Rules of a Good Working Relationship

How can clients and consultants get along better? Heard today from a consultant who gets emails after 11 p.m. on a Friday night about work due the next Monday morning. And know of a client who received assignments after the deadline. Bad, bad, on both counts.

So what are some rules for a more productive relationship? Here’s a few I can think of, please suggest others–

  • A scope of work or agreement that clearly spells out assumptions on both sides
  • An open line of communication so that the consultant can email or call the client with questions and receive timely responses
  • A discussion about how the work should be turned in, especially if it is a more free-form deliverable such as findings from an assessment or series of interviews (a formal report? an email?
  • An agreed-upon schedule, to allow time for review and revision.

What else would you add?

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