good health practices, recreation, rest and enjoyment of others (outside work), then you may have missed an opportunity to achieve genuine enjoyment and even fulfillment in life. It is outside work that we have real opportunities to engage in practices that are directed toward such pursuits as engaging in strengthening our bond with family and friends, being of service to others in a spirit of love, and showing compassion and empathy for those in need. The sky is the limit; don't restrict it solely to work.

Remember, moderation in all things. How about engaging in the practice of drawing, painting, singing and dancing? You could even engage in those activities with others. Turn off the computer, cell phone and iPad. How about being sure to play every day along with engaging in work? Listen to some favorite music, read a book (unrelated to work) or watch a movie. How about being sure to rest? Make sure you rest properly every night. There is no harm in taking an occasional nap.

Learn Some and Think Some
We often engage in learning, but it is often directed toward action without reflection. We are quick to reach a solution and implement action. In business consulting, the opportunity to evaluate and reflect upon lessons learned is usually a brief after action item if it is done at all. Be open to new ideas or different ways to look at a problem. Don't be restricted by one problem solving approach.

If you are going to "brain storm," don't fall into the trap of criticizing each item as it is shared. Thinking alone is different than in a group. Recognize the difference. Be sure to allow others to speak and share. Take time to listen to what others are saying rather formulating your response while listening. Be patient and humble. Exhibit courtesy by truly listening to others and demonstrate genuine interest and curiosity by asking them questions.

Be creative and dare to be imaginative. Enjoy the clash of ideas and not the clash of personalities or opinions. You may be in a position to manifest discernment and contribute to a solution. Be enthusiastic about the process and considerate of others. Be tactful. The more you practice implementing your values, the more attuned you will be not only to the needs of others, but you may observe how others apply their values. That observation is a gift, be prepared to learn from others.

When you go out into the world
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.

When we engage with others we must embrace unity. Most tasks need to be completed with others. In our work with our teams and clients, we must make a commitment to them and strive for excellence. We should treat all with respect, dignity, integrity and courtesy. If you offer kindness, exhibit loyalty, and perform your work in a true spirit of service, you should be prepared for some remarkable outcomes. Be sure to look out for others and offer them your full support and encouragement. Expect to receive as much as you give. Be loving and exhibit a humble posture.

Be Aware of Wonder
Be prepared for the unexpected that can approach wonder. Most of us think of the unexpected as negative. It need not be negative and often is positive. Avoid the trap of only looking for negative consequences. It is best to hold to a positive attitude. That can be challenging. Practice is necessary. In your interactions with others focus upon their positive attributes, capabilities and traits. Get excited about ideas, being creative and thinking "outside of the box." Collaborate with other. Engage in idealistic pursuits. Prepare to be innovative. Look for the wonder in your work and life. It is out there.

Conclusion
This article has been an interesting exercise. I had as a goal to use all fifty-two words and I must admit it did take some time to consider how each could be used. What was interesting was how often a word got repeated. While the focus of this article was on practices in business consulting, this approach can actually be used in other professions and life. Applying principles or virtues in one's work and life requires thinking about how they are used, labeling behaviors and practicing them. It requires reflection and sometimes modifying one's approach.

You may like to recruit a trusted colleague or friend to provide feedback on your behavior and you may benefit from labeling the value or virtue that is observed. It is important to label your behavior according to your values. You may also like to make a count of how many values you exhibited in a day and make it a part of your daily reflection.

The challenge presented here is to consider engaging in the practice of incorporating principles, values or virtues in our work and taking steps to label, frame and practice them in the context of our work and life. Let your work and life be value-driven. Be prepared, it requires effort. It does allow for implementing action clearly linked to values. Who knows, you may find that by doing so you have achieved success.

It is a well known fact that Benjamin Franklin practiced reflecting upon his values and his behavior and he certainly accomplished a great deal and achieved success. Why not try it?

References
Fulghum, Robert (1988). All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten. New York: Villard Books.
Virtures Project International (2007). Virtues: The Gifts of Character.

About the Author
James M. Schear, Ph.D. is Executive Senior Vice President at Scientific Research Consortium, LLC where he is engaged in mission implementation, strategic planning, and operational practices of the enterprise. He has served as an educator, researcher, and health service provider for more than thirty years where he has held leadership positions and has been recognized for his knowledge and expertise. His passionate adherence to value-driven practices is at the center of his executive leadership.  See sci-research.com for more information.