What’s the indicator that your consulting firm is outstanding at your craft?
Revenue? Repeat clients? Glowing testimonials? Phenomenal client outcomes? Jaw-dropping client list? No, the real sign that you run a great consulting firm is that you deftly employ Spirographs. Metaphorically, of course.
Those other indicators are all good. They show you’re able to attract clients and/or provide value at a high level. Yet, to truly excel at our profession, something more is required:
At the pinnacle of excellence a consulting firm encapsulates its ability to create value
into an approach that others can replicate.
In other words, you create Spirographs you can hand to subordinates, subcontractors and even clients.
Hmm, maybe that Spirograph reference needs clarification for the youngsters amongst us.
Spirograph, the 1967 toy of the year, was a fairly simple contraption. It allowed just about anyone who could stick pins in a wall (sorry, Dad) to create awesomely cool geometric designs in indelible ink on said wall (really, really sorry, Dad).
Your consulting firm’s mission is to create value by solving similar problems in similar ways for a variety of clients.
One way your firm can accomplish your mission is on a case-by-case basis, applying your impressive, intellectual gifts afresh each time.
This bespoke, “freehand” method of consulting generates happy clients, effusive praise and reasonable wealth.
However, a more powerful approach to drawing forth value is with Spirographs—systems that empower and equip others to succeed. There are a number of reasons why:
Why Spirographs Are the Sign of Superlative Consulting
Better Results
The process of systematizing your consulting firm’s approach invariably exposes the bugs and flaws, while fine tuning the aspects that lead to exceptional outcomes.
As a result, when you systematize you improve your own process and deliver better results.
Greater Consistency
Reinventing the wheel every time is unreliable and creates inconsistent results.
When your consulting firm relies on a proven system rather than consulting from scratch or from your memory of past projects, your results will be predictably fabulous.
Increased Efficiency
You and/or your team can work a project from start to successful completion far more quickly when the approach is sytemized.
Perhaps more importantly, a strong system enables a wider variety of resources to deliver a successful outcome. That allows you to scale your firm and increase margin on every project.
Elevated Focus
The biggest win from systematizing your consulting firm’s approaches may be the freedom to tackle even more difficult, sophisticated, valuable problems.
When you can delegate lower-order work to subordinates, subcontractors or client personnel, you’re virtually forced to raise the bar on your own thinking.
Systems, Not Products
Developing Spirographs is not the same as developing products or canned solutions.
Systems enable your consulting firm to efficiently, reliably develop customized advice for clients. The systems are not, in themselves, the answer.
How to Build Your Firm’s Spirographs
To build your firm’s game closet full of Spirographs, follow this mantra: Work Forward, Think Backward.
Left to our own devices and intuition, we tend to create tools and systems the way we work, which is starting at the beginning then progressing forward until we achieve the end.
Of course, left to our own devices, we might start incessantly humming Christmas music before Halloween. Neither is a good idea.
The better approach for building your Spirograph is to think backwards from the end. Below are the five steps to follow:
- Document the Outcome – What is your consulting firm delivering that actually creates the most value for your clients? What’s the output of your magnificent consulting? Start there. Clearly define the outcomes and outputs you deliver.
- Think Backwards – Starting from the outcome and working backwards, identify steps in your repeatable process. The criteria for your steps are: easy, reliable, efficient, and effective
- Scrub the Process – Eliminate extraneous steps and tangents. They always pop up, so be diligent about removing them.
- Remove Labor – Scrutinize each step and output along the way. What can be automated, put into a tool, or templated?
- Codify – Develop the simplest instructions that will allow others to succeed 90% of the time.
If you think there’s some “magic” in how your firm approach problems, you haven’t thoroughly thought through how you do what you do.
This doesn’t mean everyone can do what you do. It means that others with aptitude can achieve excellent results if they have your Spirograph and follow your instructions.
What parts of your consulting approach have you (or could you) systematize into a Spirograph?
Text and images are © 2025 David A. Fields, all rights reserved.
