The worst sin as a consultant
One of my very first management jobs was as the team leader on a consulting team that was supposed to help with the strategy for a joint venture between two companies. We had been called in late because the project wasn’t going very well. And, as I interviewed people and got to know more about the project, it was clear to me that it wasn’t going well because the basic premise behind the project was flawed (the strategy was wrong) – and I got the feeling that I wasn’t being told everything about the project.
So I tried to help both sides of the joint-venture see my point of view. One side agreed that there was a problem, but the other side (the side that hired my company) was steadfastly resolute in wanting to do the project the way they wanted to do the project. I tried to see ways to make the project work. I looked at it from all angles over a period of months. But I felt like I was enabling (and endorsing) a really bad idea.
I walked into the CEO’s office (the person who hired me into the consulting firm) to tell him that I couldn’t think of a way to continue in this job. He had some important advice for me: a decision to quit this project (especially as the project leader) would be the last decisions that I would make in this company. He told me that I may not be fired immediately after quitting this position, but that I’d never really be respected in the firm again – which would be even worse than being fired. I was told that it was the worst “sin” that I could commit.
I went back to the client and tried to find a way around what I thought was a bad idea, for two more weeks. Finally, in desperation – and feeling completely useless – I quit the project team. I felt bad leaving the other consultants to complete the job, but I just couldn’t go on in good conscience.
I was immediately assigned to an internal project and continued that project for months. None of the directors of the firm wanted me to be on a project with them.
So I tried to help both sides of the joint-venture see my point of view. One side agreed that there was a problem, but the other side (the side that hired my company) was steadfastly resolute in wanting to do the project the way they wanted to do the project. I tried to see ways to make the project work. I looked at it from all angles over a period of months. But I felt like I was enabling (and endorsing) a really bad idea.
I walked into the CEO’s office (the person who hired me into the consulting firm) to tell him that I couldn’t think of a way to continue in this job. He had some important advice for me: a decision to quit this project (especially as the project leader) would be the last decisions that I would make in this company. He told me that I may not be fired immediately after quitting this position, but that I’d never really be respected in the firm again – which would be even worse than being fired. I was told that it was the worst “sin” that I could commit.
I went back to the client and tried to find a way around what I thought was a bad idea, for two more weeks. Finally, in desperation – and feeling completely useless – I quit the project team. I felt bad leaving the other consultants to complete the job, but I just couldn’t go on in good conscience.
I was immediately assigned to an internal project and continued that project for months. None of the directors of the firm wanted me to be on a project with them.
