You have just been hired to perform the work as a consultant. The first meeting with your client is starting; this is the time to begin your engagement.
First and foremost, I would recommend not behaving as an employee who might wait for their “boss” to give them the tempo and lead their onboarding.
But instead, I suggest taking the initiative immediately with a proactive attitude and organized behavior. It implies starting by doing this:

• Day 1, meeting 1 – be prepared and in action right away
• Arrive with a drafted plan to co-create
• Recall the expectations and frame the scope
• Discuss main milestones, and suggest deliverable
• Ask for documentation to gather
• Ask for people to meet/interview
• Ask for formal communication to announce your arrival to ease your work
• Be ready with all your material (Laptop, internet access, storage…) – This can’t slow you down
• Create momentum right away – you are in action and in control

Why this is so important:

• You reassure your client’s choice & trust in you – you create a great rapport
• You take the lead in your mission, and you are accountable
• You are a PRO (structured, fast, did if before, know what to do, where to go…)
• Because you give your client peace of mind, and they know you are the one who will solve their issues.

We need to show up in control without being bossy. Adopt a “Nice to meet you, let’s get started” mindset.
For example, consider yourself a pilot hired to fly a plane. The client has told you where they want you to fly. It’s up to you to take care of all the steps. You don’t sit in the pilot’s seat and say, “What do you want to do?” but you say things like,

• I need to see the loading manifest and weight and balance calculations
• I need to have the weather report
• How much fuel is on board
• etc…

What a great start, isn’t it?!

All Penon Partners consultants are coached to master these technics to ensure high-quality services for our clients.
Written by Jean-Christophe Laurent, CEO at Penon Partners.
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