Craving a Dog’s Life
(Article 2)
A series of articles about finding a pathway towards a simpler life, one that is less focused on structure and more on love, compassion, daily walks, and treats
By Renate
Senior Public Servant
Retired 2014
Interesting thing, going back to work as an independent consultant after having spent a career running large projects and having responsibility for managing teams of professionals.
No one to help schedule meetings, organize travel, or format documents. As a consultant, I am the creator, editor, proofreader, formatter, and distributor of everything I do. And while doing all these things, I try to understand the current issues within the organization without being part of the inner circle. That amazing support staff person I used to have, the one who could make that report or briefing note into a professional piece of writing, who could organize my time and most importantly let me know what was really happening in the organization, is no longer there. I’ve had to develop a new set of expert support skills and find other ways to understand the dynamics within an organization I used to be part of.
Walking the fine line
As a consultant, I walk a fine line between giving professional advice and being the authority/decision-maker. This is especially true when I provide advice to a program area I used to run. For me, the best way to deal with that situation is to limit my working time in the office. I still attend team meetings and edit documents and briefing material, but, instead of doing the bulk of work within the office, I work out of my home office most of the time. Besides, in this new technology-enabled environment, I am just a click, text, or call away. I keep regular office hours, but am not available for someone to just drop by. That is reserved for the new boss, and enables the new boss to gain the trust and respect of their staff. I am still providing valuable information and advice that benefits the whole team, with limited face time. I think that is definitely the toughest part of being a consultant: knowing that my input and advice are valued and have a place in the new order of things, but no longer owning the problem or situation. I become part of the solution, but am not the ultimate decision-maker.
Advising from the outside
Access to people is another hurdle a consultant faces. When I was in charge, people made room for me in their busy schedules – actually my assistant used to make that happen. After I retired, I found new people in my position and other senior positions, as well as new support staff. I no longer have that special relationship I used to have within my peer group. That is a tricky place to be in and I quickly realized that my job is to provide context for when, how and why decisions were made in the past, while providing advice as to how things should move forward today. Staying quiet when I know a bad decision is being made is one of the hardest things I’ve learned as a consultant. My job is to give the best advice on a given set of circumstances. At the end of the day, I need to lay out all of the options, and let someone else decide. And once that decision is made, I need to help make that path successful.
When I was the boss, I spent much of my time working with colleagues, and having long discussions about different topics such as budget, staffing, new initiatives, big projects, etc. Most of the time this was done face to face, and often I developed a small, close-knit community. I was aware of all of the big issues affecting my colleagues and the team; we worked on these things together. I understood how all the pieces of the big puzzle fit together, and what my role was. As a consultant, I rarely get the opportunity to work with the entire leadership team. I am an outsider, and my view into the organization is almost always one-dimensional. Most times I am not part of internal meetings and my advice now is filtered through the person who is paying me for that advice. If I am well connected to the person I work for, and he or she completely understands the advice I am giving, then I have a better-than-average chance of being successful. If I don’t have that kind of relationship, I need to work very hard at documenting and describing my work so that it will be interpreted correctly – a key skill to learn. It’s a very, very different world from being part of the inner circle.
Letting others take the credit
In most organizations, key decision-makers want and respect new ideas, products or services. Not all ideas come from within, though. Regardless of whether you are the boss or an outside consultant, you get paid to offer your best advice, ideas, and solutions to problems. As a consultant, I have to be comfortable with the fact that someone within the organization will most likely take credit for my great new idea. That’s okay from my point of view, as long as this new path is a good one and will make the organization stronger and more profitable. A good consultant doesn’t care who gets the credit; it’s enough for them to know that they sparked a great idea that someone else will turn into reality.
The fine art of retirement
So, tough not being the boss, not being able to step into colleagues’ offices unannounced and throw around some ideas, understand the inner workings, and contribute on a grand scale. Instead, there is great satisfaction in being part of the solution from the outside looking in, helping nudge along new ideas, and helping the organization be more successful.
Being retired is a lot like being a consultant. My job is to step aside and let others make those big decisions, guiding, and only offering advice when asked. Not stepping into the middle of ‘situations’ and owning them but, rather, helping others see things from a different perspective or from a more mature point of view. I find great satisfaction in doing my own research, and picking projects or causes that speak to me. I like using my skills and experience to help my kids look for new houses to purchase, or to plan and prepare for job interviews. I also want to use my skills and experience to serve my community as best I can. What a great learning experience it has been. This new job – retirement – has taught me a new set of skills, and has allowed me to see the world from a different point of view. The new skillset has set me up much better for retirement – learning the fine art of giving advice, being helpful, and earning trust and respect from the new world around me.