Three-Word Tricks to Boost Your Impact as a Consultant
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As a consultant, it’s our job to help clients solve problems and operate at their best. Sometimes this is easy, particularly with process or operational improvements. For example, “Decrease product returns by moving the quality checks upstream in the process.”
However, advice becomes challenging when it’s more personal, like when a business leader needs to change a behavior or a team member acts inappropriately. In these situations, we often hesitate, thinking about speaking up but ultimately staying silent. This reluctance does a disservice to our clients who hired us for our candor and expertise.
Over the years, I’ve discovered some three-word phrases that make delivering difficult observations and advice more effective and less uncomfortable.
1. “As a consultant…”
These three words transform unsolicited advice by framing it within a business context so it’s less personal. For example:
“As a consultant, it’s my job to point out things that are…
…holding you back from achieving the goal.
…getting in the way of the team’s effectiveness.”
By positioning feedback this way, you’re simply fulfilling your professional role. Without these three words, the feedback may be perceived as harsh or confrontational. For example:
“As a consultant, I notice things that slow progress. In today’s meeting, you stopped a couple of conversations prematurely, potentially shutting down valuable contributions.”
Versus: “In today’s meeting, you stopped some conversations too early, shutting people down and leaving ideas unexplored.”
2. “It’s my policy…”
Similar to the tip above, these words make things less personal and less negotiable.
“It’s my policy to never discount my rates.” Or “It’s my policy to maintain consistent rates across all my clients.”
You can make it even less personal by using the name of your business:
“UpTalent Consulting has a policy against scheduling client work on Sundays.”
3. “Even better if…”
This trick works because you start with something positive, capturing attention without triggering defensiveness:
“The team meeting was quite productive—you really got the team engaged! It would have been even better if you had allowed deeper exploration when discussing the marketing strategy. I noticed some unfinished thoughts and a few disappointed expressions.”
4. “This is awkward…”
Acknowledging discomfort causes instant connection, and everyone understands awkwardness. Admitting the feeling makes others more receptive to what follows. Examples:
“This is awkward, but I noticed the budget figures don’t align with our previously discussed scope.”
“I’m feeling awkward about discussing this contract because there’s so much legalese. Would you please help me understand the section about intellectual property?”
“This feels a little awkward to ask, but can we reschedule the planning meeting?”
Try Them Today
These three-word phrases aren't just linguistic tricks—they're communication tools to help you deliver value with confidence and professionalism. What three-word phrases have you found effective in your work? Share your own communication shortcuts in the comments section on LinkedIn, and let's build our collective consulting toolkit together.
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