I had a reasonably successful and prosperous year, although many of my consulting colleagues were not so fortunate. What are some ways I might help colleague who struggled last year?

Management consulting can be an extremely rewarding way to make a living. It can be a challenging one as well. Although they might have many success stories to share, an experienced and accomplished consultant also knows times when times were pretty tough and the outlook was bleak (2002's consulting recession wasn't that long ago). Many were able to transcend these challenging periods through the assistance of others. As IMC USA members, we often leverage the assistance and expertise of our fellow members in order to gain advice, knowledge and insight, and build collaborative alliances.

Helping a fellow consultant in need can take many forms: offering referrals, providing key introductions, identifying an opportunity, sharing a resource, assisting with a challenging task or even simply offering to provide a meal, a sympathetic ear, and some good advice.

Tip: Identify one or two fellow consulting colleagues that have experienced a challenging year and could use your help. How might you be able to provide some needed assistance without the risk of offending or embarrassing them? Your offer to help may create a new relationship that could benefit both of you.

© 2010 Institute of Management Consultants USA