Having a hammer £10 Knowing how to wield the hammer £90 Knowing where to hit £150
That’s the denouement of the allegory of the engineer asked to justify his seemingly exaggerated fee for responding to a call-out to a broken machine. The point it makes is that the value gained from experts is in their know-how as well as their know-do. Anyone can hit a pipe, but it takes expertise to know where and when to hit - and why, how often and how hard
When we were refreshing our brand values at the turn of the year, knowledgeable was an easy pick. Our clients tell us (I’m pleased to say!) that we apply and communicate our knowledge in ways that solve problems and enable the best decisions. Therein lies the essence of successful consultancy.
At ANHH we realise that being knowledgeable is not static, just as the experience we offer is not fixed. Our knowledge is only valuable if it is up to date, and the advice we give is enhanced by best practice we have seen or have partnered to introduce elsewhere. We use the analogy of the “coach on the field”, signalling that we know what to do (foundation level) but also feel very comfortable working with our clients to deliver the change (expert level).
Being knowledgeable involves more than just possessing and sharing information. It requires a deep understanding of a subject, critical thinking skills, effective communication, and a thirst for learning. “Doing good” will always be at ANHH’s core, and we cannot be as valuable an asset as we aspire to be – and contribute to society in the meaningful ways that we endeavour to – without working hard on our knowledge.
We make efforts to keep up with the latest research, trends, and developments in our field. We are open-minded, interested, and always seeking to learn more. We hold regular training sessions, facilitated either by one of the team for the benefit of the others or by trusted experts whom we invite in.
My favourite “business” quote will always be:
CFO asks CEO: “What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave us?”
CEO responds to CFO: “What happens if we don’t, and they stay?”
Enough said.
Many (perhaps, most) meeting Chairs will ask people to switch off their phones. Our approach is 180 degrees removed from that – “please keep your mobile devices switched on” – as that is often the immediate means to exploring wicked problems, generating ideas, and gaining knowledge. A successful organisation is a learning organisation, and learning should never be deferred.
“Been there, done that” is a perfectly valid mantra in consultancy. What we’ve found in our recent projects at ANHH, however, is that, as systems evolve in our principal sector of healthcare, there isn’t always a precedent to emulate. Instead, we have thought “Seen something similar, we’ll take the best from that”.
Unapologetically, it has involved us being 5 minutes ahead of the client in our analysis and solution. In those circumstances we have proved to be knowledgeable by separating the relevant from the merely interesting.
Life would be very boring if we didn’t learn something new every day. I suspect that not many know the full quote:
Curiosity killed the cat, But satisfaction brought it back.
While the first line warns of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experiment, the second is a rejoinder that reminds of the revitalising energy of finding out. Knowledge is a powerful and life-enhancing thing.
At ANHH we believe we have the collective awareness, capability, and experience to add value to any project. Even more, we have the ambition and drive to challenge ourselves and our clients when solutions are less transparent and thinking needs to be deeper. Our philosophy is “to the point, for a change” and we know that only suited, targeted action can hit the nail firmly on the head.
As ever, if there is anything in this blog that raises a question, or you have a project we can work with you to deliver, please do reach out.
Have tools, will travel.
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