Contractors and consultants. Teammates or transactions?
"If the relationship matters, the distance doesn't " Anonymous
Who are the true members of your organization? Many leaders only consider those who work full-time near them each day, such as W2 employees. Are they leaving people out? Indeed, contractor and consultant has a bad ring. What comes to mind is a consultant who appears at the most inconvenient time to sprinkle some advice on you before they disappear leaving you with extra work or a contractor who performs a task or offers a service but does not really understand what is happening inside an organization. While many contractors and consultants earn this bad rap, part of if it is born of bad leadership.
I've been a consultant and I've also hired consultants and contractors. There is a better way. There are certainly cases where I treat the work of a consultant or contractor as a transaction void of any personal relationship, but that is the exception, not the norm. To influence which is the true essence of leadership, leaders must invest in forming and fostering relationships. I'm always fascinated by other people, eager to hear about and learn from their expertise and the journey they are traveling. Even if only for a short stint, I want to get to know someone and make them feel welcomed.
My publisher Kate Colbert appeared on a podcast a few years ago called Gut + Science where she talks about building an engaged remote workforce. I thought what she shared summed up my philosophy of how to do this right. Here is the link. It is the little things which send strong messages of belonging which are critical to the consultant/contractor relationship. Here are a few ideas Kate mentioned and some of my own.
Offer business cards with the company logo on them for the consultant to use.
Give them a company email account and access to internal chat applications where they can interact with the team on a frequent basis.
Allow them to see data and other proprietary information which will help them conduct their duties but also feel part of the team. General Stanley McChrystal states in his book, Team of Teams, "share information to the point it makes you uncomfortable."
Send them company merchandise such as hats, pens, shirts, etc. so they can look like and feel like everyone else.
Include them when communicating with the entire team.
Introduce them as a new teammate when contracting them.
Give them a desk, office space, and a seat at the table.
Of course there are things to consider, such as the tenure of a contractor or consultant, and the point at which you believe you have earned their trust and confidence. It is probably unwise to open the books and outstretch your arms on day one, so do your diligence.
In summary, treat a contractor or a consultant like a transaction and that is what you'll get. Embrace them as a teammate and they will go the extra mile for you and your people.
Transaction or teammate? It starts with you.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell