Jim Crocker, CEO of Boardroom Metrics has posted another helpful video on YouTube about working with consultants.

Titled ‘How to Engage a Consultant’, Crocker provides some simple tips for finding and setting up a relationship with a consultant.  They include:

1. talking to multiple consultants to ensure that you have the right one before engaging
2. clarifying with the consultant what the outputs of the engagement will be – ensuring that you are not disappointed down the road
3. clarifying the terms of the engagement including outputs, fee and timing
4. putting the terms in writing and getting the consultant to sign it

Again Crocker has kept it simple but there are a couple of things that could be added.

First,  the terms should include the conditions for terminating the engagement with the consultant – usually some kind of ‘break up’ fee, or notice period.

Second, although Crocker says “you don’t need a lawyer” when putting the terms in writing, he’s not precluding the idea that you may want to engage a lawyer, particularly for significant engagements.

Finally, he fails to mention that the consultant should always sign a confidentiality agreement before beginning the engagement.