“Always have a target…”

Mr Burke was one in a million. His words cut though you precisely…..and they hung with you forever.

I thought about ‘having a target’ when we, at Docent, were constructing our Consultant Evaluation/Reference Checking process. You have to have ‘a target’ to begin the measurement - and then go from there.

Too often, relationships get renewed without asking the critical question: is this still delivering the value we need?

At Docent, we encourage clients to begin with structured reflection on their incumbent consultant before making renewal decisions. Over time, even strong firms can drift—responsiveness slips, trust erodes, or cultural fit weakens.

That’s why we created the Consultant Relationship Scorecard, a quick tool to evaluate across eight dimensions:
• Benevolence – Do they put client success first?
• Integrity – Are they transparent and accountable?
• Competence – Do they solve complex problems effectively?
• Consistency – Are they reliable and clear in communication?
• Transparency – Are they open on methods and pricing?
• Cultural Fit – Do they align with your company’s values?
• Relationship Strength – Have they built trust across stakeholders?
• Proactivity – Do they manage deliverables, issues, and follow-ups without needing to be prompted by the client?

Each team member can rate these 1–5, then compare and discuss together.

Use the conversation to decide: refresh, renegotiate, or move on.

While Docent’s full Reference Check process goes much deeper, this high-level scorecard is a practical way to spark constructive discussion.

Would you recommend your consultant to a peer today?

Are you starting with a ‘target?’

#Consulting #Leadership #HR #Docent #TrustedAdvisor